• The following symbols are used to define the command format and
should never be typed when the actual command is entered.
underscore
-
braces ( }
brackets []
ellipsis • Uppercase letters and words. and the following symbols. should be
entered as specified in the format box.
asterisk *
comma hyphen equal sign
parentheses () period colon • The abbreviations "fn". "ft". and "fm" refer to filename, filetype,
and filemode. respectively. The combination "fn ft :fm]" is also
called the file identifier or fileid. When a command format box shows the characters, fn ft fm or fileid
and they are not enclosed by brackets or it indicates that a CMS file identifier must be entered. If an asterisk (*) appears
beneath fn, ft, or fm, it indicates that an asterisk may be coded in
that position of the fileid. The operand description describes the
usage of the *. • Lowercase letters, words, and symbols that appear in the command
format box represent variables for which specific information should De substituted. For example, ft fm" indicates that file
identifiers such as "MYFILE EXEC Al" should be entered. • are represented in the command format boxes by stacking. A B
C • An underscore indicates an assumed default option. If an underscored is selected. it need not be specified when the command is
entered. The representation
indicates that either A, it need not be
assumed.
B, or C may be selected. However, if B is
specified. 3r, if none is entered, B is
section 1. Introduction and General Concepts 5

• :he crse of braces denotes choicesr one of which mg§! be selected. The representation
indicates that you must specify either Ar or Br or c. is enclosed--by neither brackets or braces
r
treated as if enclosed by braces.
If a list of
it is to be • The crse of brackets denotes choicesr one of which selected. • !;!.£!!!Elg: The representation
r , I A , I B , let L J
indicates that you may enter Ar Br or or you may omit the field.
In instances where there are nested
lines r the following rule applies:
dependent upon the selection of the
nesting.
Level Level 2 Level 3
[filename rfiletype [filemode]]]
braces or brackets on the text
nested operand selection is
operand of a level of where the highest level of nesting is the operand that is enclosed in
only one pair of brackets and the lowest level of nesting is the that is enclosed by the maximum number of brackets. Thus
r in
the previous exampler the user has the option of selecting a file by
filename only or filename filetype only or by filename filetype
filemode. The user cannot select filetype alone because filetype is
nested within filename and our rule states: the higner level of
nesting must be selected in order to select the next level (lower
level) operand. The same is true if the user wants to select
filemode; filename and filetype must also be selected. • An ellipsis indicates that the preceding item or group of items may
be repeated more than once in succession. 6 The representation
(options ••• ) indicates that more than one option may be coded within the
parentheses. Reference