Distributed Name Service (DNS) Management Programming Manual

Glossary
Glossary–12 46958 Tandem Computers Incorporated
Object type. The category of objects to which a specific object belongs: for example, a
specific disk file might have the object type FILE, and a specific terminal the object
type SU. A subsystem identifies a set of object types for the objects it manages. The
operator interface to the subsystem might have keywords to identify the types.
Correspondingly, the programmatic interface would have object-type numbers
suitable for passing to the SPI SSINIT procedure. In DDL, one of the six types of
dictionary objects: records, DEFs, constants, token types, token codes, and token maps.
Object-type number. A number that represents an object type managed by a subsystem.
Each subsystem with a token-oriented programmatic interface can have its own set of
object-type numbers, which are represented in DDL by constants and in programs by
TAL literals or defines, COBOL85 level-01 variables, or TACL text variables. (In some
cases, as with the data-communications subsystems, object-type numbers are shared
by several subsystems.) The object-type number is a header token in commands and
responses. In the context of DNS, the term subsystem-object type number is
used. See also Object type.
Operator. A person or program that that issues commands to subsystems; retrieves,
examines, and responds to event messages; or does any combination of those things.
Owner. In the case of a disk file, the user or program that created the file, or a user or
program to whom the creator has given the file with the FUP GIVE command. In the
case of a process, the user or program that created the process or, if the PROGID
option was specified in the FUP SECURE command for the code file, the user or
program that owns the code file. In the case of a token or other definition, the
subsystem that provided the definition. In the case of a subsystem, the company or
organization that provides the subsystem, or the eight-character string identifying that
company.
Parameter. An argument to a command.
Parameter token. In control and inquiry, a token that provides parameter information
for a command. Most tokens in the SPI message for a command are parameter tokens;
depending on the subsystem, they can include attribute tokens, object-selector or
object-name tokens, and subsystem-control tokens. Compare with Syntax token.
In event management, a token representing a parameter passed by an application to an
event-message filter; such tokens are kept in a parameter buffer. See the Event
Management Service (EMS) Manual for further information.
Privileged. Authorized to make direct use of some set of system resources. In a
Tandem system, a privileged process may invoke privileged or callable procedures.
Procedural interface. A means for obtaining services through procedure calls; also, the
set of procedures through which services are obtained. For instance, an application
has a procedural interface to SPI; that interface consists of the procedures SSINIT,
SSNULL, SSPUT, SSPUTTKN, SSGET, SSGETTKN, SSMOVE, and SSMOVETKN.
Programmatic command. A command issued by a program, rather than by a human
operator.