Glossary
- application workspace
-
a window that contains other windows or from which
other windows can be invoked, but which is not contained within any
parent window that is part of the same software application. Short
form: AWS.
- attribute
-
a property of a SAS/AF component that specifies
the data that is associated with a component, such as its color, size,
description, or other information that is stored with the component.
Although similar to instance variables, attributes can contain additional
data.
- attribute linking
-
a feature of the SAS/AF graphical user interface
that enables you to designate values to be shared by multiple components
without writing any SCL code. You can define attribute links between
attributes of the same component or between different components within
the same frame.
- automatic instance variable
-
an instance variable whose value is automatically
copied into the corresponding SCL variable when an SCL method executes,
and is copied back into the object when the method returns. Assigning
the automatic status to an instance variable makes writing new methods
for a class easier because the SCL method can access the automatic
instance variable directly instead of accessing it indirectly with
SCL list functions. See also instance variable.
- AWS
-
See application workspace.
- CAM
-
See custom access method.
- catalog entry
-
See SAS catalog entry.
- catalog reference
-
a name that is temporarily associated with a catalog
or with concatenated catalogs. You use a CATNAME statement to assign
a catref. Short form: catref.
- catref
-
See catalog reference.
- class
-
a template for an object. A class includes data
that describes the object's characteristics (such as attributes or
instance variables), as well as the operations (methods) that the
object can perform. See also subclassing and object.
- complex attribute
-
an attribute whose type is either Object (O) or
a fully qualified SAS/AF class name such as sashelp.classes.draganddrop.class.
Using an object as an attribute enables you to use a single attribute
to store a set of information. In SCL, you can access the attributes
of a complex attribute object by 'stringing' together the dot notation
that queries or sets the attribute. The objects that are used as complex
attributes can have their own methods. A complex attribute must be
a non-visual component (that is, one that is not based on sashelp.classes.widget.class).
- component
-
a self-contained class that has specific properties,
which can include attributes, methods, events, event handlers, and
interfaces.
- control
-
another term for visual component. See also visual
component.
- custom access method
-
a method that is automatically executed when an
attribute is accessed. Short form: CAM. See also getCAM and setCAM.
- data representation
-
the type of data that a drag site is capable of
transferring or receiving. The data can be as simple as a string of
text or as complex as an SCL list. See also drag site, drag and drop
(DND), and drop operation.
- dimension
-
a group of closely related hierarchies. Different
hierarchies within a single dimension typically represent different
measurements of a single concept. For example, a Time dimension might
consist of two hierarchies: (1) Year, Month, Date, and (2) Year, Week,
Day.
- DND
-
See drag and drop.
- drag and drop
-
a user interface action that involves dragging
objects with a mouse (or other pointing device) and dropping them
over other objects at run time, and having some action occur. On systems
that do not use a mouse or other pointing device, you can drag an
object by using the WDRAG command and cursor-key input to position
the object and complete the drag action. Short form: DND.
- drag site
-
a component that can be dragged. See also drag
and drop.
- drop operation
-
any of the following actions that can be performed
on a data representation: (1) copy, when data is provided with no
post- processing; (2) link, when some mechanism synchronizes the source
and destination; (3) move, when data is provided and the source is
removed.
- drop site
-
a component that can receive a dragged object.
See also drag and drop.
- entry type
-
a characteristic of a SAS catalog entry that identifies
the catalog entry's structure and attributes to SAS. When you create
a SAS catalog entry, SAS automatically assigns the entry type as part
of the name. See also SAS catalog entry.
- event
-
a property of a SAS/AF component that notifies
components or applications when a resource or state changes. An event
occurs when a user action (such as a mouse click) occurs, when an
attribute value is changed, or when a user-defined condition occurs.
An event handler then provides a response to the change.
- event handler
-
a property of a SAS/AF component that determines
the response to an event. Essentially, an event handler is a method
that executes after an event is received.
- field
-
a window area in which users can view, enter,
or modify a value.
