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C++ Programming
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Accessor function | A function that accesses an object but does not change it. |
Address | A value that specifies the location of a variable in memory. |
Aggregation relationship | The "has-a" relationship between classes. |
Algorithm | An unambiguous |
ANSI/ISO C++ Standard | The standard for the C++ language that was developed by the American National Standards Institute and the International Standards Organization. |
Argument | A parameter value in a function call |
Array | A collection of values of the same type |
Arrow operator | The -> operator. p->m is the same as (*p).m. |
ASCII code | The American Standard Code for Information Interchange |
Assignment | Placing a new value into a variable. |
Base class | A class from which another class is derived. |
Binary file | A file in which values are stored in their binary representation and cannot be read as text. |
Binary search | A fast algorithm for finding a value in a sorted array. It narrows the search down to half of the array in every step. |
Bit | Binary digit |
the smallest unit of information | having two possible values |
Black Box | A device with a given specification but unknown implementation. |
Block | A group of statements bracketed by {}. |
Boolean/Logical operator | An operator that can be applied to Boolean values. C++ has three of these operators: && |
Boolean type | A type with two values |
Boundary test case | A test case involving values that are at the outer boundary of the set of legal values. For example |
Bounds error | Trying to access an array element that is outside the legal range. |
break statement | A statement that terminates a loop or switch statement. |
Byte | A number between 0 and 255 (eight bits). Essentially all currently manufactured computers use a byte as the smallest unit of storage in memory. |
Capacity | The number of values that a data structure such as an array can potentially hold |
Case-sensitive | Distinguishing upper- and lowercase characters. |
Cast | Converting a value from one type to a different type. For example |
Character | A single letter |
Class | A programmer-defined data type. |
Command line | The line you type when you start a program in a command window. It consists of the program name and the command line arguments. |
Command line arguments | Additional strings of information provided at the com-mand line that the program can use. |
Comment | An explanation to make the human reader understand a section of a program |
ignored by the compiler. | |
Compiler | A program that translates code in a high-level language such as C++ to machine instructions. |
Compile-time/syntax Error | Logic error |
an error in a syntactically correct program that causes it to act differently from its specification. | |
Concatenation | Placing one string after another. |
Constant | A value that cannot be changed by the program. In C++ |
Constructor | A function that initializes a newly allocated object. |
CPU | The part of a computer that executes the machine instructions. |
Dangling Pointer | A pointer that does not point to a valid location. |
Data Member | A variable that is present in every object of a class. |
Debugger | A program that lets a user run another program one or a few steps at a time |
Declaration | A statement that announces the existence of a variable |
Default constructor | A constructor that can be invoked with no parameters. |
Definition | A statement or series of statements that fully describes a variable |
delete operator | The operator that recycles memory to the heap. |
Derived class | A class that modifies a base class by adding data members |
Directory | A structure on a disk that can hold files or other directories |
also called a folder. | |
Dot notation | The notation object.function(parameters) used to invoke a member function on an object. |
Element | A storage location in an array. |
Encapsulation | The hiding of implementation details. |
Escape character | A character in text that is not taken literally but has a special meaning when combined with the character or characters that follow it. The \ charac-ter is an escape character in C++ strings. |
Exception | A condition that prevents a program from continuing normally. |
Executable file | The file that contains a program's machine instructions. |
Explicit parameter | A parameter of a member function other than the object on which the function is invoked. |
Expression | A syntactical construct that is made up of constants |
Extension | The last part of a file name |
Failed stream state | The state of a stream after an invalid operation has been attempted |
File | A sequence of bytes that is stored on disk. |
File pointer | The position within a file of the next byte to be read or written. It can be moved so as to access any byte in the file. |
Floating-point number | A number with a fractional part. |
Folder | Directory |
Function | A sequence of statements that can be invoked multiple times |
Global variable | A variable whose scope is not restricted to a single function. |
Header file | A file that informs the compiler of features that are available in another module or library. |
Heap | A reservoir of storage from which memory can be allocated when a program runs. |
IDE (Integrated Development Environment) | A programming environment that includes an editor |
Implicit Parameter | The object on which a member function is called. For example |
#include directive | An instruction to the preprocessor to include a header file. |
Index | The position of an element in an array. |
Inheritance | The "is-a" relationship between a general base class and a specialized derived class. |
Initialization | Setting a variable to a well-defined value when it is created. |
Integer | A number without a fractional part. |
Integer division | Taking the quotient of two integers and discarding the remainder. In C++ |
Interface | The set of functions that can be applied to objects of a given type. |
Lexicographic ordering | Ordering strings in the same order as in a dictionary |
Library | A set of precompiled functions that can be included in programs. |
