Understanding the Help Topic "Syntax"

  On most help topics you will see something like this:

    command required [optional] [/switch] [/A|/B]

  Here is an explanation of the different parts of this line:

    command
  This is the name of the command.

    required
  Anything that follows the command name, which is not in
  square brackets, [and], is a required parameter.
  The command will report an error if you don't give this information.

    [optional]
  options are written in square brackets, [and]. These change the
  way the command runs. The square brackets aren't meant
  to be typed when the command is used.

    [/switch]
  Options that begin with a / are called switches. The / symbol is
  actually typed when the switch is used.

    [/A|/B]
  When there is a | symbol, this means there is a choice between
  two options. Either /A or /B is allowed, but not both.
  The | isn't meant to be typed when the command is used.

See also:

  switchar
  switches

  Copyright © 2003 - 2004 Robert Platt, updated 2023 by W. Spiegl.

  This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
  See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.