Perl 5.24.1delta: Man Page Issues And Updates

Dear Perl maintainers,

This article addresses issues identified in the perl5224delta.1perl man page as part of the manpage-l10n project. This project focuses on maintaining translations of man pages from diverse sources, including Perl, into various languages. Translators often encounter potential issues in the original English man pages, ranging from simple typos to complex sentences or inconsistencies in conventions. This article serves to report these issues, facilitating improvements to the Perl documentation.

Introduction to the Manpage-L10n Project

The manpage-l10n project is dedicated to providing accurate and accessible documentation across multiple languages. This is achieved through a collaborative effort of volunteer translators who meticulously review and translate man pages. The project's workflow involves sourcing man pages from various distributions and updating them regularly, ensuring that translations remain current. This commitment to timeliness and accuracy makes the project a valuable resource for the global Perl community. Maintaining a consistent and high-quality set of man pages is crucial for both new and experienced Perl users, as it provides a reliable reference for understanding the language's features and functionalities.

Our team regularly updates translations, typically every two months, using sources from multiple distributions, including those that update frequently, like Arch Linux. However, we may occasionally miss the latest upstream version, potentially reporting issues that have already been resolved. In such cases, we apologize and kindly request that the issue be closed. The sheer volume of projects and the limited number of volunteers make it challenging to double-check each issue individually. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter. By working together, we can ensure the Perl documentation remains accurate and up-to-date.

Translators work with the man pages in a neutral PO format, which means the original source format (Man, Groff, XML, or other) is converted and harmonized. This process, while beneficial for translation, prevents us from providing true patches. Instead, we offer approximations that need to be converted back into the original source format. The issues reported here have accumulated over time and may not always be discovered directly by me. As a result, my descriptions of the problems may sometimes be limited. Please do not hesitate to ask for clarifications, and we will do our best to provide additional information. Our goal is to ensure that the man pages are as accurate and helpful as possible for the Perl community.

This report includes several issues identified in the perl5224delta.1perl man page. If there is a preferred channel for future reports, please let us know. Your guidance will help us streamline the reporting process and ensure that issues are addressed efficiently. We are committed to contributing to the accuracy and clarity of Perl documentation and appreciate your support in this endeavor. Clear communication channels are essential for maintaining a collaborative environment, and we value your input on how to improve our processes.

Before diving into the specific issues, I want to briefly address the topic of missing perl-internal links. I recall a previous discussion about this being a limitation of your toolchain, particularly concerning how these links appear in HTML format. Could you please confirm if this is still the case? If so, I will refrain from reporting these in the future. However, I believe that including these links in HTML could greatly enhance the reading experience by creating proper hyperlinks within the Perl documentation. This would allow users to easily navigate between related topics, making the documentation more user-friendly and accessible. Your feedback on this matter is highly appreciated.

P.S. I have omitted the triple backticks as requested to maintain readability.

Specific Issues in perl5224delta.1perl

Issue 1: Incorrect Reference to perl5223delta

• Man Page: perl5224delta.1perl

• Issue: The man page contains a reference to perl5223delta without proper formatting. Specifically, it should be formatted as B<perl5223delta>(1perl) to indicate that it is a man page reference.

• Original Text:

  If you are upgrading from an earlier release such as 5.22.2, first read "perl5223delta, which describes differences between 5.22.2 and 5.22.3."

• Proposed Correction:

  If you are upgrading from an earlier release such as 5.22.2, first read B<perl5223delta>(1perl), which describes differences between 5.22.2 and 5.22.3.

This correction ensures that the reference to perl5223delta is properly formatted, making it clear to the reader that it is a link to another man page. Consistent formatting is crucial for maintaining the readability and professionalism of the documentation. By adhering to established conventions, we can ensure that users can easily navigate and understand the information presented. This small change contributes significantly to the overall quality and usability of the Perl documentation.

Issue 2: Incorrect Reference to Module::CoreList

• Man Page: perl5224delta.1perl

• Issue: The man page contains a reference to Module::CoreList without proper formatting. It should be formatted as B<Module::CoreList>(3) to indicate that it is a reference to a Perl module.

• Original Text:

  Module::CoreList has been upgraded from version 5.20170114_22 to 5.20170715_22.

• Proposed Correction:

  B<Module::CoreList>(3) has been upgraded from version 5.20170114_22 to 5.20170715_22.

The proper formatting of module references is essential for clear and consistent documentation. Using B<Module::CoreList>(3) not only indicates that Module::CoreList is a module but also provides the relevant section number (3) in the man pages, allowing users to quickly locate detailed information about the module. This attention to detail enhances the user experience and ensures that the documentation remains a valuable resource for Perl developers. Consistency in formatting helps to avoid confusion and makes the documentation more professional and accessible.

Issue 3: Incorrect Reference to perlbug

• Man Page: perl5224delta.1perl

• Issue: The man page contains a reference to perlbug without proper formatting. It should be formatted as B<perlbug>(1) to indicate that it is a command-line utility.

• Original Text:

  If you believe you have an unreported bug, please run the perlbug program included with your release. Be sure to trim your bug down to a tiny but sufficient test case. Your bug report, along with the output of CW<*(C`perl -V*(C'>, will be sent off to perlbug@perl.org to be analysed by the Perl porting team.

• Proposed Correction:

  If you believe you have an unreported bug, please run the B<perlbug>(1) program included with your release. Be sure to trim your bug down to a tiny but sufficient test case. Your bug report, along with the output of CW<*(C`perl -V*(C'>, will be sent off to perlbug@perl.org to be analysed by the Perl porting team.

Formatting the reference to perlbug as B<perlbug>(1) clarifies that it is a command-line utility and provides the section number (1) in the man pages, where users can find more information about the command. This formatting convention is important for maintaining clarity and consistency in the documentation. Proper formatting allows users to quickly identify the type of reference and locate relevant information, making the documentation more user-friendly and efficient to use. Small corrections like this can significantly improve the overall quality of the documentation.

Conclusion

Addressing these issues in the perl5224delta.1perl man page is crucial for maintaining the high quality and usability of Perl documentation. Proper formatting of references ensures clarity and consistency, making it easier for users to navigate and understand the information. The manpage-l10n project plays a vital role in this process by identifying and reporting potential issues. Your attention to these details helps to improve the overall experience for Perl users worldwide.

We appreciate your time and consideration in reviewing these issues. Your dedication to maintaining accurate and up-to-date documentation is invaluable to the Perl community. By working together, we can ensure that Perl remains a powerful and accessible language for developers of all levels. We look forward to your feedback and guidance on how we can further improve our contributions to the Perl documentation effort.

For more information on Perl, you can visit the official Perl website.