[Preface] Conventions
Author: Daniel Gilly & the Staff of O'Reilly & Associates
Date: 1998-08-06T21:51:43Z

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| Preface |

## Conventions

The quick ref follows certain typographic conventions, outlined below:

Bold

  is used for directories, filenames, commands, and options. All terms shown in bold are typed literally.

Italic

  is used to show generic arguments and options; these should be replaced with user-supplied values. Italic is also used to highlight comments in examples.

`Constant Width`

  is used to show the contents of files or the output from commands.

`Constant Bold`

  is used in examples and tables to show commands or other text that should be typed literally by the user.

`Constant Italic`

  is used in examples and tables to show generic text; these should be replaced with user-supplied values.

`%`, `$`

  are used in some examples as the C shell prompt (`%`) and as the Bourne shell or Korn 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 (i.e., 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.

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, -w `n` (no intervening space) might be interpreted differently from -w `n`. It's important to notice the spacing used in option syntax.

Scope of This Book |  | Acknowledgments