Reading syntax diagrams

To read a syntax diagram for entering a command, follow the path of the line. Read from left to right and from top to bottom.

The ►►─── symbol indicates the beginning of a syntax diagram.
The ───► symbol at the end of a line indicates that the syntax diagram continues on the next line.
The ►─── symbol at the beginning of a line indicates that a syntax diagram continues from the previous line.
The ───►◄ symbol indicates the end of a syntax diagram.

Syntax items, such as a keyword or a variable, can be:

On the line (required element)
Above the line (default element)
Below the line (optional element)

Symbols

Enter these symbols exactly as they appear in the syntax diagram.

* Asterisk
{ } Braces
: Colon
, Comma
= Equal Sign
- Hyphen
() Parentheses
. Period
Space
" quotation mark
'single quotation mark

Variables

Italicized lowercase items such as <var_name> indicate variables. In this example, you can specify a <var_name> when you enter the cmd_name command.


>>-cmd_name--<var_name>----------------------------------------><

Repetition

An arrow returning to the left means that the item can be repeated. A character within the arrow means that you must separate repeated items with that character.


   .-,------.   
   V        |   
>>---repeat-+--------------------------------------------------><

A footnote (1) by the arrow refers to a limit that tells how many times the item can be repeated.


   .-,------------.   
   V  (1)         |   
>>---------repeat-+--------------------------------------------><

Notes:

Specify repeat up to 5 times.

Required choices

When two or more items are in a stack and one of them is on the line, you must specify one item.

In this example, you must choose A, B, or C.


>>-cmd_name--+-A-+---------------------------------------------><
             +-B-+   
             '-C-'

Optional choices

When an item is below the line, that item is optional. In the first example, you can select A or nothing at all.


>>-cmd_name--+---+---------------------------------------------><
             '-A-'

When two or more items are in a stack below the line, all of them are optional. In the second example, you can choose A, B, C, or nothing at all.


>>-cmd_name--+---+---------------------------------------------><
             +-A-+   
             +-B-+   
             '-C-'

Repeatable choices

A stack of items followed by an arrow returning to the left indicates that you can select more than one item, or in some cases, repeat a single item.

In this example, you can select any combination of A, B, or C.


             .-,-----.   
             V       |   
>>-cmd_name----+-A-+-+-----------------------------------------><
               +-B-+     
               '-C-'

Defaults

Defaults are above the line. The default is selected unless you override it, or you can select the default explicitly. To override the default, include an option from the stack below the line.

In this example, A is the default. Select either B or C to override A.


             .-A-.   
>>-cmd_name--+---+---------------------------------------------><
             +-B-+   
             '-C-'