Re: Command Notation

Subject: Re: Command Notation
From: Kevin Harper <kharper -at- SMARTDNA -dot- COM>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 09:35:07 -0500

Several people have mentioned Backus-Naur syntax, but the posted
examples
were pretty abstract, with the end result not looking very similar
real-world
command syntaxes. (Or at least no similar to the UNIX commands I've
documented
over the years.) I'm thinking of something that looks something like
this:

cp [-R [-H | -L | -P]] [-f | -i] [-p] source_file ... target_directory

If this is what you're looking for, then I'd suggest finding a
command reference for your favorite flavor of UNIX, or maybe even
DOS. It should have a section that states what the brakets, braces,
italics, elipses, etc. mean.

Good luck.

> Lo these many years I was involved in a project whereby a command
syntax
> was documented. I remember that in the planning stage we discussed two
> different alternatives for notation, one was "railroad diagramming" (I
> think), the other was a hyphenated term which I have completely
forgotten.
>
> Now I'm involved in a similar project and would like a reference to
the
> second notation. Wouldn't you know I'd want *that* one! I'd really
> appreciate someone jogging my failing memory. If you could also
mention
> a resource, I'd be thrilled.

Kevin Harper
kharper -at- smartdna -dot- com




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