0.2. Conventions
This desktop quick reference follows certain typographic conventions:
- Bold
-
is used for commands, programs, and options. All terms shown in bold
are typed literally.
- Italic
-
is used to show arguments and variables that should be replaced with
user-supplied values. Italic is also used to indicate filenames and
directories and to highlight comments in examples.
- Constant Width
-
is used to show the contents of files or the output from commands.
- Constant Width Bold
-
is used in examples to show commands or other text that should be
typed literally by the user.
- Constant Width Italic
-
is used in examples to show text that should be replaced with
user-supplied values.
- %, $
-
are used in some examples as the tcsh shell prompt (%) and as the Bourne or bash shell prompt ($).
- [ ]
-
surround optional elements in a description of syntax. (The brackets
themselves should never be typed.) Note that many commands show the
argument [files]. If a filename is omitted,
standard input (e.g., the keyboard) is assumed. End with an
end-of-file character.
- EOF
-
indicates the end-of-file character (normally Ctrl-D).
- |
-
is used in syntax descriptions to separate items for which only one
alternative may be chosen at a time.
TIP:
This icon indicates a note, which is an important aside to its nearby
text.
WARNING:
This icon indicates a warning.
A final word about syntax. In many cases,
the space between an option and its argument can be omitted.
In other cases, the spacing (or lack of spacing) must be followed
strictly. For example, -wn (no intervening
space) might be interpreted differently from -w n.
It's important to notice the spacing used in option
syntax.
| | |
Preface | | 0.3. We'd Like to Hear from You |
Copyright © 2003 O'Reilly & Associates. All rights reserved.