eqn(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, eqn is the illumos eqn at /usr/bin/eqn, a troff(1) preprocessor. The same page also covers neqn (for nroff) and checkeq (delimiter checker). The bundle's Linux (groff-1.24.2) section holds no manual text, so no Linux or BSD flag-level differences can be confirmed.
The manual pages
- Solnix: eqn(1) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - Linux: eqn(1) groff-1.24.2
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos eqn at /usr/bin/eqn. No other variants are shipped. The page is published in pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. The page documents neqn and checkeq alongside eqn. The Solnix page is dated July 12, 2002.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux page text missing from bundle | The Linux eqn(1) (groff-1.24.2) section contains no manual text, and no Linux option flags were extracted. Any claim about how groff eqn differs in options, defaults or output cannot be checked here. The manual text provided does not say. Source: Bundle header (linux eqn flags empty); LINUX: eqn(1) section |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | no BSD counterpart in bundle | The bundle lists only a Linux counterpart. It has no FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD eqn(1) page, so whether those systems ship eqn, and with what options, is not stated. Source: Bundle header (COUNTERPART lists linux only) |
| all four | Solnix option set | Solnix eqn accepts only -d xy, -f n, -p n and -s n, plus file operands. Scripts that pass other options to eqn cannot rely on them on Solnix, since the page does not document any.Source: Solnix eqn(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS |
| all four | -p default | Without -p, Solnix eqn reduces subscripts and superscripts by 3 point sizes from the previous size. -p n changes that reduction to n points.Source: Solnix eqn(1) OPTIONS -pn |
| all four | neqn and checkeq on the same page | Solnix documents neqn (preprocessor for nroff on terminals) and checkeq (reports missing or unbalanced delimiters and .EQ/.EN pairs) in the eqn page. Whether other systems ship these commands is not shown in the bundle. Source: Solnix eqn(1) NAME, SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
| all four | bold quoting limitation | On Solnix, digits and parentheses must be quoted to be emboldened, for example bold "12.3". The page lists this under BUGS. Source: Solnix eqn(1) BUGS |
Standards
- POSIX: eqn is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Stick to .EQ/.EN blocks and the delim directive inside the document rather than command-line options. Only
-d,-f,-pand-sare documented on Solnix, and the bundle gives no Linux or BSD option list to compare against.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.