Conventions

To help you better understand the information presented in this guide, the following topics describe the formatting conventions used for notes, text, and other elements.

Text Conventions

The following tables list text conventions that can be used throughout this document.

Table 1. Notes and warnings
Icon	Notice type	Alerts you to...
	Tip	Helpful tips and notices for using the product.
	Note	Useful information or instructions.
	Important	Important features or instructions.
	Caution	Risk of personal injury, system damage, or loss of data.
	Warning	Risk of severe personal injury.

Table 2. Text conventions
Convention	Description
The words enter and type	When you see the word enter in this guide, you must type something, and then press the Return or Enter key. Do not press the Return or Enter key when an instruction simply says type.
Key names	Key names are written in boldface, for example Ctrl or Esc. If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the key names are linked with a plus sign (+). Example: Press Ctrl+Alt+Del
	New information. In a PDF, this is searchable text.

Table 3. Command syntax
Convention	Description
Angle brackets ( < > )	Angle brackets ( < > ) indicate that you choose the text to enter based on the description inside the brackets. Do not type the brackets when you enter the command. If the command syntax is `cfm maintenance-domain maintenance-level <0-7>`, you can enter `cfm maintenance-domain maintenance-level 4`.
Bold text	Bold text indicates the GUI object name you must act upon. Examples: Select OK. On the Tools menu, choose Options.
Braces ( { } )	Braces ( { } ) indicate required elements in syntax descriptions. Do not type the braces when you enter the command. For example, if the command syntax is `ip address {A.B.C.D}`, you must enter the IP address in dotted, decimal notation.
Brackets ( [ ] )	Brackets ( [ ] ) indicate optional elements in syntax descriptions. Do not type the brackets when you enter the command. For example, if the command syntax is `show clock [detail]`, you can enter either `show clock` or `show clock detail`.
Ellipses ( … )	An ellipsis ( … ) indicates that you repeat the last element of the command as needed. For example, if the command syntax is `ethernet/2/1 [ <parameter> <value> ]...,` you enter `ethernet/2/1` and as many parameter-value pairs as you need.
Italic Text	Italics emphasize a point or denote new terms at the place where they are defined in the text. Italics are also used when referring to publication titles that are not active links.
`Plain Courier Text`	Plain Courier text indicates command names, options, and text that you must enter. Plain Courier text also indicates command syntax and system output, for example, prompts and system messages. Examples: `show ip route` `Error: Invalid command syntax [Failed][2013-03-22 13:37:03.303 -04:00]`
Separator ( > )	A greater than sign ( > ) shows separation in menu paths. For example, in the Navigation pane, expand Configuration > Edit.
Vertical Line ( \| )	A vertical line ( \| ) separates choices for command keywords and arguments. Enter only one choice. Do not type the vertical line when you enter the command. For example, if the command syntax is `access-policy by-mac action { allow \| deny }` , you enter either `access-policy by-mac action allow` or `access-policy by-mac action deny`, but not both.