Glossary

active window

the window to which keyboard input is directed. Only one window can be active at a time.

argument

a value that is provided or returned when calling a method.

attachment

a way to control the position, size, and movement of controls on a frame.

attribute

a characteristic of a component such as its name, color, size, or the data it references. See also Property.

banner

the command prompt in the upper-left corner of a frame. Controlled by the bannerType attribute on the Frame class.

build environment

the tools and windows in SAS/AF that are used to construct frame applications.

build time

the period when a program is in the process of being built; when it is not executing.

catalog

See SAS catalog.

catalog entry

See SAS catalog entry.

class

a template for an object. A class defines all of an object's characteristics (attributes) and the operations (methods) that the object can perform. See also object.

compile

to translate SCL code and frame objects into a form that can be executed.

component

a control or a model.

control

a type of component that is visual in nature; as opposed to a model, which has no visual representation. For example, Check Boxes, List Boxes, and Push Buttons. Controls are also sometimes called visual components. See also model.

dot notation

a syntax for accessing the properties of a component. In dot notation, the object is separated from the property by a period, which is called a dot. For example, the following syntax would call the _deselectAll method on the listbox1 object: listbox1._deselectAll( )

frame

an area that contains controls; analogous to a window.

frame entry

the SAS catalog entry type for a frame.

frame SCL

SCL that is associated with a specific frame.

handle

a graphic representation on the edge of a frame or a control that designates areas that are used to resize or move the frame or control.

INIT

a reserved SCL label that indicates the initialization code of an SCL program.

initialization

the first stage of frame execution before a frame is displayed. Typically used to declare and set variables and define data sources.

label

See SCL label.

labeled section

one or more SCL statements that are identified by an SCL label. See SCL label.

mainframe

a high-performance computer made for multi-user, processor-intensive computing. Typically used by businesses and for scientific research.

method

an action that is defined for a class. For example, the action of deselecting all items is defined as the _deselectAll method on the List Box class.

model

a type of component that provides attributes and methods for querying and modifying data sources. For example, a SAS Data Set model contains methods for reading and manipulating SAS tables.

native control

the presentation of a control such that it appears to have been built specifically for a platform. For example, a control built on a UNIX system and then ported to Windows 7 will be indistinguishable from other Windows 7 controls.

non-visual component

another term for a model.

object

a specific instantiation of a class. For example, when you drag a List Box control (a class) onto a frame, you create the listbox1 object. The terms object and instance are often used interchangeably.

parent class

the class from which another class is derived.

PROC

See SAS procedure.

procedure

See SAS procedure.

property

any of the characteristics of a component that collectively determine the component's appearance and behavior. Both attributes and methods are types of properties.

run time

the period when a program is executing.

SAS catalog

a SAS file that stores many different kinds of information in smaller units called catalog entries. A single SAS catalog can contain several different types of catalog entries. See also SAS catalog entry.

SAS catalog entry

a storage unit within a SAS catalog. Each entry has an entry type that identifies its purpose to SAS.

SAS Component Language (SCL)

See SCL (SAS Component Language).

SAS procedure

a program that is accessed with a PROC statement. SAS procedures can be used to produce reports, manage files, or analyze data. Many procedures are included with the Base SAS software.

SCL (SAS Component Language)

a programming language that is provided with SAS/AF software. You can use SCL to develop interactive applications that manipulate SAS data sets and external files.

SCL label

a word that indicates the beginning of a section of SCL code.

subclass

a class that is derived from another class. The subclass inherits the attributes and methods of its parent class, and can also possess its own unique attributes and methods. Technically, almost all SAS/AF classes are subclasses because they are derived from other classes.

subclassing

the process of deriving a new class from an existing class. See also subclass.

SUBMIT

a command that causes SAS to compile and execute a program.

TERM

a reserved SCL label that indicates the code that is run when an SCL program ends.

visual component

another term for a control.

WHERE expression

one or more criteria for retrieving data.