Typographic Conventions

AaBbCc123

The names of commands, files, and directories, and onscreen computer output 

Edit your .login file.

Use ls -a to list all files.

machine_name% you have mail.

AaBbCc123

What you type, contrasted with onscreen computer output 

machine_name% su

Password:

aabbcc123

Placeholder: replace with a real name or value 

The command to remove a file is rm filename.

AaBbCc123

Book titles, new terms, and terms to be emphasized 

Read Chapter 6 in the User's Guide.

A cache is a copy that is stored locally.

Do not save the file.

Note: Some emphasized items appear bold online.

[]

Brackets contain arguments that are optional. 

xO[n]

xO4,0

{}

Braces contain a set of choices for a required option. 

d{y|n}

dy

|

The “pipe” or “bar” symbol separates arguments, only one of which may be chosen. 

B{dynamic|static}

Bstatic

:

The colon, like the comma, is sometimes used to separate arguments. 

Rdir[:dir ]

R/local/libs:/U/a

...

The ellipsis indicates omission in a series. 

xinline=f1[,...fn]

xinline=alpha,dos