A
ABI
Application Binary Interface. This is a standard for the interfaces of binary code running in ARM environments, and is intended to allow inter-operation of binaries produced by different compilers that conform to the standard. Describes the low-level interface between an application program and the operating system, between an application and its libraries, or between component parts of the application.
The specification is published by ARM.
See also: ARM processors
abld.bat batch file
Controls all aspects of building a project in the SBSv1 build system. It is created in the current directory by the bldmake tool from a component description file.
See also: bldmake tool
abstract
Used to describe a class which describes behaviour, but which does not implement it. Many implementations of the behaviour might be available. Each is referred to as a concrete class.
See also: concrete
access count
A record of the number of objects referencing a contact item. A contact item cannot be fully deleted until its access count is zero.
See also: contact item
access mode
The locking specified when opening a file: exclusive, readers only, or shared with any.
active object
A class derived from CActive, which is responsible for issuing requests to asynchronous service providers and handling those requests on completion.
See also: active scheduler, asynchronous service provider
active scheduler
A class derived from CActiveScheduler, responsible for scheduling events to the active objects in an event-handling program.
See also: asynchronous service provider, active object
address
For Bluetooth, each Bluetooth device has built into its hardware a 48-bit device unique address.
agent
In the context of the Network Interface Manager (NifMan), the component which NifMan uses to set up a connection.
Or, in the context of a vCard, a property within a vCard whose value is a string representing another entity.
See also: property, vCard, entity
alarm due time
The time that the alarm was/is due.
Before an alarm activates, this is the same as the alarm time. If the alarm is snoozed, then the due time remains the same, but the alarm time becomes the new activation time.
See also: alarm time
alarm message
The message which is displayed to the user when the alarm time is reached.
See also: alarm time
alarm sound
An algorithmic sound or a sampled sound file stored in the system alarms directory (\System\Alarms).
See also: algorithmic sound, sampled sound file
alarm time
The time the alarm is next expected to activate.
See also: alarm due time
Alaw
A standard for encoding 12-bit sound as 8-bit data.
See also: sampled sound file
Aleppo
Legacy help authoring tool.
algorithmic sound
A sound generated by the sound driver by synthesising sounds according to an algorithm.
See also: sampled sound file
Alpha blending
The term used where a value (called 'Alpha') is used to indicate a transparency value for a pixel. If the Alpha=maximum then the pixel is opaque, that is the full colour of the pixel is written to the destination. If Alpha=0 then the pixel is fully transparent, and the destination is left unaltered. Values in-between cause 'blending' with the formula
Destination = Source*Alpha/max_Alpha + Destination*(max_Alpha-Alpha)/max_Alpha
AMPS
Advanced Mobile Phone System: a 1G standard which operates in the 800-900MHz-frequency band. It is still widely used in the United States.
analog
The simple way to transmit speech, which is translated into electronic signals of different frequency and/or amplitude. The first networks for mobile phones, as well as broadcast transmissions, were analog. Due to being longer established in some countries, analog networks may offer better coverage than digital networks, however analog phones are less secure and suffer more from interference where the signal is weak. Analog systems include AMPS, NMT and ETACS.
anchor
Marks the start of a selection
See also: cursor, selection
API
Application Programming Interface, the visible public behaviour a system object or component exposes to other objects or components.
An API is any interface that enables one program to use facilities provided by another, whether by calling that program, or by being called by it. At a higher level still, an API is a set of functionality delivered by a programming system, and as such the mix of APIs in a particular system tells you what that system can do.
AppArc
The Symbian OS Application Architecture framework, which defines the application structure and basic user interface handling.
application
Also known as 'software', an application is a piece of code written and packaged in such a way as to allow the user to 'do' something. A program that provides a graphical user interface to the user; applications are created using the application framework which provides standard means for applications to receive input events and manage data (documents).Examples include the built-in agenda in Symbian OS, that ships in every smartphone and allows users to manage appointments. Users can customize their smartphones by loading their own applications, which can be bought or (found free) from network operators and online retailers.
See also: document
application capabilities
Set of properties for an application that are understood by the application architecture, such as its support for embeddability, and whether it is hidden. They are set in the application registration file provided with the application.This concept should not be confused with a program's security capabilities.
application class
Defines the properties of the application, such as UID and caption, and creates a new document.
See also: document class
application framework
Handles application start-up and accessing the application data (its document).
application framework API
The frameworks that define the application structure and their basic user interface handling.
application program
A program made up of a number of classes. It usually consists of a user interface and an application engine.
application resource file
A resource file written by an application programmer as part of the application source; such files are used to define the application user interface, and to define literal strings and other constant data.
See also: resource file
application view
A window managed by an application, which typically displays user data.
app UI
The central user interface class. It creates and owns controls to display the application data, and centralises handling of command input from standard controls such as menus and toolbars.
A control environment class which defines application-wide aspects of the user interface, such as key event handling. Each application that uses the control environment has exactly one app UI.
or
The interface an application presents to the user, or the subclass of CEikAppUi an application uses.
See also: user interface
archive
A file attribute indicating whether it has been saved since changes were made to it. The archive attribute is assigned to a file when it is created, replaced or written to.
See also: attribute
argument
A value on which a function operates.
ARM processors
A processor with 16/32 bit embedded RISC from ARM.
array buffer
An area containing the elements, or pointers to the elements of an array.
array capacity
The number of elements which an array can hold or represent within the space currently allocated to its array buffer.
See also: array buffer
array granularity
The number of elements by which the array capacity of an array is increased.
See also: array capacity
ascent
The ascent of a character cell defines the position of the baseline within every character cell of a font. It is the number of pixels from the top of the cell to the baseline. The baseline is not a pixel row itself, but occurs between two pixel rows. Ascent in Wikipedia
ASIC
Application Specific Integrated Circuit
associated window
The window associated with a control. If the control is a window-owning control, this is the window is owns. If the control is non-window-owning, it is the window in which the control is displayed, i.e., the window owned by the nearest window-owning-control above it in the run-time control hierarchy.
ASSP
Application-Specific Standard Product. An integrated off-the-shelf part consisting of CPU, MMU, cache and a number of on-chip peripherals (typically UART's, timers, LCD controller). Designed and marketed by a silicon vendor and intended to be used in a class of devices.
asynchronous request
A request for an asynchronous service from an asynchronous service provider.
See also: asynchronous service provider
asynchronous service provider
A system, component or class which provides a service asynchronously. Requests are indicated by function calls with a TRequestStatus reference parameter.
See also: Request status, active object, active scheduler, asynchronous request
AT+FCR=1
Class 2 modem receive command.
attack surface
The complete set of resources and interfaces exposed to potential attackers trying to compromise a system's security.
attribute
A characteristic of a file or directory. Attributes determine the visibility of files and directories and whether or not they can be deleted or modified. Attributes include hidden, read-only and archive.
For Bluetooth, a Bluetooth service is described by a service record, consisting of a list of service attributes. Each attribute has an ID, a type, and a value.
See also: entry, hidden, archive, read-only
audio streaming
Playing audio data incrementally, as the data fragments are received by the client, rather than waiting until the entire sound clip has downloaded before playing it.
automatic transaction
A transaction which is operated automatically by a database, if no explicit transaction is begun when modifying the database.
See also: transaction
auto-repeat
Repeated key events generated by the window server when a user holds down a key
