Terminology

Each command line consists of a command word that is usually followed by words for the configuration data or other specific item that the command uses or affects:

To describe the function of each word in the command line, especially if that nature has changed between firmware versions, Fortinet uses terms with the following definitions.

• command — A word that begins the command line and indicates an action that the FortiGate unit should perform on a part of the configuration or host on the network, such as config or execute. Together with other words, such as fields or values, that end when you press the Enter key, it forms a command line. Exceptions include multiline command lines, which can be entered using an escape sequence. (See “Shortcuts and key commands”.)

Valid command lines must be unambiguous if abbreviated. (See “Command abbreviation”.) Optional words or other command line permutations are indicated by syntax notation. (See “Notation”.)

• sub-command — A kind of command that is available only when nested within the scope of another command. After entering a command, its applicable sub-commands are available to you until you exit the scope of the command, or until you descend an additional level into another sub-command. Indentation is used to indicate levels of nested commands. (See “Indentation”.)

Not all top-level commands have sub-commands. Available sub-commands vary by their containing scope. (See “Sub-commands”.)

• object — A part of the configuration that contains tables and/or fields. Valid command lines must be specific enough to indicate an individual object.

• table — A set of fields that is one of possibly multiple similar sets which each have a name or number, such as an administrator account, policy, or network interface. These named or numbered sets are sometimes referenced by other parts of the configuration that use them. (See “Notation”.)

• field — The name of a setting, such as ip or hostname. Fields in some tables must be configured with values. Failure to configure a required field will result in an invalid object configuration error message, and the FortiGate unit will discard the invalid table.

• value — A number, letter, IP address, or other type of input that is usually your configuration setting held by a field. Some commands, however, require multiple input values which may not be named but are simply entered in sequential order in the same command line. Valid input types are indicated by constraint notation. (See “Notation”.)

• option — A kind of value that must be one or more words from of a fixed set of options. (See “Notation”.)