* Fri 2008-02-01 Jakub Narebski <jnareb@xxxxxxxxx> * Message-Id: m3tzks6qfm.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> he text should stand out as it it in environment, >> which do not render termcap or other terminal capabilities. > > Nevertheless it would be nice if our AsciiDoc configuration generated > italics or underline ...for manpage, and italics for HTML output for > placeholders, *in addition* to using angle parentheses (angle braces) > as delimites for placeholder parameters. Sure, let's notify the asciidoc maintainer know about the wishes (CC'd) >> http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/basedefs/xbd_chap12.html >> >> Here are the POSIX/Susv guidelines for the manual pages, I've marked the >> relevant points with **....**. We were both right: Angles mean required >> and grouping. > > Errr... as far as I understand angles means placeholders, i.e. user > supplied input. You can use "[<file>...]" for optional placeholder; > everything which is not inside brackets is required. If you choose to use the "optional", then you are _required_ to fill in the mentioned item. The "[....]" is applied in your example as well. The angles always keep it's nature, which is a requirement: 4. Frequently, names of parameters that _require_ substitution(...) <parameter name> > It is used quite frequently in git manpages. Using parentheses to > delimit required alternate parts seems quite sensible. > > 'git-branch' (-m | -M) [<oldbranch>] <newbranch> The change is small, but important. People look at the manual paged any will get the wrong impression on "the standard notation" git-branch {-m | -M} [<oldbranch>] <newbranch> = = Change to use curlies > Note that in the POSIX/SUSV below parentheses / curly braces are not > mentioned. True. The precedence of curlies has however been set long ago in software books and in other Unix manaul pages. >> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- >> http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/utilities/xcu_chap01.html#tag_01_11 >> >> 12.1 Utility Argument Syntax >> http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/basedefs/xbd_chap12.html#tag_12_01 >> >> [...] >> >> 4. Frequently, names of parameters that **require** substitution by >> actual values are shown with embedded underscores. Alternatively, >> parameters are shown as follows: >> >> <parameter name> >> >> The angle brackets are used for the symbolic grouping of a phrase >> representing a single parameter and conforming applications shall >> not include them in data submitted to the utility. > > This means that <param> denotes placeholder: parameter that requires > **subsititution** (this part should be emphasized!). Such parameter > might have multi-word name. Such parameter might be required, but > might be optional. It's never optional. For optionality, there is specific notation. Everybody knows how to read these; what is required and what is not: command <arg> <arg> command <arg> [<message>] command <arg> [-lbc] The <message> here is symbolic and not to be taken literally, whereas text that is not eclosed inside angles, "-lbc", is to be taken literally and interpreted by the rules of "set of options". >> [...] >> 7. Arguments or option-arguments enclosed in the '[' and ']' >> notation are **optional** and can be omitted. Conforming applications >> shall not include the '[' and ']' symbols in data submitted to the >> utility. >> >> 8. Arguments separated by the '|' vertical bar notation are >> **mutually-exclusive.** > > Note that is natural that '[' and ']' also are limits of mutualy > exclusive parameters: "cmd [ A | B ]" means "cmd" or "cmd A" or "cmd B". > It is not specified explicitely, but IMHO is quite natural. And it is > what is used in different manpages, see examples I have provided in my > previous post in this subthread. We are in all agreement on this one. >> 9. Ellipses ( "..." ) are used to denote that one or **more** >> occurrences of an option or operand are allowed. When an option or >> an operand followed by ellipses is enclosed in brackets, **zero** or >> more options or operands can be specified. >> >> utility_name [-g option_argument]...[operand...] > > Note that one is not followed strictly, and one should take note of > that. For example to make sure that everybody knows that it is zero or > more one would use [<param>...], and to make use that it is one or > more one would use "<param> [<param>...]", just to be sure. That's what it says. Outside of "[]" the ellipses mean (1+), indiside "[]", by rules of the brackets, it means (0+). I forgot to paste the two examples. Here: utility_name -f option_argument...[operand...] utility_name [-g option_argument]...[operand...] Jari -- Welcome to FOSS revolution: we fix and modify until it shines - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe git" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
