USAGE(1)

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 information 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 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 a user prefers to have the screen clear before printing the data (non-scrolling), a variable must be defined in the user's .profile file called SCROLL. The variable SCROLL must be set to no and exported for non-scrolling to occur. If the user later decides that scrolling is desired, the variable SCROLL must be set to yes or deleted from the user's .profile file.

Further information on the UNIX System help Facility can be found on the help(1), locate(1), starter(1), and glossary(1) manual pages.

SEE ALSO
help(1), locate(1), starter(1), glossary(1).

WARNINGS

If the TERM variable is not set in the user's .profile file, then TERM will default to the terminal value type 450 ( a hardcopy terminal ). For a list of valid terminal types, refer to term(5) in the UNIX Programmer's Manual. The help facility assumes that tabs are set on the user's terminal.