Syntax Notations

The following conventions are used throughout mvBase documentation for indicating command line syntax:

italics	Anything shown in italics is variable information for which the user provides a specific value.
options	If two or more options are specified, separate the options with a space.
( )	Parentheses must be typed. It is usually sufficient to type only the first parenthesis; the second is normally optional.
[ ]	Anything shown enclosed within square brackets is optional. The square brackets themselves are not typed.
\|	A vertical bar that separates two or more elements indicates that any one of the elements can be typed.
{ }	If two or more element are enclosed within curly braces and separated by a vertical bar, one of the elements must be typed.

All punctuation marks that are included in syntax format lines (e.g., commas, parentheses, angle brackets, underscores, hyphens) are required in the syntax unless indicated otherwise. Square brackets are not typed.

The following command line is an example that incorporates these syntax notations.

LIST [DICT] filename [WITH [EVERY | EACH] attribute-name value-list] [(P)]

The only two elements of the line that must be entered are LIST and filename. LIST must be entered exactly as shown. filename is a variable; the user can enter the name of any accessible file. attribute-name and value-list are also variables that the user supplies. The vertical bar indicates that either EVERY or EACH can be entered; the brackets indicate that both of these components are optional. If the P option is entered, it must be enclosed within parentheses.

When variables that the user supplies are two or more words long, hyphens are used instead of blank spaces to separate the words in order to show that only one element is required. This command line is an example.

LIST filename item-list

The word filename indicates a single element, and the words item and list joined by a hyphen likewise indicate a single element.

mvBASIC Syntax Notations

Syntax notations for mvBASIC are very similar to the standard syntax notations, but they do differ in minor ways. This topic summarizes syntax notations specific to mvBASIC.

italics	Anything shown in italics is variable information for which the user provides a specific value.
[ ]	Anything shown enclosed within square brackets is optional unless indicated otherwise. The square brackets themselves are not typed unless they are shown in bold.
\|	A vertical bar that separates two or more elements indicates that any one of the elements can be typed.
< >	Bold angle brackets are part of the syntax, and must be typed unless indicated otherwise.
( )	Bold parentheses are a part of the syntax. both parentheses must be typed unless indicated otherwise.

All punctuation marks that are included in syntax format lines (e.g., commas, parentheses, angle brackets, underscores, hyphens) are required in the syntax unless indicated otherwise.

The following command line is an example that incorporates these syntax notations.

OPEN [‘DICT’] filename TO filevar THEN | ELSE statements

The keywords OPEN and TO must be specified. Either the THEN or ELSE clause must be specified, but both are not necessary. The user must supply appropriate values for filename, filevar, and statements. The keyword DICT is optional, but if it is included, it must be enclosed within parentheses.

When variables that are supplied by the user are two or more words long, hyphens are used instead of blank spaces to separate the words in order to show that only one element is required. For example, in the following statement, the word count-var indicates a single element.

GET var [,length] SETTING count-var...