---
schema_version: "1"
id: a9383269eed0978b7099c1e6ebfdfea6696477d5537e1e0359b041eb805ba6a2
title: Typographical Conventions in This Document
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---

# Typographical Conventions in This Document

This SOQL reference uses custom typographical conventions.

| Convention                         | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `SELECT Name FROM Account`         | Courier font indicates items that you should type as shown. In a syntax statement, Courier font also indicates items that you should type as shown, except for curly braces, square brackets, ellipsis, and other typographical markers explained in this table.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| `SELECT fieldname FROM objectname` | Italics represent a variable or placeholder. You supply the actual value.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| `{}`                               | Curly braces group elements to remove ambiguity. For example, in the clause `UPDATE {TRACKING\|VIEWSTAT}[,...]`, the curly braces indicate that the pipe shows a choice between `TRACKING` and `VIEWSTAT` after `UPDATE`, rather than a choice between `UPDATE TRACKING` and `VIEWSTAT`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| `\|`                               | The pipe character separates alternate elements. For example, in the clause `UPDATE {TRACKING\|VIEWSTAT}[,...]`, the `\|` character indicates that you can use either `TRACKING` or `VIEWSTAT` after `UPDATE`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| `[]`                               | Square brackets indicate an optional element. For example, ` [LIMIT ``rows``] ` means that you can specify zero or one `LIMIT` clause. Don’t type square brackets as part of a SOQL command. Nested square brackets indicate elements that are optional and can only be used if the parent optional element is present. For example, in the clause `[ORDER BY fieldOrderByList [ASC \| DESC] [NULLS {FIRST \| LAST}]]`, `ASC`, `DESC`, or the `NULLS` clause cannot be used without the `ORDER BY` clause. |
| `[...]` and `[,...]`               | Square brackets containing an ellipsis indicate that the preceding element can be repeated up to the limit for the element. If a comma is also present, the repeated elements must be separated by commas. If the element is a list of choices grouped with curly braces, you can use items from the list in any order. For example, in the clause `UPDATE {TRACKING\|VIEWSTAT}[,...]`, the `[,...]` indicates that you can use `TRACKING`, `VIEWSTAT`, or both.                                           |

Examples of `UPDATE {TRACKING|VIEWSTAT}[,...]`:

```nolang
UPDATE TRACKING
```

```nolang
UPDATE VIEWSTAT
```

```nolang
UPDATE TRACKING, VIEWSTAT
```