Note: a more complete glossary can be found in the "TAE Plus Programmer's Manual."
asynchronous job
A job executing simultaneously with interactive use of TAE. Asynchronous jobs run at a high priority and begin execution immediately.
attention sequence
A host-dependent sequence of characters typed by a user to interrupt the execution of a proc. On VAX/VMS implementations of TAE, the attention sequence consists of hitting the CONTROL/C key.
command
A string of text interpreted by the Terminal Monitor. A command is either a proc invocation command or an intrinsic command.
command mode
The TAE mode under which the user types TCL commands.
command procedure
Equivalent to "procedure".
command string
One or more command lines that constitute one TAE command. Lines beyond the first are "continued" lines, i.e., the plus character is the last non-comment character of the preceding line.
command user
A user who executes in command mode to supply direction to TAE.
compiled PDF
A disk file with the results of the COMPILE command executed on a proc definition file. All statements in the declaration section have been scanned for syntax and symbol tables built. For procedures, the body section has been kept intact. The associated help file, if any, is located at the end of the file.
de-reference
An indication to TAE that the value of a variable is to be used. The syntax for de-referencing is "@variable-name".
directive
A delimiter for a section of text in a help file, menu definition file or script file. Directives begin with a period.
dynamic tutor
Tutor mode initiated from a proc (in order to acquire additional parameters).
empty string
A string of length zero, typically indicated by two adjacent quote marks. (In TAE, the term "null string" is avoided because of possible confusion with "null value".)
facility
An identifier for a program (e.g. "TAE" for the Terminal Monitor) or a group of programs. Used in TAE messages.
file
A related collection of data resident on disk.
global definition PDF
A special PDF which defines global variables.
global variable
A value known across all proc invocations.
help file (HLP)
A text file describing: a proc and the proc's parameters; a menu; or a TAE mode.
host
The computer system upon which TAE is executing. A host consists of the computer type and the operating system.
interactive level
The "primary level" for sessions that are initiated interactively.
internal proc
A proc or parameter set defined within another PDF file.
intrinsic command
A primitive TCL command that supports the framework of the language.
job
The context of a proc when submitted for batch or an asynchronous execution. (Technically, an interactive TAE session is also a job.)
keyword parameter
A parameter whose value may be specified without explicitly naming the parameter.
library
A named collection of files. The syntax of a library name is host-dependent.
mandatory parameter
A proc parameter that has no default value.
menu definition file (MDF)
A text disk file defining the entries for one menu.
menu mode
The TAE mode under which the user selects entries from a menu to direct TAE activity.
menu tree
A hierarchy of menus. The root menu references several menus, these menus each reference several menus, and so on.
menu user
A user giving direction to TAE using menu mode.
message key
An identifier displayed with each TAE message. The message key is enclosed in brackets and precedes the message text.
multi-valued parameter
A parameter whose value is a vector of values.
named parameter
A parameter declared as "TYPE=NAME". Such a parameter is passed to a proc "by reference".
null value
A value with a vector count of zero and, consequently, no values. The TCL syntax for null value is "--".
nullable
A variable attribute that permits the variable to have the null value.
parameter
The name of a value that is passed to a proc.
primary level
The highest command level at which a proc may be invoked; same as interactive level if the session is interactive; same as the controlling proc if a batch or asynchronous session.
positional parameter
A parameter associated with a value according to the position of the value on the command line.
proc
A function that may be activated by TAE. A proc is either a process or a procedure.
proc definition file (PDF)
A text disk file defining the parameters for a proc. For a procedure, the PDF also defines the commands to be executed for the procedure.
proc invocation
A TCL command that requests activation of a proc.
procedure
A collection of TAE commands that may be executed as one function.
process
A task that is activated by TAE to perform a function.
qualifier
Parameter defined as a modifier to a command or another parameter. Located between vertical bars.
root menu
The highest-level (initial) menu in the menu tree.
session
The period from logging onto TAE until logging out.
session logging
The writing of a sequential text file by TAE, recording key events in an interactive session.
standard output device
The standard destination for output generated by TAE commands. For interactive users, the default standard output device is the terminal. For batch users, the default standard output device is a disk file.
statement
An intrinsic TAE command.
subcommand
A proc "modifier" that selects a subfunction of the proc.
substantial value
A value with a vector count greater than zero. (If the count of a value is zero, then the value is null.)
substitution
The replacement of a variable marked by an ampersand (&) by the string representing the value of the variable.
subtask
A task initiated and controlled by another task.
synchronous execution
The immediate execution of a proc while the current session or job waits.
system manager
The individual assigned to manage the software configuration of the system (user authorization, library contents, etc.).
Terminal Monitor (TM)
The task that manages a TAE session. There is one per user.
TAE Plus
The version of TAE that includes support for designing user interfaces appropriate to bit-mapped workstations.
task
The collection of executable code and associated data areas that competes with other tasks for processor resources (memory, instruction, execution, etc.).
TCL
The TAE Command Language.
TCL user
Equivalent to "command user".
text file
A sequential disk file, each record of which contains no more than 132 printable characters.
tutor mode
A mode of TAE in which the user interactively supplies parameter values in preparation for proc activation.
tutor session
The period from entry to tutor mode until (a) the proc is executed or (b) tutor mode is terminated with the EXIT command.
tutor subcommand display
A tutor display in which the user selects a subcommand from among a displayed set of subcommands.
variable
A named value in TCL. A variable may contain a character string, an integer value, or a real value. There are three classes of variables: proc parameters, local variables, and global variables.
white space
A series of tabs and/or spaces.