Format

Meaning

Bold

Parameters that the user must type exactly as shown.

Italic

Parameter values that the user must supply.

Between square brackets.

Example: [--name name]

Optional parameters.

Between curly brackets and/or separated by pipe (|).

Examples:

ID|name

{-o name|-d name}

Set of choices from which the user must choose only one.

Parameter followed by the same parameter in brackets with ellipses.

Example: name[,name...]

Parameters that can be repeated more than once in the same command line.