Perl terms starting with F

25 terms

  1. false In Perl, any value that would look like "" or "0" if evaluated in a string context.
  2. FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
  3. fatal error A fatal error occurs in the SAX parser when a document is not well formed or otherwise cannot be processed. See also error, warning.
  4. field Field A region of space at each point of which a given physical or mathematical quantity has some definite value.
  5. FIFO First In, First Out. See also "LIFO". Also, a nickname for a "named pipe".
  6. file To place a paper in the official custody of the clerk of court/court administrator to enter into the files or records of a case.
  7. file descriptor The little number the "operating system" uses to keep track of which opened "file" you're talking about.
  8. file test operator A built-in unary operator that you use to determine whether something is "true" about a file, such as -o $filename to test whether you're the owner of the…
  9. fileglob A "wildcard" match on filenames. See the glob function.
  10. filehandle An identifier (not necessarily related to the real name of a file) that represents a particular instance of opening a file until you close it.
  11. Filename The name of a file, excluding root drive and directory path information. Different operating systems may impose different restrictions on filenames, for…
  12. filesystem A set of directories and files residing on a partition of the disk. Sometimes known as a "partition".
  13. filter A criterion you specify to limit the results when you list or describe your Amazon EC2 resources.
  14. flag See affinity tag.
  15. floating point A method of storing numbers in "scientific notation", such that the precision of the number is independent of its magnitude (the decimal point "floats").
  16. flush a hand of five cards all of the same suit, irrespective of value
  17. FMTEYEWTK Far More Than Everything You Ever Wanted To Know. An exhaustive treatise on one narrow topic, something of a super-"FAQ". See Tom for far more.
  18. fork Terms used to refer to a Unix fork, supported MJS scheduler mechanism.
  19. formal arguments The generic names by which a "subroutine" knows its arguments. In many languages, formal arguments are always given individual names, but in Perl, the…
  20. Format The internal structure of a file, which defines the way it is stored and used. Specific applications may define unique formats for their data (i.e.
  21. freely available Means you don't have to pay money to get it, but the copyright on it may still belong to someone else (like Larry).
  22. freely redistributable Means you're not in legal trouble if you give a bootleg copy of it to your friends and we find out about it.
  23. freeware Historically, any software that you give away, particularly if you make the source code available as well. Now often called open source software.
  24. function A built-in formula that performs a specialized calculation automatically.
  25. funny character Someone like Larry, or one of his peculiar friends. Also refers to the strange prefixes that Perl requires as noun markers on its variables.