1 Conventions
 BASIC keywords are capitalized in format statements and  must  be  spelled
 exactly as shown.  Metalanguage symbols are in lowercase letters.

2 Punctuation
 Punctuation symbols are:

     [ ]       Brackets  enclose  an  optional  portion  of   a   format.
               Brackets  around  vertically stacked entries indicate that
               you can select one of the  enclosed  elements.   You  must
               include all punctuation as it appears in the brackets.

     { }       Braces enclose a mandatory portion of  a  general  format.
               Braces around vertically stacked entries indicate that you
               must choose one of the  enclosed  elements.   Braces  also
               group  portions  of  a format as a unit.  You must include
               all punctuation as it appears in the braces.

     ...       An ellipsis indicates that you can repeat the  immediately
               preceding  language  element.   An  ellipsis  following  a
               format unit enclosed in brackets or braces means that  you
               can  repeat  the  entire  unit.   If  repeated elements or
               format units must be separated by commas, the ellipsis  is
               preceded by a comma (,...).

2 Mnemonics
 The following mnemonics are used in HELP text:

 Mnemonic      Definition

   array       An array; the syntax  formats  indicate  whether  you  can
               specify bounds and dimensions or just dimensions

   chnl        An I/O channel associated with a file

   com         Specific to a COMMON

   cond        Conditional; used with the expression mnemonic to indicate
               that an expression can be either logical or relational

   const       A constant value

   data-type   A data type keyword; type HELP DATA_TYPES for  information
               on BASIC data types

   def         Specific to a DEF

   exp         An expression

   file-name   A file name

   file-spec   A file specification

   func        Specific to a FUNCTION subprogram

   int         An integer value

   item        Allowable BASIC objects, such as  variables,  data  types,
               and  parameters;  allowable objects are defined in formats
               as they occur

   label       An alphanumeric statement label

   lex         Lexical; used  to  indicate  a  component  of  a  compiler
               directive

   line-num    A program line number

   lit         A literal value, in quotation marks

   log         Logical; used with the expression mnemonic to  indicate  a
               logical expression

   map         Specific to a MAP

   matrix      A two-dimensional array

   name        Indicates the declaration of a name or the name of a BASIC
               structure, such as a SUB subprogram

   num         A numeric value

   real        A floating-point value

   rel         Relational; used with the expression mnemonic to  indicate
               a relational expression

   sub         Specific to a SUB subprogram

   subs        Subscripted; used with the variable mnemonic  to  indicate
               an  array  element; the element's position in the array is
               specified  by  subscripts  enclosed  in  parentheses   and
               separated by commas

   str         A character string

   target      The target point of a branch statement; indicates that the
               target  point  can  be  either  a program line number or a
               statement label

   unsubs      Unsubscripted; used with the variable mnemonic to indicate
               a simple variable, as opposed to an array element

   var         A variable

 Mnemonics are combined to form metalanguage  symbols  that  specify  the
 type of language element allowed in a format.  For example:

  o  Const-name     Is a constant name.
  o  Sub-name       Is the name of a SUB subprogram.
  o  Unsubs-var     Is an unsubscripted variable.
  o  Int-exp        Is an integer expression.
  o  Cond-exp       Is a conditional expression.
  o  Str-unsubs-var Is a string unsubscripted variable.


2 File_specification
 A full file specification has the form:

    node::device:[directory]filename.filetype;version

 This is an example of a complete file specification:

    OAK::LIMB4:[TWIG2]LEAF1.BAS

 Often  the  full  file  name  is  the  only  required  part  of  a  file
 specification.   If you omit any other part, your current default values
 are used.  Under certain circumstances, you can assign a logical name to
 access files not in your current default directory.