Command structure and help

The SMB commands share a similar structure. The following example shows the basic format of an SMB command.

$ command [{-option1 | -option2 name}]

The following example illustrates and summarizes the elements of an SMB command:

The elements of a typical SMB command; each item is described in the following list.

command: A command consists of the command name. This name directs the server process or program to perform a specific action. The command name always appears in bold font.
options: Command options appear in bold font, are always preceded by a - (dash), and are often followed by arguments. In the previous example, -all and -share are options, and name is the argument. The { | } (braces separated by a vertical bar) indicate that you can enter only one of two possible options. An option and its arguments tell the server process or program which entities to manipulate when executing the command (for example, the name to assign to the shared directory or printer). In general, you should provide the options for a command in the order presented in the documentation.
arguments: Arguments for options always appear in italic font.
Optional iInformation: Some commands can have optional, as well as required, options. Optional information is enclosed in [ ] (brackets). The -all and the -share with its name argument in the previous example are optional.

Enter each SMB command and its options and arguments on a single line followed by a carriage return at the end of the line. Use a space to separate each element (command name, options, and arguments) on the command line. Also, use spaces to separate multiple arguments. Do not use a space to separate an option from its - (dash).