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# Glossary

For more information about terms used in this document, see The C Programming Language 1 or The C++ Annotated Reference Manual 2 .

### A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

B

baseclass

A class from which other classes derive by inheritance. Compare subclass, superclass.

browser

A tool which presents information about source code in a specific way.

build

The process of configuring, compiling, and linking a set of tools. Also used as a noun, to denote the results of the process.

build process

The steps of Compiling and linking source files, such as libraries and executable files, to produce an output binary file. There are four steps to building a program: editing the code, compiling the source into object files, linking the object files together to produce an executable, and debugging the executable. This cycle is repeated as necessary.

build target

A conceptual object containing necessary information to compile and link a project.

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C

class

In object-oriented programming, a category of objects. The class defines all the common properties of the different objects belonging to it. See baseclass, inheritance, subclass, superclass.

class hierarchy

A graph or diagram of the relationship between classes. You can tell which classes derive from each other and what the class types are (baseclass, superclass, subclass).

class variable

In object-oriented programming, a variable used by the class definition. It is defined once and all instances of the class can access it. Contrast with instance variable. See class.

constants

A named item that retains a consistent value throughout the execution of a program. Compare to variable.

context

A point of reference in source code. Different browsers show this differently. Editor shows all code around this point, while the cross-reference browser shows the cross-reference information for the nearest identifier in the source code.

cross-reference

Shows where symbols are used in the source code. Selecting an item displays the refers-to and referred-by relationships; these relationships are based on the point-of-view of the selected symbol. See refers-to relationship, referred-by relationship.

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D

debugger

A program used to examine other programs while the other programs are running. A debugger allows a programmer to stop a program at any point and examine and change the values of variables.

declaration

The binding of an identifier to the information it relates to. Declaration usually occurs in a program's source code, while the actual binding occurs at either compile time or runtime.

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E

enumerated data type (enum)

A data type restricted to a sequence of named values given in a particular order.

enumerated values

The values named in an enumerated data type.

executable

A file that can be run. It consists of libraries and object files bound together by a linker. Compare library.

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F

files

The source code files, object files, and libraries in the project.

friends

In C++, a non-member function or class allowed access to a member function or class, that would otherwise be prohibited.

function

A self-contained unit of code. It has parameters and a return value. Also called a subroutine in FORTRAN. Compare macro. See program.

function declarations

Information given to the compiler to define the function parameters and return value of a particular function.

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G

global variable

A variable with a single value at a time that is in effect for the whole system. Contrast local variable. See variable.

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I

inheritance

In object-oriented programming, the ability of one class of objects to get properties from a higher class. See class, multiple inheritance.

implementation

The carrying out or physical realization of something. The phrase "there are various implementations of the protocol" means that there are several software products that execute that protocol. An information system implementation would be the installation of new databases and application programs and the adoption of new manual procedures.

included by relationship

In C or C++, a relationship where a selected file is included by another file. For instance, `hello.h` may include `foo.h` and `bar.h`. `foo.h` and `bar.h` are included by `hello.h`. Compare includes relationship.

includes relationship

A relationship where a selected file is included in another file. For instance, `hello.h` may include `foo.h` and `bar.h`. `hello.h` includes `foo.h` and `bar.h`. Compare included by relationship.

instance variable

In object-oriented programming, an instance variable is defined on a per object basis. Each instance of an object has its own copy of an instance variable. Contrast class variable. See class.

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L

library

A package of function calls, classes, and other code and data. A library cannot execute on its own. It can be included in multiple executables and can also be included in other libraries. It is composed of other libraries and object files. It is produced by linkers or special library tools, depending upon the operating system. See shared library, static library.

linker

A tool that merges object files to create libraries or a tool that merges object files and libraries to create programs.

local variable

A variable that is specific to a function or procedure. The value of a local variable disappears when the function returns. Contrast global variable. See variable.

