usage(1)                            CLIX                            usage(1)



  NAME

    usage - Retrieves a command description and usage examples

  SYNOPSIS

    [help] usage [-d] [-e] [-o] [command_name]

  FLAGS

    -d   Displays a description of command_name.

    -e   Displays examples of command_name.

    -o   Displays the options for command_name.

  DESCRIPTION

    The UNIX system Help Facility command usage retrieves information about
    UNIX system commands.  With no argument, usage displays a menu screen that
    prompts the user for the name of a command, or allows the user to retrieve
    a list of commands supported by usage.  The user may also exit to the
    shell by entering q (for quit).

    After a command is selected, the user is asked to choose among:

    ⊕  A description of the command

    ⊕  Examples of typical usage of the command or

    ⊕  Descriptions of the command's options.

    Based on the user's request, the appropriate information will be
    displayed.

    A command name may also be entered at shell level as an argument to usage.
    To receive information on the command's description, examples, or options,
    the user can use the -d, -e, or -o flags respectively.  (The default flag
    is -d.)

    From any screen in the Help Facility, a user may execute a command with
    the shell (sh) by entering a ! and the command to be executed.  The screen
    will be redrawn if the command that was executed was entered at a first
    level prompt.  If entered at any other prompt level, only the prompt will
    be redrawn.

    By default, the Help Facility scrolls the data that is presented to the
    user.  If you prefer to have the screen clear before displaying the data
    (nonscrolling), the shell variable SCROLL must be set to no and exported
    so it will become part of your environment.  This is done by adding the
    following line to your .profile file (see profile):



  2/94 - Intergraph Corporation                                              1

  usage(1)                            CLIX                            usage(1)



    export SCROLL ; SCROLL=no

    If you later decide that scrolling is desired, SCROLL must be set to yes.

    Information on each of the Help Facility commands (starter, locate, usage,
    glossary, and help) is located on their respective manual pages.

  EXAMPLES

    1.  To ask for a description of ps:

        usage ps


    2.  To ask for the options for ps:

        usage -o ps


  NOTES

    If the shell variable TERM (see sh) is not set in the user's .profile
    file, then TERM will default to the terminal value type 450 (a hard-copy
    terminal).  For a list of valid terminal types, refer to term(4).

  DIAGNOSTICS

    ... is not an included command
    ... not included in the glossary
           usage is unable to find information about command_name.

  EXIT VALUES

    The usage command exits with a value of 1 if it is unable to find
    information about the command_name.

  RELATED INFORMATION

    Commands:  glossary(1), help(1), locate(1), sh(1), starter(1)

    Miscellany:  term(4)













  2                                              Intergraph Corporation - 2/94