SPI Programming Manual (G06.24+, H06.03+, J06.03+)

Glossary
SPI Programming Manual—427506-006
Glossary-3
definition files
definition files. A set of files containing data declarations for items related to SPI messages
and their processing. The core definitions required to use SPI are provided in a DDL
file and in several language-specific definition files, one for each programming
language that supports SPI. The DDL compiler generates the language-specific files
from the DDL file. Subsystems that support SPI provide additional definition files
containing subsystem-specific definitions. See also SPI standard definitions
and
subsystem definitions
.
Distributed Systems Management. An architecture and a set of software tools that
facilitate management of systems and networks. These tools include the ViewPoint
console application, the Subsystem Control Facility (SCF), the Subsystem
Programmatic Interface (SPI), the Event Management System (EMS), the Distributed
Name Service (DNS), and token-oriented programmatic interfaces to the manager
processes of various NonStop Kernel subsystems.
downward compatibility. The ability of a requester to operate properly with a server of a
lower revision level. In this case, the requester is downward-compatible with the
server. Compare with upward compatibility
.
DSM. Distributed Systems Management.
empty list or variable. A list that has no members, or a variable that has no content.
empty response. A response record containing only the return token with a value that
means “empty response.” See return token
.
EMS. Event Management System.
end-list token. ZSPI-TKN-ENDLIST, which marks the end of a list in an SPI message. This
same token is used to mark the end of all four types of SPI lists. Compare with list
token.
enumerated type. A 16-bit signed data type with a value drawn from a specific list of values
with designated meanings. The enumerated type is one of the standard token data
types defined by SPI. The list of acceptable values and their meanings varies
depending on the token number and is defined by the subsystem.
error. A condition that causes a command or other operation to fail. Compare with warning.
error list. A grouping of tokens used within a response record to provide error and warning
information. An error list begins with ZSPI-TKN-ERRLIST, ends with ZSPI-TKN-
ENDLIST, and contains an error token and other tokens explaining the error. Error lists
can be nested within other error lists. The return token cannot be included in an error
list. See return token
.
error number. A value that can be assigned to a return token, or to the last field of an error
token, to identify an error that occurred. SPI defines a small set of error numbers, the
SPI extensions define many more, and still others are defined by subsystems.