A
absolute pathname
A pathname that begins at the root directory; a pathname that always begins
with a slash (/). For example, /usr/games is an absolute pathname. Also called a
full pathname.
See also relative pathname
active user
In an XTI transport connection, the transport user that initiated the connection.
See also client process, passive user, XTI (X/Open Transport Interface)
adb
A program designed to assist the user in debugging other programs under
development.
Address Resolution Protocol
See ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)
alias
A name or symbol used in place of another name, symbol, or group of symbols;
usually shorter or easier to use than what it represents. For example, if you often
access a certain directory, you could set up an alias so that the word work would
be an alias for "cd /share/tomb/tools/tools/work". Thereafter, typing work would
put you in the /share/tomb/tools/tools/work directory. For more information see
the alias(1) reference page.
append
1. To add data to the end of existing data.
2. In an editing environment, to attach a file to the end of another file.
application
A program or set of programs designed to perform a particular useful function or
set of functions; for example, the Source Code Control System (SCCS) is an
application for managing program source code.
apropos
A command that displays the reference page names and summary lines that
contain a specified word or string of characters. The apropos command is the
same as the man -k command.
See also reference page, man
archive
1. To store programs, data files, text files, and other types of files for safekeeping.
2. A repository for such files.
argc
A variable containing the number of arguments passed by the shell to a
command.
See also argument count
argument count
The number of arguments passed by a command interpreter to a command, or
from a routine in a program to a subroutine, procedure, or function.
argument list
The actual information (arguments) passed by a command interpreter to a
command, or from a routine in a program to a subroutine, procedure, or
function.
argv
An array, each of whose elements is one of the arguments passed by the shell to
a command.
See also argument list
ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)
1. The Internet (TCP/IP) Protocol that can dynamically bind a high-level Internet
address to a low-level, physical hardware address. ARP can be used only across a
single physical network and in networks that support the hardware broadcast
feature.
2. The Internet (TCP/IP) Protocol that dynamically maps between Internet
addresses, Baseband Adapter addresses, and Token-Ring Adapter addresses on a
local area network (LAN).
array
A collection of data elements (variables) identified by a common name and
distinguished from one another by numbers representing their positions in the
collection. The distinguishing numbers are called subscripts.
assignment statement
A statement that sets a value for a particular field or parameter. In program
source files and scripts, assignment statements often have the form
parameter=value.
asynchronous event
See event
asynchronous execution
1. The execution of processes or threads in which each process or thread does
not await the completion of the others before starting.
2. In XTI, a mode of execution that notifies the transport user of an event without
forcing it to wait.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode
See ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
A 25 M/bps to 622 M/bps network standard that uses cell switching. It is
connection oriented, providing switched, full-duplex communication circuits
between nodes.
attribute-value pair
In the key file of a software product kit, a line specifying the name and value for a
single attribute of the kit. Controls how the kit is built by the kits command and
how it is installed by the setld utility.
awk
The command for executing programs written in the awk programming
language. An awk program is a sequence of patterns and corresponding actions
that are carried out when a pattern is read. The awk utility is a more powerful tool
for pattern matching and text manipulation than either grep or sed.
See also grep, sed
