HP-UX System Administrator's Guide: Configuration Management

Examples and Shells
This document describes practices used by the system administrator. Since the root
user (a superuser) is required to use the POSIX shell /sbin/sh, all command examples
use that shell. The POSIX shell is defined in sh-posix(1). For information on other shells,
see the Shells User’s Guide and sh(1).
Command Syntax
Literal
A word or character that you enter literally.
Replaceable
A word or phrase that you replace with an
appropriate value.
-chars
One or more grouped command options, such as
-ikx. The chars are usually a string of literal
characters that each represent a specific option.
For example, the entry -ikx is equivalent to the
individual options -i, -k, and -x. The plus
character (+) is sometimes used as an option prefix.
-word A single command option, such as -help. The
word is a literal keyword. The difference from -
chars is usually obvious and is clarified in an
Options description. The plus character (+) and
the double hyphen (--) are sometimes used as
option prefixes.
[arg]
The bracket metacharacters enclose optional
content in formats and command descriptions.
{arg}
The brace metacharacters enclose required content
in formats and command descriptions.
| The bar metacharacter separates alternatives in a
list of choices, usually in brackets or braces.
arg ...
The ellipsis metacharacter after a token or a right
bracket or a right brace metacharacter indicates
[arg]...
that the preceding term and its preceding
{arg}...
whitespace, if any, may be repeated an arbitrary
number of times.
. . . Ellipsis is sometimes used to indicate omitted
items in a range.
Function Synopsis and Syntax
HP-UX functions are described in a definition format rather than a usage format. The
definition format includes typing information that is omitted when the function call is
actually included in a program.
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