Glossary


Abstract Windowing Toolkit
See AWT.

ancestor
Any View preceding the current View in the View Hierarchy.

Archiver
An object that sends the appropriate messages causing objects to write themselves to an archive. It can also open an existing archive to examine its contents and reconstitute objects.

archiving
The process of writing an object's essential state to an archive. This process uses the Archiver.

autoscrolling
The process of clicking within a view and dragging outside of the view's bounds to scroll more of the view in the display. The system generates events for you to automatically scroll the display and, in the case of a text frame, select additional text.

autoresizing
The process that occurs when a view is resized--its subviews are automatically resized and repositioned.

bounds
A View instance variable that is the bounding rectangle for that view.

class
A class is a template or prototype that defines the variables and the methods common to all objects of a certain kind.

code base
The directory in which the .class files for your application reside.

command
An action that a component can perform.

descendant
Any View following the current View in the View Hierarchy.

event
An occurrence that causes the state of an object to change, such as a mouse action. Events can be generated by a user or by a program.

framework
A skeleton for developing part of an application. A framework provides the capability for performing a task. For example, the animation framework provides a skeleton for implementing animation easily in an application.

graphics object
An object that maintains state information for a drawing operation, such as information about the current color and font.

graphs of objects
Collections of objects with relationships to each other.

inheritance
The concept of classes automatically acquiring the variables and methods defined in their superclasses.

instance variable
A variable that stores data for an instance of a class.

method
A description of how to perform an operation for an object.

message
A request for an object to execute one of its methods.

modal session
A session in which all mouse and key events are directed at a single View instance or its subviews.

object
A software unit consisting of data encapsulated by code that manipulates and provides access to that data.

Rect
An object that represents a rectangle; it has an origin and size.

static variable
A variable that is the same for all instances of a class,. A variable that belongs to a class.

subview
An immediate descendent of a view in the View Hierarchy.

superview
A View's owner, which immediately precedes the View in the View Hierarchy.

target
An object that is capable of performing a command. Other objects send commands to a target.

transparent
A View property that notifies the system that the View does not draw the entire area within its bounds.

view
A View is a rectangular entity capable of drawing to the screen and receiving key and mouse events. View is an abstract class; you never instantiate this class, you create subclasses of View. Each View has a superview and zero or more subviews.

view hierarchy
A tree-like structure that contains Views. At the top of the hierarchy is the BackgroundView; all other views descend from it. The way that View responds to mouse and key events and draws to the screen is determined by its location in the View Hierarchy.

Window
A Window is a view subclass that implements "window-like" behavior found in traditional windowing systems. A Window can contain a title bar, a close button and a resize bar that functions like of those in other systems. Windows are rectangular regions. They can be transparent meaning that they appear to have a non-rectangular shape.

z-order
The arrangement of objects along the z-axis, or the axis that is perpendicular to the monitor's face