Glossary

This glossary provides definitions of terms used in the ARexx manual.

  • Address
    • An identifying number assigned to every byte of information in a computer's memory and every sector on a disk.
  • argument
    • An additional piece of information included with an instruction or function. The argument determines the action to be taken.
  • assignment clause
    • A variable symbol (simple, stem or compound symbol) followed by an = operator. In an assignment clause, the tokens to the right of the = sign are evaluated and the result is assigned to the variable symbol.
  • Boolean
    • Having two possible states: 0 (false) or 1 (true).
  • clause
    • The smallest executable language unit.
  • clip list
    • A clipboard used for intertask communication. Name and value pairs can be added to the clip list with the SETCLIP() function.
  • command clause
    • An ARexx expression in which the result is issued as a command to an external application.
  • command interface
    • A message port through which ARexx issues commands to compatible applications.
  • comment
    • A group of characters enclosed in /*…*/ symbols. Each ARexx program starts with a comment.
  • compound symbol
    • A token made up of alphanumeric or ., !, ?, $, _ characters with one or more periods within the name. Compound symbols have the structure $stem.n_{1}.n_{2}...n_{k}$.
  • concatenation
    • The process of linking together two strings.
  • debugging
    • Finding and fixing errors in a program.
  • delimiter
    • A character that marks the beginning and end of a string. ARexx delimiters are a single quote (') and a double quote (").
  • expression
    • A group of tokens to be evaluated. Expressions are made up of strings, symbols, operators, and parentheses.
  • fixed symbol
    • A token beginning with a digit or a period.
  • function
    • A group of statements that can be executed as a whole. Functions allow you to build complex programs from smaller modules.
  • function hosts
    • An external application that contains an ARexx port. The name of a function host is the name of the program's public message port.
  • function libraries
    • A collection of one or more functions organized as an Amiga shared library. A function library must contain a library name, a search priority, an entry point offset, and a version number.
  • global environment
    • The fixed components of an ARexx program, including the program source code, static data strings and argument strings.
  • host address
    • In an outside application, the host address is the name of the message port to which ARexx commands can be sent.
  • instruction
    • A clause beginning with a certain keyword that tells ARexx to perform an action.
  • interprocess communication
    • The exchange of information between applications.
  • interrupts
    • Internal flags in ARexx that allow a program to detect errors and retain control when the program would normally abort. Interrupts are controlled by the SIGNAL: instruction.
  • iterating
    • Repeating a section of a program.
  • label
    • A symbol token followed by a colon (:). Labels identify a particular location in the program.
  • library list
    • An internal list, maintained by ARexx, of all the currently available function libraries and function hosts. Applications can add or remove functions as needed.
  • macro
    • Another name for an ARexx program.
  • marker
    • A token that determines the beginning and end of a parse string.
  • message port
    • An interface in an Amiga application that allows the program to communicate with an ARexx program.
  • null clause
    • A blank line or a comment line.
  • numeric precision
    • The number of decimal places in an arithmetic result. As the number of decimal places decreases, the result becomes less precise.
  • operators
    • A character such as (+), (-), or (|) used in an arithmetic, concatenation, comparison, or logical operation.
  • parsing
    • Breaking a string into smaller units.
  • return code
    • The severity level of an error. This number (5, 10, or 20) is displayed when an error occurs in an ARexx program.
  • RexxMast
    • The program that acts as an interpreter for ARexx programs.
  • simple symbol
    • A token that does not begin with a digit or contain any periods.
  • statement
    • An assignment, instruction, or command clause.
  • stem symbol
    • A token that has one period at the end of its name. Stem symbols are used to initialize compound symbols.
  • storage environment
    • The variable components of an ARexx program, including the symbol table, numeric options, trace options and host address strings.
  • string
    • A group of characters beginning and ending with a delimiter (single or double quote). The value of a string is the string itself.
  • symbol
    • Any group of the alphanumeric characters a-z, A-Z, 0-9, period (.), exclamation point (!), question mark (?), dollar sign ($), or underscore (_).
  • symbol table
    • An internal table created by ARexx that stores the value strings that have been assigned to the variables in a program.
  • target
    • A symbol, usually a variable symbol, that is assigned a value during a parsing operation.
  • template
    • A group of tokens that specifies the variables used in a parsing operation. It also specifies the way in which the values will be determined.
  • tokenization
    • The process of breaking a statement into its individual tokens.
  • tokens
    • The smallest entities of the ARexx language.
  • tracing
    • Displaying the lines of an ARexx program as the program is executing. This allows you to determine exactly where any errors are occurring.
  • variable
    • A symbol that can be assigned a value.

Index


fuss/amiga/arexx/manual/glossary.txt · Last modified: 2022/04/19 08:28 by 127.0.0.1

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