Typographical Conventions

All documentation uses a set of consistent typographical conventions that make it easier to follow the discussion, understand what you can expect to see on the graphical user interface (GUI), and know which data must be entered into various data-entry fields.

In particular, these conventions are used throughout the documentation:

Convention	Example
text highlighted in blue	Click text highlighted in blue to go to other information in the PDF. When you are using the help desk in COMSOL, links to other modules, application examples, and documentation sets also work.
boldface font	A boldface font indicates that the given word(s) appear exactly that way on the COMSOL Desktop (or, for toolbar buttons, in the corresponding tooltip). For example, the Model Builder window is often referred to, and this is the window that contains the Model Tree. As another example, the instructions might say to click the Zoom Extents button (), and this means that when you hover over the button with your mouse, the same label displays on the COMSOL Desktop.
italic font	An italic font is the introduction of important terminology. Expect to find an explanation in the same paragraph or in the Glossary. The names of other documents in the COMSOL documentation set are also in italic font.
Forward arrow symbol >	The forward arrow symbol > means you select a series of menu items or nodes in a specific order. For example, Component>Mesh is equivalent to: Under the Component node, click Mesh.
code (monospace) font	A code (monospace) font means you make a keyboard entry in the COMSOL Desktop. You might see an instruction such as “Enter (or type) 1.25 in the Current density field.” The monospace font is also an indication of programming code or a variable name.
Italic code (monospace) font	An italic code (monospace) font indicates user inputs and parts of names that can vary or be defined by the user.
Arrow brackets <> following the code (monospace) or code (italic) fonts	The arrow brackets included in, for example, programming examples (after a monospace code or an italic code font) mean that the content in the string can be freely chosen or entered by the user, such as a feature Name or Label. For example, model.geom(<label>) where <label> is the geometry’s label. When the string is predefined by COMSOL, no bracket is used and this indicates that this is a finite set, such as a feature type.

Key to the Graphics

Throughout the documentation, icons are used to help organize the information. These icons vary in importance, but it is recommended that you read these text boxes.

Icon	Name	Description
	Caution	A Caution icon indicates that the user should proceed carefully and consider the next steps. It might mean that an action is required, or if the instructions are not followed, that there will be problems with the model solution.
	Important	An Important icon indicates that the information provided is key to the model building, design, or solution. The information is of higher importance than a note or tip, and the user should endeavor to follow the instructions.
	Note	A Note icon indicates that the information can be of use to the user. It is recommended that the user read the text.
	Tip	A Tip icon is used to provide information, reminders, shortcuts, suggestions for improving model design, and other information that might be useful.
	See Also	The See Also icon indicates that other useful information is located in the named section. If you are working on line, click the hyperlink to go to the information directly. When the link is outside of the current PDF document, the text indicates this, for example “See The Laminar Flow Interface in the COMSOL Multiphysics Reference Manual.” Note that if you are in the on-line help, the link works.
	An example from the Application Libraries	The icon is used in the documentation as well as in COMSOL. In some cases, an example is only available if you have a license for a specific module. The Application Library path describes how to find the actual file in COMSOL Multiphysics, for example: If you have the RF Module, see Radar Cross Section: Application Library path RF_Module/Scattering_and_RCS/radar_cross_section
Space Dimension		Another set of icons is used in the Model Builder — the component space dimension is indicated by 1D axial symmetry , 2D , 2D axial symmetry, and 3D icons. The 1D and 0D icons are not used but the space dimension is indicated. These icons are also used in the documentation to list the differences to a physics interface, node, or theory section, which are based on space dimension.
	Windows	This icon means that the information is specific to a Microsoft Windows operating system.
	Mac	This icon means that the information is specific to a Mac OS operating system. This may also be referred to as cross-platform when describing how to access a feature or menu on the COMSOL Desktop.
	Linux	This icon means that the information is specific to a Linux operating system. This may also be referred to as cross-platform when describing how to access a feature or menu on the COMSOL Desktop.