Re: Name of | Symbol

[Jim Gardner <jag -at- RAHUL -dot- NET>]

>
>Percy Balemans asked:
>>Is there a name for the | symbol (the vertical line)? One of my colleagues
>>suggested 'pipe symbol'.
>
>Robert Bringhurst (The elements of typographic style, second edition.
>Hartley & Marks, 1996. ISBN: 0 88179 132 6) states (p 272-273):
>
>| Bar. The vertical bar is used in mathematics as a sign of absolute value,
>in prosodical studies to mark a caesura, and in proportional calculus
>(where it is called *Sheffer's stroke*) as a sign of nonconjunction. In
>bibliographical work, both single and double bars are used. Also called
>*caesura*.
>
>About a 'pipe symbol' Bringhursts states (p 283): Despite its importance to
>programmers and its presence on the standard ASCII keyboard, the pipe has
>no set function in typography. For drawing broken rules and boxes, a
>separate character from a specialized ruoing font is commonly used. Also
>called *broken bar* or *parter rule*.
>



The | is referred to within Windows Interface as "pipe." Although I don't
have it before me (as I'm on vacation), I feel certain this comes from the
Official Microsoft style guide. It's often used in winhelp systems to refer
to a sequence of menus and/or sub-menus. For instance:

Choose Tools | Foo | Sub-Foo to import your bologna sandwich.

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