Branching :
Changing the sequence of execution in a program. Execution normally proceeds in sequence from the top of a function or procedure to the bottom. When control is transferred to a statement that is not in sequence, execution is said to have branched.
Comment :
Text in a source program that is ignored by the compiler. Usually used to make descriptive comments about the surrounding source code.
Control Structure :
Any program structure that alters the flow of program control. In Clipper language, these include:
. BEGIN SEQUENCE...END
. DO WHILE...ENDDO
. DO CASE...ENDCASE
. FOR...NEXT
. IF...ENDIF
Keyword :
A word that has a special meaning to a compiler or other utility program. Commands, directives, or options are often recognized by examining supplied text to see if it contains keywords.
Metasymbol :
Descriptive symbols used in syntax to represent information that must be supplied as part of a source code statement. A metasymbol is constructed using two information components: a data type prefix and a logical descriptor.
Sequence :
In Clipper language, a series of statements enclosed in a BEGIN SEQUENCE control structure.
See Also: Algorithm, Iteration, Selection
Statement :
In Clipper language, the basic unit of source code. A statement is normally a single line of text. Multiple statements can be placed on the same line by separating them with semicolons. A statement may be continued to another line by placing a semicolon at the end of the line to be continued. If the text of a statement matches a command definition (defined with a preprocessor directive), it is translated into the form specified by the command definition.
See Also : Command
Syntax :
The rules that dictate the form of statements or commands as defined by the implementors of the language. Also, a complete description of the forms that a statement or command can take.
