HP-UX System Administrator's Guide: Overview HP-UX 11i v3 (B3921-90011, September 2010)

Emphasis Text that is strongly emphasized.
KeyCap The name of a keyboard key. Note that Return and Enter both refer to
the same key.
Term The defined use of an important word or phrase.
UserInput
Commands and other text that the user types.
Variable
The name of a variable that you may replace in a command or function
or information in a display that represents several possible values.
$
User command prompt.
# Superuser (root) command prompt.
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.
[ ] The bracket metacharacters enclose optional content in formats and command
descriptions.
{ } 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.
. . .
The ellipsis metacharacter after a token (abc...) or a right bracket ([ ]...) or a
right brace ({ }...) metacharacter indicates that the preceding element and its
preceding 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.
The general definition form is:
type func ( type param[, type param]...);
For example:
int setuname ( const char *name , size_t namelen);
The usage form is:
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