=item B<-md alg>
The message digest to use.
-Any digest supported by the OpenSSL B<dgst> command can be used.
-This option also applies to CRLs.
+Any digest supported by the OpenSSL B<dgst> command can be used. For signing
+algorithms that do not support a digest (i.e. Ed25519 and Ed448) any message
+digest that is set is ignored. This option also applies to CRLs.
=item B<-policy arg>
to be added when a certificate is issued (defaults to B<x509_extensions>
unless the B<-extfile> option is used). If no extension section is
present then, a V1 certificate is created. If the extension section
-is present (even if it is empty), then a V3 certificate is created. See the:w
+is present (even if it is empty), then a V3 certificate is created. See the
L<x509v3_config(5)> manual page for details of the
extension section format.
=item B<-subj arg>
Supersedes subject name given in the request.
-The arg must be formatted as I</type0=value0/type1=value1/type2=...>,
-characters may be escaped by \ (backslash), no spaces are skipped.
+The arg must be formatted as I</type0=value0/type1=value1/type2=...>.
+Keyword characters may be escaped by \ (backslash), and whitespace is retained.
+Empty values are permitted, but the corresponding type will not be included
+in the resulting certificate.
=item B<-utf8>
=item B<default_md>
-The same as the B<-md> option. Mandatory.
+The same as the B<-md> option. Mandatory except where the signing algorithm does
+not require a digest (i.e. Ed25519 and Ed448).
=item B<database>
it's recommended to use the value B<no>, especially if combined with
the B<-selfsign> command line option.
+Note that it is valid in some circumstances for certificates to be created
+without any subject. In the case where there are multiple certificates without
+subjects this does not count as a duplicate.
+
=item B<serial>
A text file containing the next serial number to use in hex. Mandatory.
=head1 COPYRIGHT
-Copyright 2000-2017 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.
+Copyright 2000-2019 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.
Licensed under the OpenSSL license (the "License"). You may not use
this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy