## Altera Documentation Conventions

Altera® documents use consistent conventions to make it easy for you to find and interpret information:

- Typographic Conventions
- Terminology
- Backus-Naur Form (BNF)
- Key Combinations

### Typographic Conventions

Altera documentation uses the following typographic conventions:

Visual Cue | Meaning
--- | ---
Bold Initial Capitals | Command names, dialog box titles, and button names are shown in bold type, with initial capital letters. Examples: Find Text command, Save As dialog box, Start button.
bold type | Directory names, project names, disk drive names, filenames, filename extensions, and software utility names are shown in bold type. Examples: \maxplus2 directory, d: drive, chiptrip.gdf file. These items are not case-sensitive in the Windows environment; however, they are case-sensitive in the UNIX workstation environment. Altera documentation shows these items in the case appropriate to the workstation environment.
Initial Capitals | Keyboard keys, user-editable application window fields, and menu names are shown with initial capital letters. Examples: Delete key, the Start Time field, the Options menu.
"Subheading Title" | Subheadings within a document are enclosed in quotation marks. In manuals, titles of help topics are also shown in quotation marks.
Italic Initial Capitals | Help categories, section titles in books, application note and brief names, checkbox options, and options in dialog boxes are shown in italic type with initial capital letters. Examples: Text Editor Procedures, the Check Outputs option, the Directories box in the Open dialog box.
italic type | Variables are enclosed in angle brackets (< >) and shown in italic type. Example: <filename>, <project name>.acf file.
Bold Italic Type | Book and CD-ROM titles are shown in bold italic type with initial capital letters. Example: MAX+PLUS II Getting Started.
`Monospace font` | Anything that must be typed exactly as it appears is shown in monospace font. For example: `c:\max2work\tutorial\chiptrip.gdf`. Also, sections of an actual file, such as a Report File, references to parts of files (e.g., the AHDL keyword `SUBDESIGN`), and logic function names (e.g., `DFF` and `16cudslr`) are shown in monospace font.
`Bold Monospace font` | In syntax descriptions, bold monospace font may be used to help distinguish literal text from variables.
1., 2., 3., and a., b., c.,... | Numbered steps are used in a list of items when the sequence of the items is important, such as the steps listed in a procedure. Bullets are used in a list of items when the sequence of the items is not important.
| The checkmark indicates a procedure that consists of one step only.
| The hand points to information that requires special attention.
| The feet show you where to go for more information.

### Terminology

The following terminology is used throughout Altera documentation:

Term | Meaning
--- | ---
Button 1 | Left mouse button.
Button 2 | For PCs, the right button on a two-button mouse or the middle or right button on a three-button mouse. For UNIX workstations, the right button on a three-button mouse.
"point to" | Indicates that you should move the mouse so that the pointer is over the specified item.
"choose" | Indicates that you need to use a mouse or key combination to start an action. For example, when you use the mouse to choose a button, you point to the button and click Button 1. When you use the keyboard to choose a command, you type Alt and then type letters that are underlined in the menu bar and menu. (In UNIX workstation-based MAX+PLUS® II software, you must use Ctrl instead of Alt.)
"select" | Indicates that you need to highlight text, and/or objects, or an option in a dialog box with a key combination or the mouse. A selection does not start an action. Example: Select the `AND2` primitive, then choose Delete from the Edit menu.
"press" | Indicates that you must hold down a mouse button or key.
"turn on"/"turn off" | Indicates that you must click Button 1 on a checkbox or choose a menu command to turn a function on or off.
"click" | Indicates a quick press and release of a mouse button.
"double-click" | Indicates two clicks in rapid succession.

### Backus-Naur Form (BNF)

Backus-Naur Form (BNF) is used to define the syntax of typed commands, text file formats, and variables. BNF uses the following notation:

Characters | Meaning
--- | ---
::= | "Is defined as"
<...> | Identifiers (i.e., variables)
[...] | Optional items
{ ... } | Repeated items (zero or more times)
...`|`... | Indicates a choice between items
`:`n`:`n | Suffix indicates a range (e.g., <name char>`:1:8` means "from 1 to 8 name characters")
italic type | Variables in syntax descriptions, i.e., text
`Monospace font` | Literal text in syntax descriptions that you must type
`Bold Monospace font` | sometimes used to help distinguish literal text from italic variables in syntax descriptions

### Key Combinations

Key combinations and sequences appear in the following format:

Format Cue | Meaning
--- | ---
Key1+Key2 | A plus (+) symbol indicates that you must hold down the first key when you press the second key. Example: Ctrl+L means that you must hold down Ctrl while pressing L, then release both keys.
Key1,Key2 | A comma (,) indicates that you must press the keys sequentially. Example: Alt,F1 means that you must press Alt and release it, then press F1 and release it.

Last Updated: March 24, 2000 for MAX+PLUS II version 9.6 |
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