## Syntax Notation

The syntax notation used in the documentation is derived from the Backus Naur Form (BNF). The following conventions, among others, apply:

Syntax Element | Description
KEYWORD | Keyword Keywords are shown in uppercase letters for the sake of emphasis. If there is no specific reference to case-sensitivity in the documentation, you can write keywords in either upper- or lowercase letters.
<variable> | Placeholders for syntax elements, such as variables When you enter the variable, you do not enter the angle brackets.
[syntax_element] | Optional syntax element
syntax_element1 | syntax_element1 | Alternative syntax elements (or)
syntax_element, ... | Syntax element can be repeated as often as required.

To make the documentation easier to use, the syntax is formatted as follows:

Example | Description
>dbmcli db_enum | Commands and SQL statements that users should enter
OK DEMODB C:\Program Files\sdb\DEMODB 7.6.00.00 fast online | Output of the database system, the database tools or other programs
The command db_enum lists all database instances. The documentation uses the demo database instance DEMODB. | Syntax elements and examples in continuous text

### Example

>sqlcli –d <database_name> –u <database_user>,<database_user_password> <sql_statement>

To illustrate commands and actions, the documentation uses the DEMODB demo database instance and the HOTEL schema sample data found there:

>sqlcli –d demodb -u mona,red SELECT * FROM hotel.city

| ZIP | NAME | STATE |

| ----- | -------------------- | ----- |

| 10019 | New York | NY |

| 10580 | New York | NY |

| 11788 | Long Island | NY |

| 12203 | Albany | NY |

| 20005 | Washington | DC |

| 20019 | Washington | DC |

See also:

SQL Reference Manual, Syntax Notation

Loader, Syntax Rules: Overview