# Runoff processor overview

The Runoff text processor facilitates the preparation and
maintenance of textual material such as memos, manuals, and so on.

Text stored with embedded commands is formatted for output
to a terminal or printer. Runoff source text contains commands that
control justification, page headings and footings, numbering, spacing,
and capitalization.

Textual material prepared with Runoff may
be easily edited and corrected with the *line editor* (Editor processor) or Update processor and then reprinted with Runoff.
Runoff also provides the capability of combining separate textual
material into a single report and inserting duplicate text into different
reports. Multiple input items are treated as a single source text
file.

A source text item may contain a command that causes Runoff
to chain to another file item. This makes it possible to link file
items together without doing a select or sselect. Items included in *itemlist* may
chain to other items within the same file. When the chain ends, processing continues with the next item from the item list.
A source text item may also contain a command that causes Runoff to
read a second file item and then resume processing of the first item.
This makes it possible to insert the text from a single file item
in the output from many other file items.

## See also

- [runoff command (Runoff processor)](https://d3codex.com/runoff/runoff-command-runoff-processor/)
- [Runoff commands](https://d3codex.com/runoff/runoff-commands/)

---
Source: https://d3codex.com/runoff/runoff-processor-overview/ - part of the D3Codex reference.