The following conventions are used throughout this manual to define syntax.
| Convention | Meaning |
| Bold text | Denotes a term or character to be typed literally, such as a function name (Control) or a structure (GDIINFO). You must type these terms exactly as shown. |
| Italic text | Denotes a placeholder or variable: You must provide the actual value. For example, the command sequence (ESC(snS)) requires you to substitute values for n. |
| BEGIN . . . END | Represents an omitted portion of a sample application. |
In addition, certain text conventions are used to help you understand this material.
| Convention | Meaning |
| SMALL CAPITALS | Indicate the names of keys, key sequences, and key combinations—for example, ALT+SPACEBAR. |
| FULL CAPITALS | Indicate filenames and paths, most type and structure names (which are also bold), and constants. |
| monospace | Sets off code examples and shows syntax spacing. |