[Chapter 12] 12.8 Predefined Registers

12.8 Predefined Registers

There are two types of predefined registers: read-only and read-write. These are all accessed via the \n escape sequence, even though some of them actually return string values.

12.8.1 Read-Only Registers

`.$`	Number of arguments available at the current macro level.
`$$`	Process ID of `troff` process (`ditroff` only).
`.A`	Set to 1 in `troff`, if `-a` option used; always 1 in `nroff`.
`.F`	Name of the current input file (recent `ditroff` only).
`.H`	Available horizontal resolution in basic units.
`.L`	Current line spacing (set by `.ls`) value (recent `ditroff` only).
`.R`	Number of unused number registers (recent `ditroff` only).
`.T`	Set to 1 in `nroff`, if `-T` option used; always 0 in `oroff`; in `ditroff`, the string `\*(.T` contains the value of `-T`.
`.V`	Available vertical resolution in basic units.
`.a`	Post-line extra line space most recently utilized using `\x'`n`'`.
`.b`	Emboldening level (recent `ditroff` only).
`.c`	Number of lines read from current input file.
`.d`	Current vertical place in current diversion; equal to register `nl` when there is no diversion.
`.f`	Current font as number (1 to 4 in `otroff`; 1 to 99 in `ditroff`).
`.h`	Text baseline high-water mark on current page or diversion.
`.i`	Current indent.
`.j`	Current adjustment mode.
`.k`	Current output horizontal position.
`.l`	Current line length.
`.n`	Length of text portion on previous output line.
`.o`	Current page offset.
`.p`	Current page length.
`.s`	Current point size.
`.t`	Distance to the next trap.
`.u`	Equal to 1 in fill mode and 0 in no-fill mode.
`.v`	Current vertical line spacing.
`.w`	Width of previous character.
`.x`	Reserved version-dependent register.
`.y`	Reserved version-dependent register.
`.z`	Name of current diversion.

12.8.2 Read-Write Registers

`%`	Current page number.
`ct`	Character type (set by `\w` function).
`dl`	Width (maximum) of last completed diversion.
`dn`	Height (vertical size) of last completed diversion.
`dw`	Current day of the week (1 to 7).
`dy`	Current day of the month (1 to 31).
`hp`	Current horizontal place on input line.
`ln`	Output line number.
`mo`	Current month (1 to 12).
`nl`	Vertical position of last printed text baseline.
`sb`	Depth of string below baseline (generated by `\w` function).
`st`	Height of string above baseline (generated by `\w` function).
`yr`	Years since 1900.[2]

[2] Yes, there's a potential Y2K problem here. This will be 100 in 2000.


12.7 Escape Sequences		12.9 Special Characters