I/O operation -

An input operation to, or output operation from a device attached to a computer.

A pointer that indicates an area, such as an entry field in which text can be edited.

In SAA Advanced Common User Access architecture, a graphical representation of an object, consisting of an image, image background, and a label. Icons can represent items (such as a document file) that the user wants to work on, and actions that the user wants to perform. In the Presentation Manager, icons are used for data objects, system actions, and minimized programs.

In the Presentation Manager, the area at the bottom of the screen that is normally used to display the icons for minimized programs.

The Presentation Manager-provided tool for creating icons.

Interface Definition Language.

A set of symbols, each of which is described in a rectangular array of pels. Some of the pels in the array are set to produce the image of one of the symbols. Contrast with outline font.

Subclassing the metaclass of a parent class without a separate CSC for the resultant metaclass.

Interaction with an object through choices and controls.

A logical description of a data destination other than the screen (for example, a printer or plotter), but where no output will occur. Its purpose is to satisfy queries. See also device context.

A defined panel type characterized by a body containing only protected information.

A facility provided by the OS/2 operating system, by which application developers can produce online documentation and context-sensitive online help panels for their applications.

The technique of specifying the shape and behavior of one class (called a subclass) as incremental differences from another class (called the parent class or superclass). The subclass inherits the superclass' state representation and methods, and can provide additional data elements and methods. The subclass also can provide new functions with the same method names used by the superclass. Such a subclass method is said to override the superclass method, and will be selected automatically by method resolution on subclass instances. An overriding method can elect to call upon the superclass' method as part of its own implementation.

(1) The area of a window where user interaction is possible using an input device, such as a mouse or the keyboard. (2) The position in the active window where a user's normal interaction with the keyboard will appear.

An internal OS/2 process that removes messages from the system queue.

A device-specific command that requests a function of a device driver.

A file system in which software is installed when the operating system is started.

(Or object instance). A specific object, as distinguished from the abstract definition of an object referred to as its class.

A method valid for a particular object.

In System/38, a pointer that provides addressability for a machine interface instruction in a program.

An atom that represents a predefined system constant and carries no storage overhead. For example, names of window classes provided by Presentation Manager are expressed as integer atoms.

Graphics that can be moved or manipulated by a user at a terminal.

(1) A program that is running (active) and is ready to receive (or is receiving) input from a user. (2) A running program that can receive input from the keyboard or another input device. Compare with active program and contrast with noninteractive program.

Also known as a foreground program.

A file containing data that can be sent from one Presentation Manager interface application to another.

Language-neutral interface specification for a SOM class.

A program that translates and executes each instruction of a high-level programming language before it translates and executes.

In the OS/2 operating system, the exchange of information between processes or threads through semaphores, pipes, queues, and shared memory.

(1) A timer that provides program interruptions on a program-controlled basis. (2) An electronic counter that counts intervals of time under program control.

Input/output control.

Input/output privilege level.

An IOPL executable section of programming code that enables an application to directly manipulate hardware interrupts and ports without replacing the device driver. See also privilege level.

Interprocess communication.

Information Presentation Facility.

A text compiler that interpret tags in a source file and converts the information into the specified format.

A markup language that provides the instructions for displaying online information.

A data object that can be passed in a DDE transaction.