---
name: "vgrind"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "vgrind"
version: "8.1+20050830-1"
release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vgrind"
---

# vgrind(1)

grind nice listings of programs

## NAME

**vgrind** – grind nice listings of programs

## SYNOPSIS

**vgrind** \[**-**\] \[**-W**\] \[**-d** *file*\] \[**-f**\] \[**-h** *header*\] \[**-l***language*\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p** *postproc*\] \[**-sn**\] \[**-t**\] \[**-x**\] *name* *...*

## DESCRIPTION

The **vgrind** utility formats the program sources which are arguments in a nice style using [troff(1)](/troff/1.md) Comments are placed in italics, keywords in bold face, and the name of the current function is listed down the margin of each page as it is encountered.

The **vgrind** utility runs in two basic modes, filter mode (see the **-f** option) or regular mode. In filter mode **vgrind** acts as a filter in a manner similar to [tbl(1)](/tbl/1.md). The standard input is passed directly to the standard output except for lines bracketed by the *troff-like* macros:

- .vS

  starts processing

- .vE

  ends processing

These lines are formatted as described above. The output from this filter can be passed to [troff(1)](/troff/1.md) for output. There need be no particular ordering with [eqn(1)](/eqn/1.md) or [tbl(1)](/tbl/1.md).

In regular mode **vgrind** accepts input files, processes them, and passes them to the postprocessor for output, [psroff(1)](/psroff/1.md) by default.

In both modes **vgrind** passes any lines beginning with a decimal point without conversion.

The options are:

- **-**

  forces input to be taken from standard input (default if **-f** is specified)

- **-W**

  forces output to the (wide) Versatec printer rather than the (narrow) Varian

- **-d** *file*

  specifies an alternate language definitions file (default is */usr/share/misc/vgrindefs*)

- **-f**

  forces filter mode

- **-h** *header*

  specifies a particular header to put on every output page (default is the file name)

- **-l**

  specifies the language to use. Currently known are PASCAL (**-l***p*), MODEL (**-l***m*), C (**-l***c* or the default), C++ (**-l***c++*), CSH (**-l***csh*), SHELL (**-l***sh*), RATFOR (**-l***r*), MODULA2 (**-l***mod2*), YACC (**-l***yacc*), LISP (**-l***isp*), ICON (**-l***I*), PERL (**-l***perl*), and EXPECT/TCL (**-l***tcl*).

- **-n**

  forces no keyword bolding

- **-p** *postproc*

  use *postproc* to post-process the output, [psroff(1)](/psroff/1.md) by default.

- **-s**

  specifies a point size to use on output (exactly the same as the argument of a .ps)

- **-t**

  similar to the same option in [troff(1)](/troff/1.md) causing formatted text to go to the standard output

- **-x**

  outputs the index file in a \`\`pretty'' format. The index file itself is produced whenever **vgrind** is run with a file called *index* in the current directory. The index of function definitions can then be run off by giving **vgrind** the **-x** option and the file *index* as argument.

## FILES

- *index*

  file where source for index is created

- */usr/share/groff/tmac/tmac.vgrind*

  macro package

- */usr/lib/vgrind/vfontedpr*

  preprocessor

- */usr/share/misc/vgrindefs*

  language descriptions

## SEE ALSO

[getcap(3)](/getcap/3.md), [vgrindefs(5)](/vgrindefs/5.md)

## HISTORY

The **vgrind** command appeared in 3.0BSD.

## BUGS

The vfontedpr preprocessor assumes that a certain programming style is followed:

For C - function names can be preceded on a line only by spaces, tabs, or an asterisk. The parenthesized arguments must also be on the same line.

For PASCAL - function names need to appear on the same line as the keywords *function* or *procedure*.

For MODEL - function names need to appear on the same line as the keywords *is* *beginproc*.

If these conventions are not followed, the indexing and marginal function name comment mechanisms will fail.

More generally, arbitrary formatting styles for programs mostly look bad. The use of spaces to align source code fails miserably; if you plan to **vgrind** your program you should use tabs. This is somewhat inevitable since the font used by **vgrind** is variable width.

The mechanism of [ctags(1)](/ctags/1.md) in recognizing functions should be used here.

Filter mode does not work in documents using the **-me** or **-ms** macros. (So what use is it anyway?)