- I
-
- IDE
- Integrated development environment.
- identifier
- (1) One or more characters used to identify or name a data element and possibly to
indicate certain properties of that data element. ANSI. (2) In programming
languages, a token that names a data object such as a variable, an array, a record, a
subprogram, or a function. ANSI. (3) A sequence of letters, digits, and
underscores used to identify a data object or function. IBM.
- if statement
- A conditional statement that contains the keyword if, followed by an
expression in parentheses (the condition), a statement (the action), and an optional else
clause (the alternative action). IBM.
- implementation
- The hidden attributes and operations of an object. The implementation typically includes
a description of the data structure of an object, definitions of the methods that access
that data structure, and information about the type of the object.
- implementation class
- A class that implements a concrete class. Implementation classes are never used
directly.
- import library
- In the OS/2 and Windows platforms, stub for a dynamic link library to resolve references
at run time. An import library file has the file extension .lib.
- include directive
- See include statement.
- include file
- A text file that contains declarations used by a group of functions, programs, or users.
See header file. IBM.
- included source file
- A source file defined for a project through #include statements in other source files.
Included source files may be processed more than once during compilation. See primary source file, source file.
- include statement
- In the C and C++ languages, a preprocessor statement that causes the preprocessor to
replace the statement with the contents of a specified file. IBM.
- incomplete type
- A type that has no value or meaning when it is first declared. There are three
incomplete types: void, arrays of unknown size, and structures, unions, and classes of
unspecified content. A void type can never be completed. Arrays of unknown size and
structures, unions, and classes of unspecified content can be completed in further
declarations.
- index
- (1) A list of the contents of a file or of a document, together with keys or references
for locating the contents. I. A. (2) In programming, an integer that
identifies the position of a data item in a sequence of data items. T. (3) In
SQL, a set of pointers that are logically ordered by the values of a key. Indexes provide
quick access to data and can enforce uniqueness on the rows in a database table. See key.
- indirection
- (1) A mechanism for connecting objects by storing, in one object, a reference to another
object. (2) In the C and C++ languages, the application of the unary operator * to a
pointer to access the object the pointer points to.
- inheritance
- (1) An object-oriented programming technique that allows the use of existing classes as
bases for creating other classes. (2) A mechanism by which a derived class can use the
attributes, relationships, and member functions defined in more abstract classes related
to it (its base classes). See multiple inheritance.
- initializer
- An expression used to initialize objects. In the C++ language, there are three types of
initializers:
- An expression followed by an assignment operator is used to initialize fundamental data
type objects or class objects that have copy constructors.
- An expression enclosed in braces ( { } ) is used to initialize aggregates.
- A parenthesized expression list is used to initialize base classes and members that use
constructors.
- inline function
- (1) In C++, a member function defined in the class declaration. (2) A function call that
the compiler replaces with the actual code for the function. The keyword inline
can be used to hint to the compiler to perform inline expansion of the body of a member or
nonmember function.
- inline
- To replace a function call with a copy of the function's code during compilation.
- in-place activation
- In Compound Document Framework, a container and a server merging elements of their user
interface, such as small child windows, toolbars, and menus, into the container's window
space. This allows the end-user access to the server's controls from within the container,
thereby providing a more document-centric approach to working. Simple activation of a
server is a more application-centric approach to application interaction. Also called in
situ editing.
- input stream
- A sequence of control statements and data submitted to a system from an input unit. IBM.
- in situ editing
- See in-place activation.
- instance (of a class)
- An object that is a member of that class. An object created according to the definition
of that class.
- instance number
- A number that the operating system uses to keep track of all of the instances of the
same type of device. For example, the amplifier-mixer device name is AMPMIX plus a 2-digit
instance number. If a program creates two amplifier-mixer objects, the device names could
be AMPMIX01 and AMPMIX02.
- instantiate
- To create or generate a particular instance or object of a data type, often a template
class. For example, an instance box1 of class box could be instantiated
with the declaration:
box box1;
- instruction
- A program statement that specifies an operation to be performed by a computer and that
identifies data involved in the operation. IBM.
- instruction scheduling
- An optimization technique that reorders instructions in code to minimize execution time.
- integer
- A positive or negative whole number or zero.
- integer constant
- A decimal, octal, or hexadecimal constant.
- integral object
- In the C language, a character object, an object having an enumeration type, an object
having variations of the type int, or an object that is a bit field.
- integrated development environment
- An interface from which you can edit, browse, compile,
and debug your applications.
- interactive graphics
- Graphics that a user at a display device can move or manipulate.
- interactive video
- A combination of video and computer technology in which the user's actions, choices, and
decisions affect the way in which the program unfolds.
- internal data definition
- A description of a variable appearing in a block that directs the system to allocate
storage for that variable and makes that variable accessible to the current block after
its point of declaration.
- internationalization
- The process of producing a computer program (design and code) that is totally free of
any dependency on language, culture, script, and coded character sets. Strictly speaking,
an internationalized product is not usable in any region of the world unless it is
localized to that specific region. Also known as national language enablement. See localization.
- interprocedural analysis
- Optimization across functions. Normal optimization is intraprocedural, done
within a function.
- interrupt
- A temporary suspension of a process caused by an external event, performed in such a way
that the process can be resumed.
- intersection
- Given collections A and B, the set of elements that is contained in both A and B.
- intrinsic function
- A function supplied by the run-time library. Intrinsic functions may be inlined.
Contrast with built-in function.
- invariant character set
- (1) A character set in which code point assignments do not change from one code page to
another. (2) A minimum set of characters that is available as a part of all character
sets.
- IPA
- Interprocedural analysis.
- iteration
- The process of repeatedly applying a function to a series of elements in a collection
until some condition is satisfied. See break statement.
- iteration order
- The order in which elements are accessed when a collection is going through an iteration
process. In ordered collections, the element at position 1 will be accessed first, then
the element at position 2, and so on. In sorted collections, the elements are accessed
according to the ordering relation provided for the element type. In collections that are
not ordered, the elements are accessed in an arbitrary order. Each element is accessed
exactly once.
- iterator class
- A class that provides iteration functions.
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