Perl terms starting with D

25 terms

  1. dangling statement A bare, single "statement", without any braces, hanging off an if or while conditional. C allows them. Perl doesn't.
  2. data structure How your various pieces of data relate to each other and what shape they make when you put them all together, as in a rectangular table or a…
  3. data type The type of information that one field can store, for example, text, rich text, numbers, keywords, and time.
  4. datagram A packet of information passed between two communicating processes across a network.
  5. DBM Stands for "Data Base Management" routines, a set of routines that emulate an "associative array" using disk files.
  6. declaration a document in which an applicant for patent declares, under penalty of fine or imprisonment, or both (18 USC 1001), that (1) he or she is the original or…
  7. Decrement A directed funding level reduction for an acquisition program.
  8. Default Default occurs when a debtor is unable to meet the legal obligation of debt repayment, one form of which is the failure to promptly pay interest or…
  9. defined 1. Fixed conditions of medium, environment and protocol for growth. 2. Precisely known and stated elements of a tissue culture medium.
  10. delimiter A "character" or "string" that sets bounds to an arbitrarily-sized textual object, not to be confused with a "separator" or "terminator".
  11. deprecated modules and features Deprecated modules and features are those which were part of a stable release, but later found to be subtly flawed, and which should be avoided.
  12. dereference A fancy computer science term meaning "to follow a "reference" to what it points to".
  13. derived class A "class" that defines some of its methods in terms of a more generic class, called a "base class".
  14. Descriptor See "file descriptor".
  15. destroy To deallocate the memory of a "referent" (first triggering its DESTROY method, if it has one).
  16. destructor A special "method" that is called when an "object" is thinking about destroying itself.
  17. device A whiz-bang hardware gizmo (like a disk or tape drive or a modem or a joystick or a mouse) attached to your computer, that the "operating system" tries to…
  18. directive A "pod" directive. See perlpod.
  19. Directory A simulated file folder or container used to organize files and directories in a hierarchical or tree-like structure.
  20. directory handle A name that represents a particular instance of opening a directory to read it, until you close it. See the opendir function.
  21. dispatch To send something to its correct destination. Often used metaphorically to indicate a transfer of programmatic control to a destination selected…
  22. Distribution The sale of securities. Also refers to a sum payable to shareholders representing their share of profits.
  23. dweomer An enchantment, illusion, phantasm, or jugglery. Said when Perl's magical "dwimmer" effects don't do what you expect, but rather seem to be the product of…
  24. dwimmer DWIM is an acronym for "Do What I Mean", the principle that something should just do what you want it to do without an undue amount of fuss.
  25. dynamic scoping Dynamic scoping works over a dynamic scope, making variables visible throughout the rest of the "block" in which they are first used and in any…