- field validation
-
the process of checking user-entered values either
against attributes that have been specified for a field or against
conditions that have been specified in an SCL program.
- getCAM
-
a method that is associated with an attribute
and that is automatically executed when the attribute's value is queried.
See also custom access method and setCAM.
- global command
-
a command that is valid in all of a particular
SAS software product's windows.
- graphics object
-
a graphical window element that displays a variety
of graphics output created dynamically from specified data.
- inheritance
-
in object-oriented methodology, the structural
characteristic of class definitions by which methods and attributes
of a class are automatically defined in its subclasses.
- instance
-
another term for object. See also object.
- instance variable
-
a characteristic that is associated with an object,
such as its description, its color or label, or other information
about the object. All objects that are created from the same class
automatically contain the instance variables that have been defined
for that class, but the values of those variables can change from
one object to another. In addition, objects can contain local instance
variables (that is, variables that are local to a particular instance
of a class). Beginning in Version 8, the use of attributes reduced
the need for instance variables. See also automatic instance variable
and attribute.
- interface
-
a type of class that specifies the rules that
are used for model/view communication. Interfaces are collections
of abstract method definitions that enable you to redirect a method
call from one component to a method call on a different component.
The method definitions are just the information that is needed to
define a method; they do not contain the actual method implementations.
If two components share an interface, they can indirectly call each
others' methods via that interface.
- KEYS entry
-
a type of SAS catalog entry that contains function
key settings for interactive windowing procedures.
- legacy class
-
any SAS/AF class that does not use the SAS Component
Object Model (SCOM), including classes that were supplied in Version
6 of SAS/AF Software.
- library reference
-
See libref.
- libref
-
a name that is temporarily associated with a SAS
library. The complete name of a SAS file consists of two words, separated
by a period. The libref, which is the first word, indicates the library.
The second word is the name of the specific SAS file. For example,
in VLIB.NEWBDAY, the libref VLIB tells SAS which library contains
the file NEWBDAY. You assign a libref with a LIBNAME statement or
with an operating system command.
- local environment list
-
a list that contains data that is available only
to SCL entries that are invoked in the same SCL application. This
list is deleted when the application ends.
- member
-
a SAS file in a SAS library.
- member name
-
a name that is assigned to a SAS file in a SAS
library.
- metadata
-
a description or definition of data or information.
- method
-
a property of a SAS/AF component that defines
an operation that the component can execute.
- model
-
a type of non-visual component that provides attributes
and methods for querying and modifying underlying data abstractions.
For example, a Data Set List model contains methods for reading and
manipulating SAS tables.
- model/view
-
an abstract relationship between a model, the
internal logic of applications, and a viewer. You can set model/view
component communication during application build time (that is, within
the Build window) either by dragging a model
onto a viewer or by setting the 'model' attribute of a viewer in the Properties window. See also model, view, and viewer.
- non-visual component
-
any component that is not visible in an application's
graphical user interface.
- object
-
an instantiation or specific representation of
a class. For example, a list box on a frame is an instantiation of
sashelp.classes.Listbox_c.class. The terms instance and object are
synonyms.
- overload
-
to define multiple methods that have the same
name but different signatures within the same class. If you call an
overloaded method, SCL checks the method arguments, scans the signatures
for a match, and executes the appropriate code. See also signature.
- override
-
to replace the definition of an inherited method
or the default value of an instance variable in a subclass.
- parameter
-
(1) in SAS/AF and SAS/FSP applications, a window
characteristic that can be controlled by the user. (2) in SCL, a value
that is passed from one entry in an application to another. For example,
in SAS/AF applications, parameters are passed between entries by using
the CALL DISPLAY and ENTRY statements. (3) a unit of command syntax
other than the keyword. For example, NAME=, TYPE=, and COLOR= are
typical command parameters that can be either optional or required.
- parent class
-
the class from which another class is derived.
The parent class is also known as a super class.
- property
-
any of the characteristics of a component that
collectively determine the component's appearance and behavior. Attributes,
methods, events, and event handlers are all types of properties.