Linker | The program that combines object and library files into an executable file. |
Local variable | A variable whose scope is a single block. |
Logic error | An error in a syntactically correct program that causes it to act differently from its specification. |
Loop | A sequence of instructions that is executed repeatedly. |
Loop and a half | A loop whose termination decision is neither at the beginning nor at the end. |
Machine code | Instructions that can be executed directly by the CPU. |
Magic number | A number that appears in a program without explanation. |
main function | The function that is called first when a program executes. |
Member function | A function that is defined by a class and operates on objects of that class. |
Memory | The circuitry that stores code and data in a computer. |
Memory leak | Memory that is dynamically allocated but never returned to the heap manager. A succession of memory leaks can cause the heap manager to run out of memory. |
Modules operator | The % operator that yields the remainder of an integer division. |
Mutator function | A member function that changes the state of an object. |
Nested block | A block that is contained inside another block. |
Nested loop | A loop that is contained in another loop. |
new operator | The operator that allocates new memory from the heap. |
Newline | The '\n' character |
Object-oriented programming | A programming style in which tasks are solved by collaborating objects. |
Off-by-one error | A common programming error in which a value is one larger or smaller than it should be. |
Opening a file | Preparing a file for reading or writing. |
Operator | A symbol denoting a mathematical or logical operation |
Operator precedence | The rule that governs which operator is evaluated first. For example |
Overloading | Giving more than one meaning to a function name or operator. |
Overriding | Redefining a function from a base class in a derived class. |
Parallel arrays | Arrays of the same length |
Parameter variable | A variable in a function that is initialized with the argument value when the function is called. |
Pointer | A value that denotes the memory location of an object. |
Polymorphism | Selecting a function among several functions with the same name |
Prompt | A string that prompts the program user to provide input. |
Prototype | The declaration of a function |
Pseudocode | A mixture of English and C++ used when developing the code for a program. |
Pseudorandom numbers | A number that appears to be random but is generated by a formula. |
Public interface | The features of a class that are accessible to all clients. |
Random access | The ability to access any value directly without having to read the values preceding it. |
Recursive function | A function that can call itself with simpler values. It must han dle the simplest values without calling itself. |
Reference parameter | A parameter that is bound to a variable supplied in the call. Changes made to the parameter within the function affect the variable outside the function. |
Relational operator | An operator that compares two values |
Reserved word | A word that has a special meaning in a programming language and therefore cannot be used as a name by the programmer. |
Return value | The value returned by a function through a return statement. |
Roundoff error | An error introduced by the fact that the computer can store only a finite number of digits of a floating-point number. |
Scope | The part of a program in which a variable is defined. |
Selection sort | A sorting algorithm in which the smallest element is repeatedly found and removed until no elements remain. |
Sentinel | A value in input that is not to be used as an actual input value but to signal the end of input. |
Sequential access | Accessing values one after another without skipping over any of them. |
Slicing an object | Copying an object of a derived class into a variable of the base class |
Source file | A file containing instructions in a programming language. |
Stepwise refinement | Solving a problem by breaking it into smaller problems and then further decomposing those smaller problems. |
Stream | An abstraction for a sequence of bytes from which data can be read or to which data can be written. |
String | A sequence of characters. |
Structure | A construct for aggregating items of arbitrary types into a single value. |
Stub | A function with no or minimal functionality. |
Substitution principle | The rule that states that you can use a derived-class object whenever a base-class object is expected. |
Syntax | Rules that define how to form instructions in a particular programming language. |
Syntax error | An instruction that does not follow the programming language rules and is rejected by the compiler. |
Tab character | The '\t' character |
Test coverage | The instructions of a program that are executed when a set of test cases are run. |
Text file | A file in which values are stored in their text representation. |
Trace message | A message that is printed during a program run for debugging purposes. |
Type | A named set of values and the operations that can be carried out with them. |
Unary operator | An operator with one argument. |
Unicode | A standard code that assigns values consisting of two bytes to characters used in scripts around the world. |
Uninitialized variable | A variable that has not been set to a particular value. It is filled with whatever "random" bytes happen to be present in the memory location that the variable occupies. |
Unit test | A test of a function by itself |
Value parameter | A function parameter whose value is copied into a parameter vari-able of a function. If a variable is passed as a value parameter |
Variable | A storage location that can hold different values. |
Vector | The standard C++ template for a dynamically-growing array. |
Virtual function | A function that can be redefined in a derived class. The actual function called depends on the type of the object on which it is invoked at run time. |
void | A reserved word indicating no type or an unknown type. |
Walkthrough | Simulating a program or a part of a program by hand to test for correct behavior. |
White space | A sequence consisting of space |