The following conventions are used in this guide.
| Convention | Meaning |
|---|---|
| UPPERCASE and lowercase | Digital UNIX differentiates between lowercase and uppercase characters. Literal strings that appear in text, examples, syntax descriptions, and function descriptions must be typed exactly as shown. |
| variable | This italic typeface indicates variables. |
| user input | This bold typeface is used in interactive examples to indicate input entered by the user. |
| system output | This typeface is used in code examples and other screen displays. In text, this typeface indicates the exact name of a command, option, partition, path name, directory, or file. |
| % | A percent sign is the default user prompt. |
| # | A number sign is the default root user prompt. |
| Ctrl/X | In procedures, a sequence such as Ctrl/X indicates that you must hold down the key labeled Ctrl while you press another key or a pointing device button. |