Symbian
Symbian OS Library

SYMBIAN OS V9.3

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Documentation conventions


Overview

This topic describes the design and typographic conventions used in this edition of the Symbian OS Library.

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Styles

Various typographic styles are used throughout the Symbian OS Library. Some styles are used to make text easier to understand, for example to highlight code fragments, intended user input, literal filenames, or other quoted text; other styles are used to flag restrictions and general applicability of text. Link styles are also used for hypertext navigation. Note that reference documentation uses a limited range of available styles.

Style

Type

File | Open

Application text and menus.

aVariable, Push()

Code.

note this

Emphasised text containing unusual or surprising information.

e32std.h

Name of a file or directory.

toolband

A term which is defined in the glossary.

dir

Input text to enter.

ALT+A

Key names.

NUMED

Resource name, resource struct, or resource struct member.

syntax

Syntax element in syntax diagrams and descriptions.

Warning

Warning of an important issue.

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UML notations

UML diagrams are used to describe relationships between classes and/or objects. Most classes in these diagrams link to the corresponding section in the API Reference. The following UML notations are used:

Notation

Description

Concrete Class.

Abstract Class.

Example Class. These are called "Implementation" in Implementation diagrams and "Client" in Usage diagrams.

Interface or class acting as an interface.

Package. These are used to denote APIs, subsystems or DLLs.

Lists the class immediately above the current class, which is not included in the diagram.

Shows derivation between classes.

Denotes a relationship between objects.

Specifies that an object/class can have none or up to one type of relationship with another object/class.

Implies an aggregated relationship between objects.

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BNF grammars

Backus-Naur Form (BNF) grammars are used as a tool for describing language and command syntax, for example:

select-statement : SELECT select-list FROM table-name [ restriction ] [ ordering ]

restriction : WHERE search-condition

ordering : ORDER BY sort-order

A BNF definition states that the named item given before the colon is written as described after the colon. For example, an ordering is written as ORDER BY followed by a sort-order (which may be defined elsewhere).

BNF expression

What it means

named-construction : expression

Declares that a named-construction is written as expression.

named-construction : expression1 expression2

Declares that a named-construction is written as either expression1 or expression2.

word

The word word, written literally.

exp1 exp2

exp1 followed by exp2.

[ exp ]

exp is optional.

[ exp1 | exp2 ]

Either exp1 or exp2 or nothing.

exp+

expression, repeated one or more times.

exp*

expression, repeated zero, one or more times.