page -

      (1) A 4KB segment of contiguous physical memory. (2) (D of C) A defined unit of space on a storage medium.
    page viewport -
      A boundary in device coordinates that defines the area of the output device in which graphics are to be displayed. The presentation-page contents are transformed automatically to the page viewport in device space.
    paint -
      (1) The action of drawing or redrawing the contents of a window. (2) In computer graphics, to shade an area of a display image; for example, with crosshatching or color.
    panel -
      In SAA Basic Common User Access architecture, a particular arrangement of information that is presented in a window or pop-up. If some of the information is not visible, a user can scroll through the information.
    panel area -
      An area within a panel that contains related information. The three major Common User Access-defined panel areas are the action bar, the function key area, and the panel body.
    panel area separator -
      In SAA Basic Common User Access architecture, a solid, dashed, or blank line that provides a visual distinction between two adjacent areas of a panel.
    panel body -
      The portion of a panel not occupied by the action bar, function key area, title or scroll bars. The panel body can contain protected information, selection fields, and entry fields. The layout and content of the panel body determine the panel type.
    panel body area -
      See client area.
    panel definition -
      A description of the contents and characteristics of a panel. A panel definition is the application developer's mechanism for predefining the format to be presented to users in a window.
    panel ID -
      In SAA Basic Common User Access architecture, a panel identifier, located in the upper-left corner of a panel. A user can choose whether to display the panel ID.
    panel title -
      In SAA Basic Common User Access architecture, a particular arrangement of information that is presented in a window or pop-up. If some of the information is not visible, a user can scroll through the information.
    paper size -
      The size of paper, defined in either standard U.S. or European names (for example, A, B, A4), and measured in inches or millimeters respectively.
    parallel dialog box -
      See modeless dialog box.
    parameter list -
      A list of values that provides a means of associating addressability of data defined in a called program with data in the calling program. It contains parameter names and the order in which they are to be associated in the calling and called program.
    parent class -
      See inheritance.
    parent process -
      In the OS/2 operating system, a process that creates other processes. Contrast with child process.
    parent window -
      In the OS/2 operating system, a window that creates a child window. The child window is drawn within the parent window. If the parent window is moved, resized, or destroyed, the child window also will be moved, resized, or destroyed. However, the child window can be moved and resized independently from the parent window, within the boundaries of the parent window. Contrast with child window.
    partition -
      (1) A fixed-size division of storage. (2) On an IBM personal computer fixed disk, one of four possible storage areas of variable size; one may be accessed by DOS, and each of the others may be assigned to another operating system.
    Paste -
      A choice in the Edit pull-down that a user selects to move the contents of the clipboard into a preselected location. See also Copy and Cut.
    path -
      The route used to locate files; the storage location of a file. A fully qualified path lists the drive identifier, directory name, subdirectory name (if any), and file name with the associated extension.
    PDD -
      Physical device driver.
    peeking -
      An action taken by any thread in the process that owns the queue to examine queue elements without removing them.
    pel -
      (1) The smallest area of a display screen capable of being addressed and switched between visible and invisible states. Synonym for display point, pixel, and picture element. (2) (D of C) Picture element.
    persistent object -
      An object whose instance data and state are preserved between system shutdown and system startup.
    physical device driver (PDD) -
      A system interface that handles hardware interrupts and supports a set of input and output functions.
    pick -
      To select part of a displayed object using the pointer.
    pickup -
      To add an object or set of objects to the pickup set.
    pickup and drop -
      A drag operation that does not require the direct manipulation button to be pressed for the duration of the drag.
    pickup set -
      The set of objects that have been picked up as part of a pickup and drop operation.
    picture chain -
      See segment chain.
    picture element -
      (1) Synonym for pel. (2) (D of C) In computer graphics, the smallest element of a display surface that can be independently assigned color and intensity. (T) . (3) The area of the finest detail that can be reproduced effectively on the recording medium.
