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(mysql.info)Manual conventions

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Conventions Used in This Manual
-------------------------------

This manual uses certain typographical conventions:

`constant'
     Constant-width font is used for command names and options; SQL
     statements; database, table and column names; C and Perl code; and
     environment variables.  Example: "To see how `mysqladmin' works,
     invoke it with the `--help' option."

`filename'
     Constant-width font with surrounding quotes is used for filenames
     and pathnames.  Example: "The distribution is installed under the
     `/usr/local/' directory."

`c'
     Constant-width font with surrounding quotes is also used to
     indicate character sequences.  Example: "To specify a wild card,
     use the `%' character."

_italic_
     Italic font is used for emphasis, _like this_.

*boldface*
     Boldface font is used for access privilege names (for example, "do
     not grant the *process* privilege lightly") and occasionally to
     convey *especially strong emphasis*.

When commands are shown that are meant to be executed by a particular
program, the program is indicated by a prompt shown before the command.
For example, `shell>' indicates a command that you execute from your
login shell, and `mysql>' indicates a command that you execute from the
`mysql' client program:

     shell> type a shell command here
     mysql> type a mysql command here

Shell commands are shown using Bourne shell syntax.  If you are using a
`csh'-style shell, you may need to issue commands slightly differently.
For example, the sequence to set an environment variable and run a
command looks like this in Bourne shell syntax:

     shell> VARNAME=value some_command

For `csh', you would execute the sequence like this:

     shell> setenv VARNAME value
     shell> some_command

Often, database, table, and column names must be substituted into
commands.  To indicate that such substitution is necessary, this manual
uses `db_name', `tbl_name' and `col_name'.  For example, you might see
a statement like this:

     mysql> SELECT col_name FROM db_name.tbl_name;

This means that if you were to enter a similar statement, you would
supply your own database, table, and column names, perhaps like this:

     mysql> SELECT author_name FROM biblio_db.author_list;

SQL statements may be written in uppercase or lowercase.  When this
manual shows a SQL statement, uppercase is used for particular keywords
if those keywords are under discussion (to emphasize them) and
lowercase is used for the rest of the statement.  For example, you
might see the following in a discussion of the `SELECT' statement:

     mysql> SELECT count(*) FROM tbl_name;

On the other hand, in a discussion of the `COUNT()' function, the same
statement would be written like this:

     mysql> select COUNT(*) from tbl_name;

If no particular emphasis is intended, all keywords are written
uniformly in uppercase.

In syntax descriptions, square brackets (`[' and `]') are used to
indicate optional words or clauses:

     DROP TABLE [IF EXISTS] tbl_name

When a syntax element consists of a number of alternatives, the
alternatives are separated by vertical bars (`|').  When one member
from a set of choices *may* be chosen, the alternatives are listed
within square brackets (`[' and `]'):

     TRIM([[BOTH | LEADING | TRAILING] [remstr] FROM] str)

When one member from a set of choices *must* be chosen, the
alternatives are listed within braces (`{' and `}'):

     {DESCRIBE | DESC} tbl_name {col_name | wild}