B.4 Format used in this manual
- Organization of this subsection
(1) Conventions: Fonts and symbols
The following table lists the general font conventions:
Font |
Convention |
---|---|
Bold |
Bold type indicates text on a window, other than the window title. Such text includes menus, menu options, buttons, radio box options, or explanatory labels. For example, bold is used in sentences such as the following:
|
Italics |
Italics are used to indicate a placeholder for some actual text provided by the user or system. Italics are also used for emphasis. For example:
|
Code font |
A code font indicates text that the user enters without change, or text (such as messages) output by the system. For example:
|
Examples of coding and messages appear as follows (although there may be some exceptions, such as when coding is included in a diagram):
MakeDatabase ... StoreDatabase temp DB32
In examples of coding, an ellipsis (...) indicates that one or more lines of coding are not shown for purposes of brevity.
(2) Conventions in syntax explanations for commands and scripts
Syntax definitions appear as follows:
StoreDatabase [temp|perm] (database-name ...)
The following table lists the conventions used in syntax explanations:
Example font or symbol |
Convention |
---|---|
StoreDatabase |
Code-font characters must be entered exactly as shown. |
database-name |
This font style marks a placeholder that indicates where appropriate characters are to be entered in an actual command. |
SD |
Bold code-font characters indicate the abbreviation for a command. |
perm |
Underlined characters indicate the default value. |
[ ] |
Square brackets enclose an item or set of items whose specification is optional. |
| |
Only one of the options separated by a vertical bar can be specified at the same time. |
... |
An ellipsis (...) indicates that the item or items enclosed in ( ) or [ ] immediately preceding the ellipsis may be specified as many times as necessary. |
() |
Parentheses indicate the range of items to which the vertical bar (|) or ellipsis (...) is applicable. |
(3) Conventions for permitted characters
The following table lists characters that are permitted as syntax elements (values that can be specified by users):
Type |
Definition |
---|---|
Alphabetic characters |
A to Z, a to z |
Upper-case alphabetic characters |
A to Z |
Lower-case alphabetic characters |
a to z |
Numeric characters |
0 to 9 |
Alphanumeric characters |
A to Z, a to z, 0 to 9 |
Symbols |
! " # $ % & ' ( ) + , - . / : ; < = > @ [ ] ^ _ { } ~ ? space |