Copyright: Copyright © 1997 InterBase Software Corp. All rights reserved.
Citation: Copyright © 1997 InterBase Software Corp. All rights reserved. Please obtain permission before copying InterBase help text.


Glossary
A

access method

alias

array

attach

B

BLOB data type

BLOB filter

buffer cache

C

CHARACTER data type

checkpoint

computed column

D

database engine

database handle

DATE data type

DECIMAL data type

default transaction

disk shadow

domain

DOUBLE PRECISION data type

E

event

event alerter

event manager

extended SQL descriptor area

external function

external table

F

filter

FLOAT data type

G

garbage collection

gbak

generator

gfix

gpre

gsec

H

handle

host language

I

INTEGER data type

ISC_LONG

ISC_QUAD

isc4.gdb

isql

J

K

L

limbo transaction

local attachment

lock

locking

lock manager

log buffer

log file

M

metadata

multi-database access

multi-database application

multi-file database

multi-generational architecture

N

named transaction

NUMERIC data type

O

ODS

on disk structure (ODS)

P

page

procedure

procedure and trigger language

Q

R

record version

recovery

remote attachment

remote database

S

segment

shadow

shadow file

shadow set

short-term recovery

slice

SMALLINT data type

SQLDA

SQL descriptor area

status vector

stored procedure

stored procedure and trigger language

subtype

sweep

synchronous events

T

transaction name

trigger

two-phase commit

U

UDF

user-defined function (UDF)

V

VARCHAR data type

W

WAL

write-ahead log (WAL) protocol

X

XSQLDA

Y

Z


alias

An SQL correlation name.


array

A data structure consisting of multiple dimensions and elements of a single InterBase data type and stored in a single column. Similar to an array in C.


attach

To connect to and open a database for use. An attachment can be local or remote.


BLOB data type

A binary data type, variable in size, used to store unformatted data such as text, graphics, or digitized voice.


BLOB filter

A user-written routine for processing BLOB data, for example, to convert the data from one format to another.


buffer cache

An area of memory allocated to a database attachment on the server, used to speed data access.


CHARACTER data type

A fixed-length string data type, 1 to 32,767 characters in size, used to store text.


checkpoint

A point in time in which accumulated log file data reaches a predetermined size and is written to disk. It is part of the WAL protocol.


computed column

A column whose value is derived from a formula or an arithmetic expression.


database engine

The InterBase server component that handles all database access to a database file.


database handle

A name assigned to a database by an application that must be used in subsequent references to that database.


DATE data type

A numeric data type, ISC_QUAD in size, used to store day and time values from January 100 to December 5941. The size of ISC_QUAD is platform-specific.


DECIMAL data type

A numeric data type, variable in size, used to store real numbers with a fixed decimal point. The user-specified range of precision is at least one to fifteen digits.


default transaction

The transaction under which SQL statements are executed unless a named transaction is explicitly used instead.


disk shadow

See shadow.


domain

A column definition template, global to the database, upon which actual column definitions in tables may be based.


DOUBLE PRECISION data type

A numeric data type, 64 bits in size, used to store real numbers up to fifteen decimal points of precision.


event

A named string, up to 31 characters in length, usually about a change, posted to the InterBase event manager by a trigger or a stored procedure.


event alerter

A trigger or stored procedure that posts an event message, usually about a change, to the InterBase event manager.


event manager

An InterBase process that receives event messages and notifies applications about them.


extended SQL descriptor area

A user-declared data structure, used to hold DSQL for input and output.


external function

See user-defined function.


external table

A flat data file used by a database as if it were an internal table.


filter

See BLOB filter.


FLOAT data type

A numeric data type, 32 bits in size, used to store real numbers up to seven decimal points of precision.


garbage collection

Automatic deletion of record versions superseded by more current data.


gbak

An InterBase utility for backing up and restoring databases.


generator

A database object accessed by the built-in function, GEN_ID(), to generate sequential integer values, often used to assign unique values to a column.


gfix

An InterBase utility for performing database maintenance such as shutting down the database and recovering limbo transactions.


gpre

The InterBase preprocessor used to convert embedded SQL statements and variables into a format acceptable to a host-language compiler.


gsec

An InterBase utility for maintaining the security database, isc.gdb.


handle

See database handle.


host language

A programming language, such as C, used for database application development.


INTEGER data type

A numeric data type, ISC_LONG in size, used to store integer values ranging from -2,147,483,648 to 2, 147,486,647.