- region manager
-
the portion of SAS that allows windows to consist
of regions. The region manager controls the operations performed on
regions.
- resource
-
another term for RESOURCE entry. See also RESOURCE
entry.
- RESOURCE entry
-
a type of SAS catalog entry that stores information
about a set of classes. This information determines which classes
can be instantiated by a frame when that frame is initialized. Therefore,
when you browse, edit, or execute a frame, the frame must be able
to access the RESOURCE entry that was used when the frame was created.
- resource list
-
the list of classes and sets of attributes that
can be used to build objects and execute FRAME entries. Resource lists
are stored in RESOURCE entries.
- SAS catalog
-
a SAS file that stores many different kinds of
information in smaller units called catalog entries. A single SAS
catalog can contain different types of catalog entries. See also SAS
catalog entry.
- SAS catalog entry
-
a separate storage unit within a SAS catalog.
Each entry has an entry type that identifies its purpose to SAS. Some
catalog entries contain system information such as key definitions.
Other catalog entries contain application information such as window
definitions, Help windows, SAS formats and informats, macros, or graphics
output. See also entry type.
- SAS Component Language
-
a programming language that is provided with SAS/AF
and SAS/FSP software. You can use SCL for developing interactive applications
that manipulate SAS data sets and external files; for displaying tables,
menus, and selection lists; for generating SAS source code and submitting
it to SAS for execution; and for generating code for execution by
the host command processor. Short form: SCL.
- SAS Component Object Model
-
a framework for developing SAS/AF applications
that provides developers with model/view communication, drag and drop
communication, and attribute linking. Short form: SCOM. See also model/view,
drag and drop, and attribute linking.
- SAS data set
-
a file whose contents are in one of the native
SAS file formats. There are two types of SAS data sets: SAS data files
and SAS data views. SAS data files contain data values in addition
to descriptor information that is associated with the data. SAS data
views contain only the descriptor information plus other information
that is required for retrieving data values from other SAS data sets
or from files that are stored in other software vendors' file formats.
- SCL
-
See SAS Component Language.
- SCOM
-
See SAS Component Object Model.
- scope
-
a value that indicates whether a property can
be called by all classes, by only the parent class, or only by subclasses.
Scope is set to Public, Private, or Protected. Scope also determines
whether properties are displayed at build time. For example, only
public attributes are displayed in the Properties window. By default, the scope of a property is Public.
- selection list
-
a list of items in a window, from which users
can make one or more selections. Sources for selection lists are LIST
entries, special SCL functions, and extended tables.
- setCAM
-
a method that is associated with an attribute
and that is automatically executed when the attribute's value is set.
See also custom access method and getCAM.
- signature
-
the name, order, and type of arguments for a method.
- sigstring
-
a short notation that indicates a method signature.
- source code
-
programming code that must be compiled before
it can be executed.
- source entry
-
a SAS catalog entry that contains the source code
for a method. Source entries typically have an entry type of SCL.
- state
-
a value that indicates whether a property is new,
inherited, or overridden, or whether it is a system property.
- subclassing
-
the process of deriving a new class from an existing
class. A new class inherits the characteristics (attributes or instance
variables) and operations (methods) of its parent. It can also possess
custom attributes (or instance variables) and methods. See also class,
attribute, instance variable, and method.
- super method
-
a method that is replaced by an overridden method.
The super method can be invoked from the overridden method with a
CALL SUPER statement.
- type
-
the data type of a variable, an attribute, or
a method argument.
- view
-
a particular way of looking at a model's data.
- viewer
-
a component that provides a visual representation
of a model's data.
- visual component
-
a component such as an icon, a push button, a
check box, or a frame that forms part of the graphical user interface
of an application. Visual components are also referred to as controls.
- widget
-
an element of a graphical user interface that
displays information or that accepts user input. For example, a text
entry field is a widget that is used for displaying and entering text,
and a chart is a widget that is used for displaying information.
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