SNAX/HLS Application Programming Manual

Notation Conventions
104707 Tandem Computers Incorporated xiii
The following list summarizes the conventions for syntax presentation in this manual.
Notation Meaning
UPPERCASE
LETTERS
Uppercase letters represent keywords and reserved words; enter these items
exactly as shown.
lowercase italic
letters
Lowercase italic letters represent variable items that you supply.
Brackets [ ] Brackets enclose optional syntax items. A group of vertically aligned items
enclosed in brackets represents a list of selections from which you can choose
one, several, or none.
Braces { } Braces enclose required syntax items. A group of vertically aligned items
enclosed in braces represents a list of selections from which you must choose
one.
Vertical line | A vertical line separates alternative syntax items in a horizontal list. Such a list,
enclosed in either brackets or braces, is an alternative to a vertical list for
presenting selections.
Ellipsis ... An ellipsis immediately following a pair of brackets or braces indicates that you
can repeat the enclosed syntax items any number of times.
Percent sign % A percent sign precedes a number that is not in decimal notation. % indicates
octal notation. %B indicates binary notation. %H indicates hexadecimal notation.
%D at the end of a hexadecimal value denotes double precision. %F at the end of
a hexadecimal value denotes a fixed numeric constant.
I and O In procedure calls, input parameters (those passing data to the called procedure)
are followed by an I; output parameters (those that return data to the calling
program) are followed by an O.
Spaces If a space separates two items, that space is required. If one of the items is a
punctuation symbol, such as a parenthesis or a comma, spaces are optional.
Punctuation Parentheses, commas, semicolons, and other symbols not described above must
be entered precisely as shown. Quotation marks around any symbol indicate that
it is not a syntax descriptor but a required character, and you must enter it as
shown.