    PID -
      Process identification.
    pipe -
      (1) A named or unnamed buffer used to pass data between processes. A process reads from or writes to a pipe as if the pipe were a standard-input or standard-output file. See also named pipe and unnamed pipe. (2) (D of C) To direct data so that the output from one process becomes the input to another process. The standard output of one command can be connected to the standard input of another with the pipe operator (|).
    pixel -
      (1) Synonym for pel. (2) (D of C) Picture element.
    plotter -
      An output unit that directly produces a hardcopy record of data on a removable medium, in the form of a two-dimensional graphic representation. (T)
    PM -
      Presentation Manager.
    pointer -
      (1) The symbol displayed on the screen that is moved by a pointing device, such as a mouse. The pointer is used to point at items that users can select. Contrast with cursor. (2) A data element that indicates the location of another data element. (T)
    POINTER$ -
      Character-device name reserved for a pointer device (mouse screen support).
    pointing device -
      In SAA Advanced Common User Access architecture, an instrument, such as a mouse, trackball, or joystick, used to move a pointer on the screen.
    pointings -
      Pairs of x-y coordinates produced by an operator defining positions on a screen with a pointing device, such as a mouse.
    polyfillet -
      A curve based on a sequence of lines. The curve is tangential to the end points of the first and last lines, and tangential also to the midpoints of all other lines. See also fillet.
    polygon -
      One or more closed figures that can be drawn filled, outlined, or filled and outlined.
    polyline -
      A sequence of adjoining lines.
    polymorphism -
      The ability to have different implementations of the same method for two or more classes of objects.
    pop -
      To retrieve an item from a last-in-first-out stack of items. Contrast with push.
    pop-up menu -
      A menu that lists the actions that a user can perform on an object. The contents of the pop-up menu can vary depending on the context, or state, of the object.
    pop-up window -
      (1) A window that appears on top of another window in a dialog. Each pop-up window must be completed before returning to the underlying window. (2) (D of C) In SAA Advanced Common User Access architecture, a movable window, fixed in size, in which a user provides information required by an application so that it can continue to process a user request.
    presentation drivers -
      Special purpose I/O routines that handle field device-independent I/O requests from the PM and its applications.
    Presentation Manager (PM) -
      The interface of the OS/2 operating system that presents, in windows a graphics-based interface to applications and files installed and running under the OS/2 operating system.
    presentation page -
      The coordinate space in which a picture is assembled for display.
    presentation space (PS) -
      (1) Contains the device-independent definition of a picture. (2) (D of C) The display space on a display device.
    primary window -
      In SAA Common User Access architecture, the window in which the main interaction between the user and the application takes place. In a multiprogramming environment, each application starts in its own primary window. The primary window remains for the duration of the application, although the panel displayed will change as the user's dialog moves forward. See also secondary window.
    primitive -
      In computer graphics, one of several simple functions for drawing on the screen, including, for example, the rectangle, line, ellipse, polygon, and so on.
    primitive attribute -
      A specifiable characteristic of a graphic primitive. See graphics attributes.
    print job -
      The result of sending a document or picture to be printed.
    Print Manager -
      In the Presentation Manager, the part of the spooler that manages the spooling process. It also allows users to view print queues and to manipulate print jobs.
    privilege level -
      A protection level imposed by the hardware architecture of the IBM personal computer. There are four privilege levels (number 0 through 3). Only certain types of programs are allowed to execute at each privilege level. See also IOPL code segment.
    procedure call -
      In programming languages, a language construct for invoking execution of a procedure.
    process -
      An instance of an executing application and the resources it is using.
    program -
      A sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute.
    program details -
      Information about a program that is specified in the Program Manager window and is used when the program is started.
    program group -
      In the Presentation Manager, several programs that can be acted upon as a single entity.
    program name -
      The full file specification of a program. Contrast with program title.
    program title -
      The name of a program as it is listed in the Program Manager window. Contrast with program name.
    prompt -
      A displayed symbol or message that requests input from the user or gives operational information; for example, on the display screen of an IBM personal computer, the DOS A> prompt. The user must respond to the prompt in order to proceed.
    protect mode -
      A method of program operation that limits or prevents access to certain instructions or areas of storage. Contrast with real mode.
    protocol -
      A set of semantic and syntactic rules that determines the behavior of functional units in achieving communication. (I)
    pseudocode -
      An artificial language used to describe computer program algorithms without using the syntax of any particular programming language. (A)
    pull-down -
      (1) An action bar extension that displays a list of choices available for a selected action bar choice. After users select an action bar choice, the pull-down appears with the list of choices. Additional pop-up windows may appear from pull-down choices to further extend the actions available to users. (2) (D of C) In SAA Common User Access architecture, pertaining to a choice in an action bar pull-down.
    push -
      To add an item to a last-in-first-out stack of items. Contrast with pop.
    push button -
      In SAA Advanced Common User Access architecture, a rectangle with text inside. Push buttons are used in windows for actions that occur immediately when the push button is selected.
    putback -
      To remove an object or set of objects from the lazy drag set. This has the effect of undoing the pickup operation for those objects
    putdown -
      To drop the objects in the lazy drag set on the target object.


    [Back] [Next]