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M

macro

A name that defines a set of instructions. These instructions are substituted at compile time for the macro name whenever the macro name appears in the source code. Compare function.

make

The utility for automating recompilation, linking, etc., of programs, taking account of the interdependencies of modules and their modification times. `make` reads instructions from a makefile, `Makefile`, which specifies a set of targets to build, a set of files on which the targets depend and the commands to execute in order to produce them. If `make` is run with no arguments, it looks for a makefile, `Makefile`.

makefile

A specific script that tells a UNIX program, `make`, how to build a particular computer program or set of programs. A `makefile` contains variable assignments and rules that which, with input, say if any files have been modified more recently than a target file (or if the target does not exist), then execution of specific commands will normally build the target from the inputs.

member function

Another term for method. See method.

metacharacter

A character embedded in a program that conveys information about other characters, rather then representing the character itself. An example in C programming is the backslash character, which, indicates that the letter following the backslash is part of an escape sequence that enables C to display an uprintable character, such as a tab or return.

method

A function attached to a class, also known as a member function. See function.

multiple inheritance

A relationship between objects where an object gets behavior with more than one other object. See inheritance.

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O

object

The principal building blocks of object-oriented programs. Each object is a programming unit consisting of data variables and functionality. See class.

object file

A binary-format file containing machine instructions and possibly symbolic relocation information.

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P

program

A piece of software that can be run. For instance, you create, compile and then link a software program file, `foo.exe`. Type `foo` at the shell window's prompt. Your operating system calls the defined entry point of the program, in C this is typically called `main()`; the program runs and, when it finishes, control goes back to the system.

project

An entity containing references to source code files. A project describes where files are located and how to operate on them.

project database

A representation of program structures, locations of function declarations, components of class declarations, and relationships between components. Also the file that contains this representation.

project directory

The directory where the project file is stored.

project file

A file that contains the database table describing all project-specific files, symbols, and references to other database files.

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R

refers-to relationship

A relationship where a selected symbol is used in the context of another symbol. For instance, `hello` may refer to the symbols `foo` and `bar`. `hello` refers to `foo` and `bar`. Compare referred-by relationship.

referred-by relationship

A relationship where a selected symbol is used by another symbol. For instance, `hello` may refer to the symbols `foo` and `bar`. `foo` and `bar` are referred by `hello`. Compare refers-to relationship.

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S

shared library

A library that exists once on a system that multiple executables can link to at runtime. Compare static library.

static library

A library that is linked into a program at link time. There is one copy of the library for each executable that links to it. All data is executable specific. Compare shared library.

subclass

A class that is derived from another class, known as a superclass. Compare baseclass, superclass.

superclass

A class from which other class, a subclass, is derived. Compare baseclass, subclass.

symbols

Used to refer to variables, labels, functions, methods, macros, procedures, or other programatic constructs in a program.

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T

target type

Target types include executables and libraries. Executables may include libraries and object files. Libraries may include other libraries and object files.

toolchain

The set of compilers, debuggers, and linkers specific to the type of machine compiling on and executing on.

type

The nature of a variable, such as an integer, real number, text character, or floating-point number. The type of a variable defines and restricts the values it can hold.

typedef

In C, a keyword used to name new data types.

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U

union

A structure that can be used to store different types of variables, such as integers, characters, or Boolean, in the same location, but only one at a time.

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V

variable

A variable is a name used in a program to stand for a value. See class variable, global variable, instance variable, local variable.

view

1) A window that contains a context. Selecting Add View creates a new window with a new context.

2) A set of files for a project. For more information, see Using the Project Editor.

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X

xref

The name of the cross-reference browser tab. See cross-reference.

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1. Kernighan, Brian, and Ritchie, Dennis. 1988. The C Programming Language. ISBN: 0131103628 Return to top

2. Margaret A. Ellis, Bjarne Stroustrup. 1990. The C++ Annotated Reference Manual. ISBN-0201514591. Return to top

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