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0.9. Typefaces and Other Conventions
- Italic
-
Is used for the names of all Unix utilities, switches, directories,
and filenames and to emphasize new terms and concepts when they are
first introduced. It's also used in programs and examples to explain
what's happening or what's been left out at the . . . marks.
- Bold
-
Is used occasionally within text to make words easy to
find -- just like movie stars' names in the People section of your
local newspaper.
- Constant width
-
Is used for sample code fragments and examples. A reference in text
to a word or item used in an example or code fragment is also shown
in constant width font.
- Constant width bold
-
Is used in examples to show commands or text that would be typed in
literally by the user.
- Constant width italic, bold italic
-
Are used in code fragments and examples to show variables for which a
context-specific substitution should be made. (The variable
filename, for example, would be replaced
by some actual filename.)
- function(n)
-
Is a reference to a manual page in Section n of
the Unix programmer's manual. For example,
getopt(3) refers to a page called
getopt in Section 3.
- %
-
Is the C-shell prompt.
- $
-
Is the Bourne-shell prompt.
- :-)
-
Is a "smiley face" that means
"don't take this seriously." The
idea started on Usenet and
spread.
- & . . .
-
Stands for text (usually computer output) that's been omitted for
clarity or to save space.
- CTRL
-
Starts a control character. To create CTRL-d, for example, hold down
the "control" key and press the
"d" key. Control characters are not
case sensitive; "d" refers to both
the upper- and lowercase letter. The notation ^D
also means CTRL-d. Also, you'll sometimes see the key sequence in
bold (for example, CTRL-d is used when we want to make it clear
exactly what you should type.
-
Is used in some examples to represent a space chara
cter.
- TAB
-
Is used in some examples to represent a TAB character.
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