C# Programming Language Flashcards
abstract method
A method that includes no implementation details (no method body) in the declaration. Abstract method declarations are permitted only in abstract classes.
abstract modifier keyboard
When used with a class, the class can only be used as the class from which other classes ared derived. No objects can be instantiated of an abstract class. Also see abstract method.
abstraction
The act of generalizing of thinking about the object in general terms. Through abstraction, data members and behaviors of a class are identified.
accumulation
An operation commonly found in application that need to add together the values that a single variable holds.A variables initialized to zero is used to hold the running total. For example, to determine the average of a set of values, the values are normally added to an accumulator variable and divided by the number of entries.
Active Server Pages (ASP)
A Microsoft programming model for creating dynamic Web pages. Using the traditional or classic Active Server Pages (ASP) model, code written, code is a scripting language, such as JavaScript, is added to the HTML file.
actual arguments
The actual data that is sent to a method. Actual argument refers to the variable or literal that is placed inside the parenthesis in the method call. Sometimes referred to as actual parameters.
aggregation
see containment.
algorithm
A clear, unambiguous, step-by-step process for solving a problem. These steps are expressed completely and precisely so that all details are included.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)
A subset of Unicode, in which the first 128 characters correspond to the Unicode character set. ASCII consist of the alphabet for the English language, plus numbers and symbols.
application software
Programs developed to perform a specific task. A word processor, such as Microsoft Word, is an example of application software.
argument
The data included inside the parenthesis during a method call. Parameter often refers to items appearing in the heading of the method; argument refers to the data appearing in the call to the method.
array
A data structure that allows multitude values to be stored under a single identifier.
array of array
See ragged array.
ASCII
See American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASP
See Active Server Page
ASP.NET
The Microsoft programming frame work that enables the creation of applications that run on a Web server and deliver functionality through a browser, such as Internet Explorer
assembler
Software that converts the assembly programming language, which is a low-level programming language, into machine code.
assignment operator
The equals symbol (=) is used to perform a compile-time initialization or make an assignment. The value of the expression on the right side of the assignment operator (=) is determined, and then that value is assigned to the variable on the left side of the assignment operator (=).
Attribute
The data member or field of the class. For example, one attribute of a Student class is StudentNumber.
auxiliary storage
Nonvolatile, permanent memory that can hold data for long periods, even when there is no power to the system. Also called secondary storage.
base class
A class from which other classes can inherit characteristics. The base class is sometimes called the super or parent class. The ultimate base class of all classes in C# is Object.
base type
The data type of the object. The type can be one of the predefined types such as int or string, a user-defined class that you create, or some other.NET class. All data values placed in an array must be of the same base type.
basic programming constructs
General purpose programming languages provide three categories of programming statement (simple sequence, iteration, and selection). These categories are referred to as the basic programming constructs.
behavior
A process data goes through. The class definition uses methods to define the behavior of the data.
beta version
A working version of an application that has not been fully tested and may still contain bugs and errors.
binary operator
An operator in C# that requires two operands such as for the operators * or /. There must be divisor and dividend operands with the / operator.
block comment
See multi-line comment.
bug
An error in a software program that is usually caused by a program mistake.
call by value
The value of an argument that appears in the method call is copied and stored in a separate, different, memory location.
Camel case
A naming convention used for variable and object identifiers in C#. The first letter of the identifier is lowercase and the first letter of each subsequent concatenated word is capitalized (i.e., amountDue). Also called Hungarian notation.
case statement
See switch statement.
casting
Casting makes a variable temporarily behave as if it were a different type.
catch block
Code that deals with a problem (the exemption handler) is placed in a catch block, which is also called a catch clause.
catch clause
see catch block.
central processing unit (CPU)
The brain of the computer. Housed inside the system unit on a silicon chip, it is the most important hardware element.
class
A term denoting the encapsulation of data and behaviors into a single package or unit. Class is the template from which many objects are instantiated.
class diagram
A visual representation of classes and the relationships between them.
client application
A client application instantiates objects of classes defined elsewhere or uses components that were previously defined and stored as .dlls. Many client applications can make use of these same classes and components.
client-server relationship
In a client-server relationship, the client requests a Web page; the server gets it ready by executing the scripts inside the HTML document; and then the client sees the results in the form of an HTML document.
client-side controls
See HTML controls.
client-side scripts
Code that is embedded in the HTML document. It is executed on the client computer normally in a Web browser.
