TS/MP Pathsend and Server Programming Manual (G06.24+, H06.03+)

Glossary
NonStop TS/MP Pathsend and Server Programming Manual–132500
Glossary-6
DEFINE
DEFINE. A named set of attributes and associated values. In a DEFINE (as with an ASSIGN
command), users can specify information to be communicated to processes they start.
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 Tandem DDL compiler generates the language-specific files from
the DDL file. Subsystems that support SPI provide additional definition files containing
subsystem-specific definitions.
delimiters. Characters that make it possible for a SCREEN COBOL requester and an external
device or front-end process to exchange compact variable-length messages efficiently;
delimiters can be message delimiters or field delimiters.
descriptor. For each elementary data item, the SCREEN COBOL compiler builds a data
structure that describes the size, type, usage, and dependencies of the item. All of the
information that pertains to a given item makes up the descriptor for that item. For
example, the PICTURE specification is included in the descriptor. The descriptors are
passed to the TCP in the pseudocode and provide a dictionary of information for
interpreting and handling incoming data. When the MAP or SMAP compiler option is
used, the descriptors appear in the compiler map at the end of the listing.
diagnostic screen. A screen of information that is displayed to inform the terminal operator
of error conditions and termination status.
dialog. A multiple-message communication between a requester and a context-sensitive
server. A dialog is also called a conversation. See also context sensitivity and context-
sensitive server.
disk process. In the Tandem NonStop Kernel operating environment, the portion of the
operating-system software that performs read, write, and lock operations on disk
volumes and creates TMF audit records. See also file system.
display attribute. A terminal display feature that is given a screen data name. The screen
data name can be associated with a predefined system name in the SPECIAL-NAMES
paragraph and thus be manipulated by a SCREEN COBOL program.
distributed data. Information (for example, customer names and addresses, inventory items,
and personnel records) that resides on more than one node in a network and can be
accessed by authorized users from any node in that network.
distributed processing. A type of processing environment in which resources are distributed
among CPUs within a single system or spread across a network of systems. A user on
any network node can, if properly authorized, access resources and database files
anywhere within the network.
Distributed Systems Management (DSM). A group of tools for managing a variety of
subsystems in a distributed processing environment.