USAGE(1-SysV)       RISC/os Reference Manual        USAGE(1-SysV)



NAME
     usage - retrieve a command description and usage examples

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

DESCRIPTION
     The UNIX system Help Facility command usage retrieves infor-
     mation about UNIX system commands.  With no argument, usage
     displays a menu screen prompting 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
     typing 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.  Then, based on the user's request, the appropriate
     information will be printed.

     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 may use the -d,
     -e, or -o options respectively.  (The default option is -d.)

     From any screen in the Help Facility, a user may execute a
     command via the shell (sh(1)) by typing 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 printing the data (non-scrolling), 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(4)):
     ``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.

SEE ALSO
     glossary(1), help(1), locate(1), sh(1), starter(1).
     term(5) in the Programmer's Reference Manual.

WARNINGS
     If the shell variable TERM (see sh(1)) is not set in the
     user's .profile file, then TERM will default to the terminal



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USAGE(1-SysV)       RISC/os Reference Manual        USAGE(1-SysV)



     value type 450 (a hard-copy terminal).  For a list of valid
     terminal types, refer to term(5).





















































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