Home > Help Files > Unix > Text Formatting > General Textformatting: General Word processors are computer-based typewriters that use television screens in place of paper. As you type a document, you strike special keys to create paragraphs, centered lines, new pages, and the like. In text formatting, on the other hand, you use general-purpose video display terminals without special keys. Consequently it is necessary to place formatting directives in the midst of regular text. On UNIX, you create text and interspersed formatting commands with an editor such as "edit", "ex", or "vi". After you've entered a document, you use another program to format it. The "nroff" (for New RunOFF) program formats text for typewriter-like devices. For information on producing letter-quality typewritten text, read "textformat hardcopy". The "troff" (for Typesetter RunOFF) program formats text for a phototypesetter. For information on producing publication-quality typeset output, read "textformat typeset". The "vroff" (for Versatec RunOFF) program formats text for an electrostatic printer/plotter. For information on how to produce a variety of fonts on the Versatec, read "help textformat versatec". Printed documentation is highly recommended. Here is a list of writeups on text formatting, in the same order as you might read them. Document Formatting on UNIX Using the -ms Macros Tbl - A Program to Format Tables Typesetting Mathematics - User's Guide Refer - A Bibliography System A Troff Tutorial (for typesetting) Nroff/Troff User's Manual The first is absolutely necessary; the next four are optional depending on whether you need to produce tables, equations, bibliographies, or typesetter output; and the last one is only for reference.

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