#K (Kilobyte):  A measure of computer storage equal to 1,024 bytes (or
characters) of information.
#Mb (Megabyte):  A measure of computer storage.  One megabyte is approximately
one million bytes (characters) of information.
#Parallel Printer Interface:  An interface card (adapter card) which provides
the interface to a printer with a parallel port.  In some computers, it also
provides the interface for a non-graphics (text) display screen.  With a
parallel interface, all eight bits representing a character are sent to the
printer at one time.  This is distinguished from a Serial Interface, which sends
each bit of a character one at a time.
#Parameter:  A value passed to a command which gives the command specific
instructions.  Most DOS commands have one or more parameters.

For example, consider the DOS command MKDIR.  MKDIR has the form:

    MKDIR [d:] path

MKDIR has two parameters, d: and path.  The d: parameter is optional (indicated
by the brackets); path is a required parameter.  When a MKDIR command is
entered, the parameters specified are passed to the MKDIR program.  MKDIR then
processes the request based upon the values of those parameters.
#Parent Directory:  A directory which has subdirectories.  For example, you may
have a subdirectory named BUDGET.  If BUDGET is a subdirectory of the root
directory, then the root directory is said to be the parent directory of
BUDGET.  If you also have a directory within BUDGET, named DATA, then BUDGET is
the parent directory of DATA.

See also DIRECTORY PATH and SUBDIRECTORY.
#Path  (See Directory Path)
#Piping:  A DOS feature which allows screen output of one command or program to
be used as input to another command or program.  Piping also chains commands or
programs together.  The bar character | denotes piping. For example, in the
command: DIR | SORT   the screen output of DIR (a directory listing) is passed
as input to SORT.

See also CHAINING COMMANDS, FILTER and REDIRECTION for related information.

See PIPING in the ADVANCED menu for detail usage information.
#Pixel:  A single dot on a graphics display.  Also called a pel (for picture
element).
#Printer Echo:  The process of printing information at the same time it is
displayed on the screen.  This is activated by holding down the CTRL key and
pressing the PRTSC key.  Pressing this key combination again turns printer echo
off.

Note:  Some computers activate printer echo differently.  For example, on the
TANDY 1000 computer, the PRINT key turns printer echo on and off.
#Prompt:  A request from a program (or DOS) for input from the keyboard.  The
standard DOS prompt is "d>", where "d" is the default drive letter.  This
indicates that DOS is ready for your command.  DOS has a command called PROMPT
which allows you to change the form of the DOS prompt.

See also SYSTEM PROMPT.
#RAM:  Random Access Memory.  Memory used by the computer to hold computer
instructions and data during program execution.  RAM can be added to the
computer to increase the amount of available memory.  The contents of RAM are
lost when the computer's power is turned off and when DOS is restarted.
#RAM Disk:  A portion of memory (RAM) that is used to simulate a disk drive.
This treats a portion of the machine's memory as though it were a diskette.  You
can put programs on a RAM disk and run them from that disk, and you can read and
write data to that disk.  Information is read and written extremely fast, since
no physical diskette has to be spun and accessed.  The drawbacks of RAM disks
are the amount of memory they occupy (the amount of memory allocated to a RAM
disk reduces your available memory by an equal amount), and their contents are
lost when DOS is restarted or the power supply is interrupted.  Programs which
create RAM disks may be purchased.  DOS Version 3 includes a RAM disk program,
VDISK.  RAM disks are also called "Virtual Disks."
#ROM:  Read Only Memory.  This type of memory contains non-erasable computer
instructions.  ROM instructions are built in by the computer manufacturer.  They
contain instructions vital to the operation of the computer, and usually a
version of the BASIC programming language.
#Reboot:  To restart the operating system.  When DOS is started at the time the
computer's power is turned on, it is said to be "booted."  Rebooting is done by
holding down the CTRL key, the ALT key and then pressing the DEL key.  This is
also called a "System Reset."
#Redirection:  A DOS feature which allows a command to direct its output to a
device other than the screen or to receive its input from a device other than
the keyboard.  The symbols <, > and >> indicate redirection.  For example, the
command DIR > PRN will send the output of DIR (a directory listing) to the
printer.

See PIPING and CHAINING COMMANDS related information.

See REDIRECT in the ADVANCED menu for detail usage information.
#Replaceable Parameters:  The parameter variables of a batch file which may
be assigned values at the time the batch file is started.  There are ten
replaceable parameters available to a batch file: %0 through %9.

See %0-%9 in the BATCH menu for more information.
#Retained Line:  The previous command entered to DOS.  When you enter a command,
DOS stores a copy of it, called the retained line, in memory.  The F1, F2, F3,
F4, F5, INS and DEL let you retrieve and edit the retained line.  This
convenient feature lets you make corrections to or reissue the previous command
without retyping the entire command.
#Root Directory:  The highest disk directory in a hierarchy of directories. The
\ is the symbol for the root directory.  This is the original directory placed
on the disk when it is formatted. The root directory of a double-sided diskette
can hold 112 files.  The root directory of a fixed disk is limited only by the
available space on the disk.

See also DIRECTORY and SUBDIRECTORY for related information.
