option
Synopsis
Mixed Content Model
option ::= (#PCDATA|replaceable|inlinegraphic|inlinemediaobject|indexterm| beginpage)*
Attributes
Parameter Entities
The following parameter entities contain option:
| Parameter Entities | ||
| %cptr.char.mix; | %ndxterm.char.mix; | %para.char.mix; |
| %refinline.char.mix; | %refname.char.mix; | %tbl.entry.mdl; |
| %tech.char.class; | %title.char.mix; | |
Description
Option identifies an optional argument to a software command.
Processing expectations
Formatted inline.
DocBook does not specify whether or not a symbol (such as - or /) is generated before the content of Option, or what that symbol might be. Generating the text may or may not be desirable, but in either case, it is an interchange issue. See Appendix F.
![[4.0]](figures/rev_4.0.png)
Future Changes
The content model of Option will be constrained to (#PCDATA | Replaceable | InlineGraphic) in DocBook V4.0.
Parents
These elements contain option: application, arg, attribution, bibliomisc, bridgehead, citation, citetitle, classsynopsisinfo, command, computeroutput, emphasis, entry, foreignphrase, funcparams, funcsynopsisinfo, function, glosssee, glossseealso, glossterm, group, lineannotation, link, literal, literallayout, lotentry, member, msgaud, olink, optional, para, phrase, primary, primaryie, productname, programlisting, quote, refdescriptor, refentrytitle, refname, refpurpose, remark, screen, screeninfo, secondary, secondaryie, see, seealso, seealsoie, seeie, seg, segtitle, simpara, subtitle, synopsis, term, tertiary, tertiaryie, title, titleabbrev, tocback, tocentry, tocfront, trademark, ulink, userinput.
Children
The following elements occur in option: beginpage, indexterm, inlinegraphic, inlinemediaobject, replaceable.
See Also
computeroutput, constant, literal, markup, optional, parameter, prompt, replaceable, sgmltag, userinput, varname.
Examples
<!DOCTYPE para PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.1.2//EN"
"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.1.2/docbookx.dtd">
<para>
The <option>-a</option> option on the <acronym>UNIX</acronym>
<command>ls</command> command or the <option>/r</option> option on the
<acronym>DOS</acronym> <command>attrib</command>
command, for example.
</para>
The -a option on the UNIX ls command or the /r option on the DOS attrib command, for example.
For additional examples, see also optional .