gtpa2m0u | Application Programming |
This chapter introduces the terms and concepts used throughout this publication. Some of the terms describe features of C language and C++ language. See the user's guide, programmer's guide, and language reference for the IBM C or C++ compiler on the System/390 platform used by your installation for a more detailed understanding of these terms. See "IBM High-Level Language Books" for a list of IBM C and C++ compiler publications on the System/390 platform.
Other terms have special meaning in the TPF system environment. There is a glossary of TPF terms in the TPF Library Guide.
Note on Terminology |
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The use of the term load module supersedes that of C load module. Throughout this book, you will see C load module, which is a type of load module. For historical reasons, load modules on the TPF system were referred to as C load modules. The more generic term, load module, is used wherever possible so as not to be associated with a specific language. See "E-Type Program Chart and Program Attributes" for more information about the types of load modules. |
Terminology is important to understand the concepts discussed in this chapter. The following is a list of some important terms:
The word program is used generically to refer to processes and not just to the source file or executable load module.
The TPF system supports online programs written in C, C++, and System/390 assembler. Before its standard C support, the TPF system supported a nonstandard implementation of a C language subset known as TARGET(TPF) (from the compiler option that it required). TARGET(TPF) support is completely separate from standard C support and is no longer enhanced or used by the TPF system, although it is still available for legacy applications that have not been updated or migrated to standard C support.
In this publication, C or C++ refers to standard high-level language support. The term TARGET(TPF) is used to highlight significant differences or limitations between TARGET(TPF) and standard C support.
With the C or C++ language and compilers, you can create dynamic link libraries (DLLs) and DLL applications. See "C++ Support" and "Dynamic Link Library (DLL) Support" for more information about C++ and DLLs.
ISO-C and TARGET(TPF) functions can call each other; however, they operate in separate environments. This fact can have subtle effects where the global C environment is shared among C functions. For example, calling setlocale to change the current locale in a TARGET(TPF) function will have no effect on the locale for any ISO-C functions that may be called, and vice versa.