@@ -641,15 +641,15 @@ Writing Documentation:
641641 - Prefer succinctness and matter-of-factly describing functionality
642642 in the abstract. E.g.
643643
644- --short:: Emit output in the short-format.
644+ ` --short` :: Emit output in the short-format.
645645
646646 and avoid something like these overly verbose alternatives:
647647
648- --short:: Use this to emit output in the short-format.
649- --short:: You can use this to get output in the short-format.
650- --short:: A user who prefers shorter output could....
651- --short:: Should a person and/or program want shorter output, he
652- she/they/it can...
648+ ` --short` :: Use this to emit output in the short-format.
649+ ` --short` :: You can use this to get output in the short-format.
650+ ` --short` :: A user who prefers shorter output could....
651+ ` --short` :: Should a person and/or program want shorter output, he
652+ she/they/it can...
653653
654654 This practice often eliminates the need to involve human actors in
655655 your description, but it is a good practice regardless of the
@@ -659,12 +659,12 @@ Writing Documentation:
659659 addressing the hypothetical user, and possibly "we" when
660660 discussing how the program might react to the user. E.g.
661661
662- You can use this option instead of --xyz, but we might remove
662+ You can use this option instead of ` --xyz` , but we might remove
663663 support for it in future versions.
664664
665665 while keeping in mind that you can probably be less verbose, e.g.
666666
667- Use this instead of --xyz. This option might be removed in future
667+ Use this instead of ` --xyz` . This option might be removed in future
668668 versions.
669669
670670 - If you still need to refer to an example person that is
@@ -682,68 +682,118 @@ Writing Documentation:
682682 The same general rule as for code applies -- imitate the existing
683683 conventions.
684684
685- A few commented examples follow to provide reference when writing or
686- modifying command usage strings and synopsis sections in the manual
687- pages:
688685
689- Placeholders are spelled in lowercase and enclosed in angle brackets:
690- <file>
691- --sort=<key>
692- --abbrev[=<n>]
686+ Markup:
687+
688+ Literal parts (e.g. use of command-line options, command names,
689+ branch names, URLs, pathnames (files and directories), configuration and
690+ environment variables) must be typeset as verbatim (i.e. wrapped with
691+ backticks):
692+ `--pretty=oneline`
693+ `git rev-list`
694+ `remote.pushDefault`
695+ `http://git.example.com`
696+ `.git/config`
697+ `GIT_DIR`
698+ `HEAD`
699+ `umask`(2)
700+
701+ An environment variable must be prefixed with "$" only when referring to its
702+ value and not when referring to the variable itself, in this case there is
703+ nothing to add except the backticks:
704+ `GIT_DIR` is specified
705+ `$GIT_DIR/hooks/pre-receive`
706+
707+ Word phrases enclosed in `backtick characters` are rendered literally
708+ and will not be further expanded. The use of `backticks` to achieve the
709+ previous rule means that literal examples should not use AsciiDoc
710+ escapes.
711+ Correct:
712+ `--pretty=oneline`
713+ Incorrect:
714+ `\--pretty=oneline`
715+
716+ Placeholders are spelled in lowercase and enclosed in
717+ angle brackets surrounded by underscores:
718+ _<file>_
719+ _<commit>_
693720
694721 If a placeholder has multiple words, they are separated by dashes:
695- <new-branch-name>
696- --template=<template-directory>
722+ _<new-branch-name>_
723+ _<template-directory>_
724+
725+ A placeholder is not enclosed in backticks, as it is not a literal.
726+
727+ When needed, use a distinctive identifier for placeholders, usually
728+ made of a qualification and a type:
729+ _<git-dir>_
730+ _<key-id>_
731+
732+ When literal and placeholders are mixed, each markup is applied for
733+ each sub-entity. If they are stuck, a special markup, called
734+ unconstrained formatting is required.
735+ Unconstrained formating for placeholders is __<like-this>__
736+ Unconstrained formatting for literal formatting is ++like this++
737+ `--jobs` _<n>_
738+ ++--sort=++__<key>__
739+ __<directory>__++/.git++
740+ ++remote.++__<name>__++.mirror++
741+
742+ caveat: ++ unconstrained format is not verbatim and may expand
743+ content. Use Asciidoc escapes inside them.
697744
698- When a placeholder is cited in text paragraph, it is enclosed in angle
699- brackets to remind the reader the reference in the synopsis section.
700- For better visibility, the placeholder is typeset in italics:
701- The _<file>_ to be added.
