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P4 CLI Documentation | 2026.1

# Specification forms

Field names within a form are delimited from the value for the field using a colon (`:`) character.

## Form field values and indentation

When working with commands that create specs, such as `p4 client`, `p4 server`, and p4 depot follow this pattern:

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    Description:
        Created by maria

where any lines under the field name are indented. For example,

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    DistributedConfig:
        P4TARGET=host7:1234
        track=1

Some P4 Server commands, for example p4 client and p4 submit, use a text editor to display a form into which you enter the information that is required to complete the command. An example is the description of the changes you are submitting. After you change the form, save it, and exit the editor, the server parses the form and uses it to complete the command.

To configure the text editor that is used to display and edit P4 Server forms, set the P4EDITOR environment variable.

When you enter information into a form, observe the following rules:

- Field names (for example, `View:`) must be flush left (not indented) and must end with a colon (`:`).

- Any value you enter must be on the same line as the field name or indented with tabs on the lines beneath the field name.

- Some field names, such as the `Client:` field in the p4 client form, require a single value. Other fields, such as `Description:` field, take a block of text. Fields like `View:` take a list of lines.

- Certain values, like `Client:` in the client workspace form, cannot be changed.

- Other fields, like `Description:` in p4 submit, must be changed. If such a rule is broken, P4 Server displays an error.

- For details about which fields can be modified, see the `Form Fields` for that command, where the Type column indicates `Read-only` or `Writable`.

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