User guide

Glossary
058058 Tandem Computers Incorporated Glossary–1
Aggregate. A cumulative operation on set(s) of numbers, producing a single value per
set. See Predefined Aggregate and User Aggregate.
By-item. The field name used to group and sort ENFORM output; always associated
with a BY or BY DESC clause. A by-item is a special kind of target-item.
Clause. Component of an ENFORM statement.
Command. A directive to the ENFORM compiler.
Compiler/Report Writer. The ENFORM process that both compiles ENFORM queries and
formats and writes ENFORM reports.
Compiled Query File. The physical file containing a saved query that been compiled by
the ?COMPILE command.
Composite Key. Two or more contiguous fields that can be used to identify a record
occurrence.
Current Output Listing File. The file to which ENFORM directs output; this file can
change during an ENFORM session.
Data Base. A set of related files defined in a dictionary.
Data Category. The type of data that can be stored in a field; either alphanumeric or
numeric.
Data Definition Language (DDL). The language used to describe the record and file
structure of a data base.
Dictionary. A data base of file descriptions and record types created by the Data
Definition Language (DDL); also called data dictionary.
Default Output File. The file to which ENFORM directs output at the beginning of an
ENFORM session. See also Current Output Listing File.
Default Input File. The file from which the ENFORM source code is entered when the IN
option of the ENFORM command is omitted; usually the home terminal.
Elementary Field. Smallest named unit of a record.
ENFORM Server. A user written process that can supply data to a query processor as an
alternative to the data being supplied directly from a disc file.
Field. Either an elementary field or group field.
Field Name. Name given to a field in a DDL RECORD statement.
Field Value. Value of a specific field within a specific stored record.
File. A collection of similarly structured records.
File Name. The name of a physical file.
File Type. Identifies the organization of the physical file, such as key-sequenced, entry-
sequenced, relative, or unstructured.