What Typographic Changes and Symbols Mean

The following table describes the type changes and symbols used in this book.

Table 1 Typographic Conventions

Typeface or Symbol

Meaning

Example

AaBbCc123

The names of commands, files, and directories; on-screen computer output

Edit your .login file.

Use ls -a to list all files.

system% You have mail.

AaBbCc123

Command-line placeholder:

replace with a real name or value

To delete a file, type rm filename.

AaBbCc123

Book titles, new words or terms, or words to be emphasized

Read Chapter 6 in the User's Guide. These are called class options.You must be root to do this.

Technical documentation