ISC_LONG

Data type of correct size to contain an address.


ISC_QUAD

8-byte data structure used to hold BLOB IDs.


isc4.gdb

The InterBase security database, unique to each server, whose entries determine whether a remote client has permission to attach to a database.


isql

Interactive SQL, an InterBase utility for data definition, data manipulation, and viewing metadata.


limbo transaction

A transaction that is neither committed nor rolled back, usually because of a failure of a two-phase commit or system failure.


lock

A level of access granted by the lock manager to a database resource.


locking

A mechanism that controls access to databse resources.


lock manager

A feature that coordinates the sharing of database resources among multiple processes.


log buffer

An area of memory set aside to store database changes. These changes are written to log files when the buffers become full or when the changes are committed.


log file

Disk files that permanently record changes flushed from log buffers. When a log file becomes full, the WAL protocol determines whether a new log file is used or an old log file is reused.


metadata

Database system tables that describe the database's tables, columns, indexes, triggers, privileges, views, domains, procedures, and integrity constraints.


multi-database access

Accessing more than one database at the same time.


multi-database application

An application that accesses more than one database at a time.


multi-file database

A database that stores its data in more than one file.


multi-generational architecture

InterBase's structure for maintaining multiple record versions of data. It enables readers and writers concurrent and consistent access to data.


named transaction

A transaction explicitly named and started by an application to control execution of SQL statements in place of the default transaction.


NUMERIC data type

A numeric data type, variable in size, used to store real numbers with a fixed decimal point. The user-specified range of precision can be exactly one to fifteen digits.


ODS (on disk structure)

The physical layout and binary image of database files stored on disk. The ODS version depends on the InterBase version being used.


page

An internal InterBase storage structure that determines how data is stored on disk. A page affects the levels of index buckets and storage, retrieval, and buffering of data. Allowable page sizes are: 1K, 2K, 4K, and 8K.


record version

An instance of data tied to a specific transaction. Transactions that update the same data create multiple record versions.


recovery

Reconstructing the database in the event of disk or network failure, or other disasters.


remote database

A database on a server that is accessed by a client across a network.


segment

A unit of BLOB data stored or retrieved in a single operation. Segments can be up to 64 bytes in size.


shadow

A physical copy of the database. Changes to the database are written simultaneously to the shadow.


shadow file

One or more files that make up a shadow.


shadow set

A group of shadow files that make up a single shadow.


short-term recovery

Bringing a database up to date by applying changes stored in log files. Log files contain committed changes not yet written to the database.


slice

A contiguous subset of array elements retrieved and manipulated with a single statement.


SMALLINT data type

A numeric data type, signed short in length, used to store integer values ranging from -32,768 to 32,767.


SQLDA

SQL descriptor area. See extended SQL descriptor area.


status vector

An array of twenty ISC_LONG elements used to report run-time errors by a database to an application.


stored procedure

A stored procedure is a self-contained program written in InterBase procedure and trigger language, and stored as part of a database's metadata. Stored procedures can be invoked directly from applications, or can be substituted for a table or view in a SELECT statement. Stored procedures can receive input parameters from and return values to applications and can execute on the server.


stored procedure and trigger language

A complete programming language for stored procedures and triggers that includes SQL data manipulation statements and extensions, including IF. . . THEN . . ELSE, WHILE . . . DO, FOR SELECT . . . DO, exceptions, and error handling.


subtype

A number that specifies the type of data contained in a BLOB.


sweep

A process that checks a database record by record to garbage collect outdated record versions.


synchronous events

An event posted to a waiting application when it occurs. See event.


transaction name

A unique name that must be used to distinguish a transaction from others in a multi-transaction program.


trigger

A self-contained routine associated with a table or view that automatically performs an action when a row in the table or view is inserted, updated, or deleted.


two-phase commit

A mechanism that guarantees transactions affecting multiple databases are committed in their entirety or not at all.


UDF (user-defined function)

A database function written entirely in a host language to perform data manipulation tasks not directly supported by InterBase. Executed on the server.


VARCHAR data type

A variable string data type, 1 to 32,767 characters bytes in size, used to store text.


WAL (write-ahead log) protocol

A method for improving data input and output. The WAL protocol stores changes in log buffers and files that are used in short-term recovery. This feature is available on NetWare only.


XSQLDA

See extended SQL descriptor area.