In dotted decimal format, each syntax
element is written on a separate line. If two or more syntax elements
are always present together (or always absent together), they can
appear on the same line, as they can be considered as a single compound
syntax element.
Each line starts with a dotted decimal number,
for example 3 or 3.1 or 3.1.1. To
hear these numbers correctly, make sure that your screen reader is
set to read out punctuation. All the syntax elements that have the
same dotted decimal number (for example, all the syntax elements that
have the number 3.1) are mutually exclusive alternatives.
For example, if you hear the lines 3.1 USERID, 3.1
SYSTEMID, you know that your syntax can include either USERID or SYSTEMID,
but not both.
The dotted decimal numbering level denotes the
level of nesting. For example, if a syntax element with the dotted
decimal number 3 is followed by a series of syntax
elements with the dotted decimal number 3.1, all
the syntax elements numbered 3.1 are subordinate
to the syntax element numbered 3.
Characters
such as commas that are used to separate a string of syntax elements,
are shown in the syntax just before the items they separate. They
might appear on the same line as each item, or on a separate line
with the same dotted decimal number as the relevant items. The line
might also show another symbol giving information about the syntax
elements; all these symbols are explained below. For example, the
lines 5.1* ,, 5.1 LASTRUN, 5.1
DELETE mean that if you use more than one of the syntax elements LASTRUN and DELETE,
they must be separated by a comma. If no separator is given, assume
that you use a blank to separate each syntax element.
If a
syntax element is preceded by the % symbol, this
indicates a reference that is defined elsewhere. The string following
the % is the name of a syntax fragment, rather than
a literal. For example, the line 2.1 %OP1 means that
at this point, you should refer to the separate syntax fragment OP1. OP1,
in the syntax from which this example was taken, gave a list of further
options.
Certain words and symbols are used next to the dotted
decimal numbers to add information about the syntax elements. Occasionally,
these words and symbols might occur at the beginning of the element
itself. For ease of identification, if the word or symbol is a part
of the syntax element, it is preceded by the escape character, which
is a \ (backslash). For example, the * symbol can
be used next to a dotted decimal number to mean that this syntax element
can be repeated. If a syntax element actually starts with the * symbol,
for example a syntax element * FILE with the dotted
decimal number 3, it is given in the format 3 \* FILE.
If the format is 3* FILE, this means that there is
a syntax element FILE, which can be repeated. If
the format was 3* \* FILE, this means that there
is a syntax element * FILE, which can be repeated.
The
words and symbols used next to the dotted decimal numbers are as follows:
- ? means an optional syntax element. If
a dotted decimal number is followed by the ? symbol,
this means that all the syntax elements with that dotted decimal number,
and any subordinate syntax elements that they each have, are optional.
If there is only one syntax element with that dotted decimal number,
the ? symbol appears on the same line as the syntax
element, for example 5? NOTIFY. If there is more
than one syntax element with that dotted decimal number, the ? symbol
appears on a line by itself, followed by the syntax elements that
are optional. For example, if you hear the lines 5 ?, 5
NOTIFY, 5 UPDATE, you know that the syntax
elements NOTIFY and UPDATE are optional;
you can choose one or none of them. The ? symbol
is equivalent to a bypass line in a railroad diagram.
- ! means a default syntax element. If
a dotted decimal number is followed by the ! symbol,
appended to the last digit of the dotted decimal number, this means
that this syntax element is the default of all the elements with the
same dotted decimal number. Only one of the syntax elements that share
the same dotted decimal number can specify a !. For
example, if you hear the lines 2? FILE, 2.1!
(KEEP), 2.1 (DELETE), you know that (KEEP) is
the default option for the FILE keyword. If you include
the FILE keyword but do not state your choice of
option, the default option KEEP is applied. As well
as the particular syntax element marked with the ! symbol,
the default also applies to the next higher dotted decimal number.
In the example above, the default applies to 2? FILE as
well as to 2.1! (KEEP), meaning that if you omit
the word FILE, the default FILE(KEEP) is
used. However, you might instead hear the lines 2? FILE, 2.1, 2.1.1!
(KEEP), 2.1.1 (DELETE). As the default only
applies to the next higher dotted decimal number, which in this case
is 2.1, it does not apply to 2? FILE.
In this case, if you omit the word FILE, nothing
is used.
- * means a syntax element that is optional
and can be repeated. If a dotted decimal number is followed by
the * symbol, this means that this syntax element
it is optional, and can be repeated. For example, if you hear the
line 5.1* data-area, you know that you can include
more than one data area, or you can include none. If you hear the
lines 3*, 3 HOST, 3 STATE,
you know that you can include HOST, STATE,
both, or nothing. Note that if a dotted decimal number has an asterisk
next to it, and there is only one item with that dotted decimal number,
you can repeat that same item more than once. If a dotted decimal
number has an asterisk next to it, and several items have that dotted
decimal number, you can use more than one item from the list, but
you cannot use the items more than once each. In the example above,
you could write HOST STATE, but you could not write HOST
HOST. The * symbol is equivalent to a loop
back line in a railroad syntax diagram.
- + means a syntax element that must be included
at least once, and can be repeated. If a dotted decimal number
is followed by the + symbol, this means that this
syntax element must be included at least once, and can be repeated.
For example, if you hear the line 6.1+ data-area,
you know that you must include at least one data area, and you can
include more than one. If you hear the lines 2+, 2
HOST, 2 STATE, you know that you must include HOST, STATE,
or both. As for the + symbol, you can only repeat
a particular item if it is the only item with that dotted decimal
number. The + symbol, like the * symbol,
is equivalent to a loop back line in a railroad syntax diagram.
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