# Notational Conventions

This manual uses the following notational conventions:

- Routine name shorthand (for example, ?ungqr instead of cungqr/zungqr).

- Font conventions used for distinction between the text and the code.

## Routine Name Shorthand

For shorthand, names with a question mark “`?`” in them represent groups of routines with similar functionality. The question mark is used to indicate any or all possible varieties of a function; for example:

?swap | Refers to all four data types of the vector-vector ?swap routine: sswap, dswap, cswap, and zswap.

## Font Conventions

The following font conventions are used:

`UPPERCASE COURIER` | Data type used in the description of input and output parameters for Fortran interface. For example, `CHARACTER*1`.
`lowercase courier` | Code examples: `a(k+i,j) = matrix(i,j)` and data types for C interface, for example, `const float*`
`lowercase courier mixed with UpperCase courier` | Function names for C interface, for example, `vmlSetMode`
`lowercase courier italic` | Variables in arguments and parameters description. For example, incx.
`*` | Used as a multiplication symbol in code examples and equations and where required by the Fortran syntax.

Parent topic: About This Manual