1.3 Format of command explanations

The following shows the command specification format:

command-name option command-argument

The following explains command-name, option, and command-argument using the adbimport command as an example.

adbimport  -u ADBUSER01  TABLE01  ...
   [1]          [2]        [3]

Explanation:

1. This is the name of the command. Specify either the name or the path name of the command to execute.

2. This is an option that is associated with the command. An option consists of a string of alphanumeric characters beginning with one hyphen (-) or two hyphens (--).

   Some options require one or more option arguments and some options require no arguments. In the above example, -u requires an option argument; ADBUSER01 is its option argument. Specify multiple option arguments by delimiting them with a comma (,).

3. This is a command argument.

Rules for options and option arguments

• Alphabetic characters specified as options are case sensitive.

• When an option requires an option argument, the option argument cannot be omitted.

• If an option argument contains a space, you must enclose the argument in double quotation marks (").

  Example: adbimport -z "/home/import∆option/env01.txt"

  In this example, -z is an option for specifying a path name. If the path name contains a space, the path name must be enclosed in double quotation marks ("), as shown in the example (where Δ indicates the space).

• To include a double quotation mark (") in an option argument, enclose the entire value in single quotation marks (').

  Example: adbsql -u '"adbuser01"'

• If the same option is specified more than once, only the last instance of that option is used.

  Example: adbcancel -u 1 -u 2

  In this example, only -u 2 is used.

How to display a command usage message (how to display command help)

Specifying -h or --help displays a usage message that explains the command's input format.

Example:

adbcancel -h
 
KFAA91250-I Usage: adbcancel {--ALL | -u <connection-identifier>}

The following table explains the meanings of the symbols used in command usage messages.

Table 1‒4: Meanings of the symbols used in command usage messages

No.	Symbol used in usage message	Meaning
1	{ }	Curly brackets indicate that only one of the enclosed options is to be selected.
2	|	A vertical bar separates multiple items, and has the meaning of OR.
3	[ ]	Square brackets indicate that the enclosed option or options can be omitted.
4	< >	Angle brackets enclose a character string that explains the type of option argument or command argument to specify.
5	-	A hyphen in a character string for an option argument or a command argument separates explanatory words.

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