Specifications

About Cisco IOS Software Documentation
Documentation Conventions
xviii
This section contains the following topics:
• Typographic Conventions, page xviii
• Command Syntax Conventions, page xviii
• Software Conventions, page xix
• Reader Alert Conventions, page xix
Typographic Conventions
Cisco IOS documentation uses the following typographic conventions:
Command Syntax Conventions
Cisco IOS documentation uses the following command syntax conventions:
Convention Description
^ or Ctrl Both the ^ symbol and Ctrl represent the Control (Ctrl) key on a keyboard. For
example, the key combination ^D or Ctrl-D means that you hold down the
Control key while you press the D key. (Keys are indicated in capital letters but
are not case sensitive.)
string A string is a nonquoted set of characters shown in italics. For example, when
setting a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) community string to
public, do not use quotation marks around the string; otherwise, the string will
include the quotation marks.
Convention Description
bold Bold text indicates commands and keywords that you enter as shown.
italic Italic text indicates arguments for which you supply values.
[x] Square brackets enclose an optional keyword or argument.
... An ellipsis (three consecutive nonbolded periods without spaces) after a syntax
element indicates that the element can be repeated.
| A vertical line, called a pipe, that is enclosed within braces or square brackets
indicates a choice within a set of keywords or arguments.
[x | y] Square brackets enclosing keywords or arguments separated by a pipe indicate an
optional choice.
{x | y} Braces enclosing keywords or arguments separated by a pipe indicate a
required choice.
[x {y | z}] Braces and a pipe within square brackets indicate a required choice within an
optional element.