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diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-05-manpage-and-compact-help-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-05-manpage-and-compact-help-design.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..92fd285 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-05-manpage-and-compact-help-design.md @@ -0,0 +1,108 @@ +# Man page + compact --help + +## Problem + +`mkhint --help` has grown to ~45 lines: title, 12 usage examples, an options +list, a runtime-paths block, a variable-order note, and an exit-code table. +Too much for a glance; the reference material belongs in a man page. There is +no man page today. + +## Goal + +1. Add a `mkhint.1` man page as the full reference. +2. Slim `--help` to a scannable summary that points at the man page. +3. Config-file presence already surfaces in `--help` (added earlier this + session, in the working tree, not yet committed); keep it. + +## Approach + +Man page authored in Markdown (`mkhint.1.md`), built with pandoc +(`pandoc mkhint.1.md -s -t man -o mkhint.1`), then gzipped +(`gzip -9 -n mkhint.1` → `mkhint.1.gz`). Pandoc 3.9 is available on the dev +host. The committed artifact is `mkhint.1.gz` (matches the `.1.gz` convention +of `/usr/share/man/man1`); the uncompressed `mkhint.1` is a build intermediate, +not committed. Shipping the gzip means the target VM (and any install) needs no +pandoc. `man` reads the gzip transparently. + +### Compact `--help` + +Rewrite the `show_help` heredoc (`mkhint` lines ~59-105) to contain: + +- Title line: `mkhint $MKHINT_VERSION - Manage hint files for slackrepo scripts` +- One-line synopsis replacing the 12 usage examples: + `Usage: mkhint [OPTION] [FILE...]` +- The full Options list (unchanged, lines ~78-89). +- The runtime-paths block (unchanged): + - `Config file:` line with present/not-present status. + - `Hint files are stored in: $HINT_DIR` + - `Temporary files are stored in: $TMP_DIR` + - `Phantom-dep list (for --fix-current / --new): $PHANTOM_DEPS_FILE` +- Closing pointer: `See 'man mkhint' for usage examples, configuration, and exit codes.` + +Removed from `--help` (moved to man page): the 12 usage examples, the +"Variables order in hint files" note, and the exit-code table. + +Result: ~20 lines. + +### Man page sections (`mkhint.1.md`) + +Pandoc man-page metadata block at top (title `MKHINT(1)`, footer version/date). +Sections: + +- **NAME** — `mkhint - manage hint files for slackrepo scripts` +- **SYNOPSIS** — option forms. +- **DESCRIPTION** — what hint files are, what mkhint does. +- **OPTIONS** — every flag with long/short form and full explanation + (superset of the compact `--help` list). +- **USAGE EXAMPLES** — the 12 examples from the old help plus the richer + examples already in README.md. +- **CONFIGURATION** — the sourced config file `~/.config/mkhint/config`, the + six overridable vars (`REPO_DIR`, `HINT_DIR`, `PACKAGES_DIR`, + `NVCHECKER_CONFIG`, `PHANTOM_DEPS_FILE`, `TMP_DIR`) with defaults, the + nvchecker `[__config__]` prerequisite, and the phantom-deps file format. +- **FILES** — the runtime paths. +- **EXIT CODES** — the table (0/1/2/3/4). +- **SEE ALSO** — `slackrepo`, `nvchecker`, `nvtake`. +- **AUTHOR** — Danilo M. <danix@danix.xyz>. + +Content is drawn from the existing README.md and CLAUDE.md; no new behavior is +documented. Keep it factual and current with v1.1.0. + +### Build + install + +- Dev host: `pandoc mkhint.1.md -s -t man -o mkhint.1 && gzip -9 -n mkhint.1`. + Commit `mkhint.1.md` and `mkhint.1.gz`; `.gitignore` the uncompressed + intermediate `mkhint.1` (or just don't add it). +- README.md + CLAUDE.md install sections gain a man-page line. Local + (non-root) install keeps `sudo cp`: + `sudo cp mkhint.1.gz /usr/local/man/man1/mkhint.1.gz` +- VM deploy (root) uses plain `cp` over ssh, done at ship time, not documented + as `sudo`. + +## Testing + +The suite has no help-content assertions today (T65/T66 cover only `-v`). +Add one light test: + +- **T73**: `mkhint --help` exits 0 and its output contains the string + `man mkhint` (the pointer). Guards against the pointer being dropped and + confirms help still runs after the rewrite. + +The man page build is not tested in the suite (would require pandoc in the +test env); it is verified once at authoring time via `man ./mkhint.1` and +`pandoc` exiting clean. + +## Out of scope + +- No roff hand-editing; pandoc owns `.1` generation. +- No changes to any command behavior. +- No changes to the config-status line (already shipped). + +## Files touched + +- `mkhint` — rewrite `show_help`. +- `mkhint.1.md` — new (man source). +- `mkhint.1.gz` — new (generated, gzipped, committed). +- `.gitignore` — new, ignore the uncompressed `mkhint.1` intermediate. +- `README.md`, `CLAUDE.md` — install docs + man-page mention. +- `tests/mkhint_test.sh` — add T73. |