Perl terms starting with S

75 terms

Scalar A constant number. 1, -16, .3534, 7346 are all scalars.
scalar context The situation in which an "expression" is expected by its surroundings (the code calling it) to return a single "value" rather than a "list" of values.
scalar literal A number or quoted "string"--an actual "value" in the text of your program, as opposed to a "variable".
scalar value A value that happens to be a "scalar" as opposed to a "list".
scalar variable A "variable" prefixed with 0/code> that holds a single value.
scope what is included - as in the scope of a claim
scratchpad The area in which a particular invocation of a particular file or subroutine keeps some of its temporary values, including any lexically scoped variables.
script A text "file" that is a program intended to be executed directly rather than compiled to another form of file before execution.
Script kiddie A "cracker" who is not a "hacker", but knows just enough to run canned scripts. A cargo-cult programmer.
SED Software Engineering Division. 261
semaphore A fancy kind of interlock that prevents multiple threads or processes from using up the same resources simultaneously.
separator A "character" or "string" that keeps two surrounding strings from being confused with each other. The split function works on separators.
serialization The encoding of objects, and the objects reachable from them, into a stream of bytes and the complementary reconstruction of the object graph from the…
Server Any computer on a network that contains data or applications shared by users of the network on their client PCs.
Service See Services
setgid Same as "setuid", only having to do with giving away "group" privileges.
setuid A process which can set its effective user to super-user (root). That is, although any user can run the process, the process can then execute operations…
shared memory A piece of "memory" accessible by two different processes who otherwise would not see each other's memory.
shebang Irish for the whole McGillicuddy. In Perl culture, a portmanteau of "sharp" and "bang", meaning the #!
shell See shoulder.
side effects Something extra that happens when you evaluate an "expression". Nowadays it can refer to almost anything.
signal A bolt out of the blue; that is, an event triggered by the "operating system", probably when you're least expecting it.
signal handler A "subroutine" that, instead of being content to be called in the normal fashion, sits around waiting for a bolt out of the blue before it will deign to…
single inheritance In Java, a class may not extend more than one class. This means that Java has a single inheritance model for class inheritance.
slice A selection of any number of elements from a "list", "array", or "hash".
slurp To read an entire "file" into a "string" in one operation.
socket An endpoint for network communication among multiple processes that works much like a telephone or a post office box.
soft reference See "symbolic reference".
source filter A special kind of "module" that does "preprocessing" on your script just before it gets to the "tokener".
Stack A group of 20 roulette chips.
Standard a statement that describes an acceptable level of performance, excellence, or attainment in that particular activity.
standard error The standard error of an estimate is a measure of the sampling variability of the estimate.
standard I/O A standard C library for doing buffered input and output to the "operating system".
standard input The default input "stream" for your program, which if possible shouldn't care where its data is coming from.
standard output The default output "stream" for your program, which if possible shouldn't care where its data is going.
stat structure A special internal spot in which Perl keeps the information about the last "file" on which you requested information.
Statement A summary of all transactions that occurred over the preceding month and could be associated with a deposit account or a credit card account.
statement modifier A "conditional" or "loop" that you put after the "statement" instead of before, if you know what we mean.
Static Unchanging over a length of time.
static method A static method (also known as a class method) is one with the static reserved word in its header.
static scoping No such thing. See "lexical scoping".
static variable A static variable defined inside a class body. Such a variable belongs to the class as a whole, and is, therefore, shared by all objects of the class.
Status The legal standing of a patent appplication or patent. MPEP 102.
STDERR See "standard error".
STDIN See "standard input".
STDIO See "standard I/O".
STDOUT See "standard output".
stream A body of running water.
string A series of alphanumeric characters of any length enclosed by quotes.
string context The situation in which an expression is expected by its surroundings (the code calling it) to return a "string". See also "context" and "numeric context".
stringification The process of producing a "string" representation of an abstract object.
struct C keyword introducing a structure definition or name.
Structure Changes in the shape of the bottom of lakes, rivers, or impoundments, especially those that influence fish behavior.
subclass Each asset class - stock, bonds, and cash equivalents, for example - is made up of a number of different groups of investments called subclasses.
subpattern A component of a "regular expression" pattern.
subroutine A named or otherwise accessible piece of program that can be invoked from elsewhere in the program in order to accomplish some sub-goal of the program.
subscript A "value" that indicates the position of a particular "array" "element" in an array.
substitution Replacement of one nucleotide in a DNA sequence by another nucleotide or replacement of one amino acid in a protein by another amino acid.
substring A portion of a "string", starting at a certain "character" position ("offset") and proceeding for a certain number of characters.
superclass A class from which a particular class is derived, perhaps with one or more classes in between. See also subclass, subtype.
superuser The person whom the "operating system" will let do almost anything. Typically your system administrator or someone pretending to be your system…
SV Space Vehicle.
switch A Java keyword used to evaluate a variable that can later be matched with a value specified by the case keyword in order to execute a group of statements.
switch cluster The combination of multiple command-line switches (e.g., -a -b -c) into one switch (e.g., -abc).
switch statement A selection statement in which the value of an arithmetic expression {expression!arithmetic} is compared for a match against different case labels.
symbol A graphic pattern used to represent a feature. For example, line symbols represent arc features; marker symbols, points; shades symbols, polygons; and…
symbol table Where a "compiler" remembers symbols. A program like Perl must somehow remember all the names of all the variables, filehandles, and subroutines you've…
symbolic debugger A program that lets you step through the execution of your program, stopping or printing things out here and there to see whether anything has gone wrong…
symbolic link An alternate filename that points to the real "filename", which in turn points to the real "file".
symbolic reference A variable whose value is the name of another variable or subroutine. By dereferencing the first variable, you can get at the second one.
synchronous Programming in which the orderly sequence of events can be determined; that is, when things happen one after the other, not at the same time.
syntactic sugar An alternative way of writing something more easily; a shortcut.
syntax From Greek, "with-arrangement". How things (particularly symbols) are put together with each other.
syntax tree An internal representation of your program wherein lower-level constructs dangle off the higher-level constructs enclosing them.
syscall A "function" call directly to the "operating system". Many of the important subroutines and functions you use aren't direct system calls, but are built up…