Introduction to Pathmaker

Glossary
Glossary–10 067867 Tandem Computers Incorporated
transaction. A group of computer operations that reflect a particular commercial
interaction by changing a database from one consistent state to another consistent
state. These operations, including the entry of data about the event, the processing of
that data, and the resulting change in the database, provide a computer model of the
real events making up the transaction. A transaction might be one that inserts an
airline flight reservation record or transfers money from one bank account record to
another.
Transaction Copy Library. A term used in previous versions of the Pathmaker product to
refer to an EDIT file that contained the Working-Storage Section, the Procedure
Division, and, optionally, the Extended-Storage Section, for one or more Pathmaker
COBOL85 services. These files are now called Custom Source Files.
Transaction Monitoring Facility. See TMF.
transaction (TRNS) requester. A type of Pathmaker requester that accepts data entry and
calls services to process the data entered. A TRNS requester is more versatile than a
database (DB) requester because it can call custom services.
user. See end user.
user interface. See full screen interface.
utilities. Programs included with the Pathmaker product that assist with miscellaneous
tasks. These programs include: PMINSTAL, which assists in the installation of the
Pathmaker product on a system; HELPUTIL, which is used to modify help text for a
Pathmaker application; and PMROJECT, which is used to create and manage
Pathmaker projects.
video attribute. A property of a screen element that determines the visual appearance of
the screen-image locations occupied by the element. An element can be bright or dim,
steady or blinking, light-on-dark or reversed, underlined or not, visible or hidden.
3270 terminal. A family of terminals manufactured by IBM and other companies but
sometimes used with NonStop systems.
6520 terminal. A terminal model formerly sold by Tandem. Its black-and-white screen
and its keyboard occupy a single cabinet.
6530 terminal. A terminal family manufactured and sold by Tandem. Terminals in this
family have green phosphor screens, and their keyboards are detached.