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(groff)Escapes

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Escapes
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   Escapes may occur anywhere in the input to `gtroff'.  They usually
begin with a backslash and are followed by a single character which
indicates the function to be performed.  The escape character can be
changed; see Note: Character Translations.

   Escape sequences which require an identifier as a parameter accept
three possible syntax forms.

   * The next single character is the identifier.

   * If this single character is an opening parenthesis, take the
     following two characters as the identifier.  Note that there is no
     closing parenthesis after the identifier.

   * If this single character is an opening bracket, take all characters
     until a closing bracket as the identifier.

Examples:


     \fB
     \n(XX
     \*[TeX]

   Other escapes may require several arguments and/or some special
format.  In such cases the argument is traditionally enclosed in single
quotes (and quotes are always used in this manual for the definitions
of escape sequences).  The enclosed text is then processed according to
what that escape expects.  Example:


     \l'1.5i\(bu'

   Note that the quote character can be replaced with any other
character which does not occur in the argument (even a newline or a
space character) in the following escapes: `\o', `\b', and `\X'.  This
makes e.g.


     A caf
     \o
     e\'
     
     
     in Paris
       => A cafe' in Paris

possible, but it is better not to use this feature to avoid confusion.

   The following escapes sequences (which are handled similarly to
characters since they don't take a parameter) are also allowed as
delimiters: `\%', `\ ', `\|', `\^', `\{', `\}', `\'', `\`', `\-', `\_',
`\!', `\?', `\@', `\)', `\/', `\,', `\&', `\~', `\0', `\a', `\c', `\d',
`\e', `\E', `\p', `\r', `\t', and `\u'.  Again, don't use these if
possible.

   No newline characters as delimiters are allowed in the following
escapes: `\A', `\Z', `\C', and `\w'.

   Finally, the escapes `\D', `\h', `\H', `\l', `\L', `\N', `\R', `\s',
`\S', `\v', and `\x' can't use the following characters as delimiters:

   * The digits `0'-`9'.

   * The (single-character) operators `+-/*%<>=&:().'.

   * The space, tab, and newline characters.

   * All escape sequences except `\%', `\{', `\}', `\'', `\`', `\-',
     `\_', `\!', `\@', `\/', `\c', `\e', and `\p'.

   To have a backslash (actually, the current escape character) appear
in the output several escapes are defined: `\\', `\e' or `\E'.  These
are very similar, and only differ with respect to being used in macros
or diversions.  Note: Copy-in Mode, and Note: Diversions, for more
information.

   Note: Identifiers, and Note: Character Translations.

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