The CALLBasic command reference uses the following notational conventions:
| Convention | Description |
| variable | Characters in italics represent variables. A variable is a name you assign for storing numbers or characters in memory. Do not begin variable names with a numeral. |
| | | A vertical bar represents the word ‘or.’ You may enter either what precedes or follows the vertical bar, but not both. |
| [ ] | Items enclosed in square brackets are optional. |
| Example: | NumberOfRecords = ‘1254’ |
| command | All commands are printed in bold face letters. |
| Example: | Print NumberOfRecords |
| constants | Constants are a string of characters representing word constants, names, or positive or negative numbers. Constants must be enclosed in quotation marks (‘constant’). Embedded blank spaces are not allowed. |
| Example: | FirstName = ‘William’ |