745+ Synopsis Syntax
746+
747+ Syntax grammar is formatted neither as literal nor as placeholder.
748+
749+ A few commented examples follow to provide reference when writing or
750+ modifying command usage strings and synopsis sections in the manual
751+ pages:
702752
703753 Possibility of multiple occurrences is indicated by three dots:
704- <file>...
754+ _ <file>_ ...
705755 (One or more of <file>.)
706756
707757 Optional parts are enclosed in square brackets:
708- [<file>...]
758+ [_ <file>_ ...]
709759 (Zero or more of <file>.)
710760
711- --exec-path[= <path>]
761+ ++ --exec-path++[++=++__ <path>__ ]
712762 (Option with an optional argument. Note that the "=" is inside the
713763 brackets.)
714764
715- [<patch>...]
765+ [_ <patch>_ ...]
716766 (Zero or more of <patch>. Note that the dots are inside, not
717767 outside the brackets.)
718768
719769 Multiple alternatives are indicated with vertical bars:
720- [-q | --quiet]
721- [--utf8 | --no-utf8]
770+ [`-q` | ` --quiet` ]
771+ [` --utf8` | ` --no-utf8` ]
722772
723773 Use spacing around "|" token(s), but not immediately after opening or
724774 before closing a [] or () pair:
725- Do: [-q | --quiet]
726- Don't: [-q| --quiet]
775+ Do: [`-q` | ` --quiet` ]
776+ Don't: [`-q`|` --quiet` ]
727777
728778 Don't use spacing around "|" tokens when they're used to separate the
729779 alternate arguments of an option:
730- Do: --track[=( direct| inherit)]
731- Don't: --track[=( direct | inherit)]
780+ Do: ++ --track++[++=++(` direct`|` inherit`)]`
781+ Don't: ++ --track++[++=++(` direct` | ` inherit` )]
732782
733783 Parentheses are used for grouping:
734- [(<rev> | <range>)...]
784+ [(_ <rev>_ | _ <range>_ )...]
735785 (Any number of either <rev> or <range>. Parens are needed to make
736786 it clear that "..." pertains to both <rev> and <range>.)
737787
738- [(-p <parent>)...]
788+ [(`-p` _ <parent>_ )...]
739789 (Any number of option -p, each with one <parent> argument.)
740790
741- git remote set-head <name> (-a | -d | <branch>)
791+ ` git remote set-head` _ <name>_ (`-a` | `-d` | _ <branch>_ )
742792 (One and only one of "-a", "-d" or "<branch>" _must_ (no square
743793 brackets) be provided.)
744794
745795 And a somewhat more contrived example:
746- --diff-filter=[(A|C|D|M|R|T|U|X|B)...[*]]
796+ ` --diff-filter=[(A|C|D|M|R|T|U|X|B)...[*]]`
747797 Here "=" is outside the brackets, because "--diff-filter=" is a
748798 valid usage. "*" has its own pair of brackets, because it can
749799 (optionally) be specified only when one or more of the letters is
@@ -754,39 +804,6 @@ Writing Documentation:
754804 the user would type into a shell and use 'Git' (uppercase first letter)
755805 when talking about the version control system and its properties.
756806
757- A few commented examples follow to provide reference when writing or
758- modifying paragraphs or option/command explanations that contain options
759- or commands:
760-
761- Literal examples (e.g. use of command-line options, command names,
762- branch names, URLs, pathnames (files and directories), configuration and
763- environment variables) must be typeset in monospace (i.e. wrapped with
764- backticks):
765- `--pretty=oneline`
766- `git rev-list`
767- `remote.pushDefault`
768- `http://git.example.com`
769- `.git/config`
770- `GIT_DIR`
771- `HEAD`
772-
773- An environment variable must be prefixed with "$" only when referring to its
774- value and not when referring to the variable itself, in this case there is
775- nothing to add except the backticks:
776- `GIT_DIR` is specified
777- `$GIT_DIR/hooks/pre-receive`
778-
779- Word phrases enclosed in `backtick characters` are rendered literally
780- and will not be further expanded. The use of `backticks` to achieve the
781- previous rule means that literal examples should not use AsciiDoc
782- escapes.
783- Correct:
784- `--pretty=oneline`
785- Incorrect:
786- `\--pretty=oneline`
787-
788- A placeholder is not enclosed in backticks, as it is not a literal.
789-
790807 If some place in the documentation needs to typeset a command usage
791808 example with inline substitutions, it is fine to use +monospaced and
792809 inline substituted text+ instead of `monospaced literal text`, and with
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