CLR
See Common Language Runtime
code-behind file
When you build an ASP.NET Web application, two separate files are created for the user interface. The file storing the logic is referred to as the code-behind file.
Common Language Runtime (CLR)
The .NET run-time environment that enables the code to be compiled and executed. The CLR is also responsible for loading predefined .NET classes into a program and performing just-in-time (JIT) compilation.
Compact Framework Class Library (FCL)
A new smaller Framework class library that is included as part of Visual Studio .NET 2003 for use with mobile and smart devices such as PDAs, tablets, and cell phones.
compiler
Software that examines an entire program and translates the source code statements written in a programming language such as C# into machine-readable format.
compile-time initialization
Compile time initialization occurs when a variable is declared or created and at the same time initialized to a value.
condition expression
An expression that produces a Boolean result. Also known as the test condition or simply the test.
conditional logical operator
C# uses two ampersands (&&) and two pipes (| |) to represent AND and OR respectively. These two operators are called the conditional logical operators.
conditional operator
See ternary operator.
constant
A data item defined and initialized to keep the same value throughout the life of the program.
constructor
A method called whenever an object is created. The constructor uses the same identifier as the class name.
containment
Classes can have a "has a" relationship in which a single class is defined to have instances of other class types. This is a concept called containment or aggregation.
controls
Controls are objects that can display and respond to user interactions, such as button clicks.
counter-controlled loop
Used when the loop should be executed a specified number of times. With a counter-controlled loop, a variable simulating a counter is used as the loop control variable to keep track of the number of iterations.
data
The raw facts or the basic numbers and characters that are manipulated to produce useful information.
data provider
Data provider are used for connecting to a database, executing commands and retrieving results. Each data provider includes a collection of classes. .NET includes data providers for SQL server, OLE DB (Access), ODBC, and Oracle.
database
An electric version of a filing cabinet, organized so that you can retrieve and use the data.
Database Management System (DBMS)
A computer program used to manage and query a database.
dataset
An in-memory cache or representation of data from a database.
decimal value type
A value type appropriate for storing monetary data items because it allows both integral (whole) numbers and a fractional portion.
declare a variable
The act of allocating memory for a data item in a program. To declare a variable you select an identifier and determine what type of data will appear in the memory cell.
definition
The definition of a method includes the heading and the body of the method, which are inclosed in curly braces.
delegates
Delegates are special types of .NET classes whose instances store references (addresses) to methods as apposed to storing actual data.
derived
When a class is derived from another class, the new class inherits all the functionality of the base class.
design method
An approach used by programmers to plan and structure computer programs.Procedural and object-oriented design methodologies are the two most commonly used design methods.
desk check
The use of sample data to verify programming algorithms by mimicking or walking through each step the computer will take to solve the algorithm.
dimension an array
To instantiate an array by indication how many elements to allocate.
distributed computing
Computing that takes place when applications are spread over more than one computer system.
divide and conquer design
See top-down design.
domain
A range of the values that a data item can store. For example, the domain of letterGrades awarded in most college courses is "A" through "D" and "F".
dynamic binding
The determination of which method to call is done at execution time or run-time, not during the compile phase. The decision about which method to call is based on what type of data is sent as the argument.
dynamic Web pages
Web pages that involve processing in addition to rendering the formatting of HTML tags.
dynamic Web site
Web pages that users to interact and see the results of their interactions.
element
An individual variable in an array is called an element of the array and is accessed through the index. Elements in an array are sometimes referred to as indexed or subscripted variables.
empty bodied loop
A loop that has no statements to be performed. Placing the semicolon at the end of a conditional expression produces a loop that has no body, or an empty bodied loop.
emulator
A device that simulates the operation of some type of hardware, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA)
encapsulate
Used in object-oriented programming, the act of combining the attributes and behaviors (characteristics and actions) of data to form a class.