Language Guide

G L O S S A R Y
365
current script The script from which a
user-defined command is executed.
Data An AppleScript value class used for
data that do not belong to any of the other
AppleScript value classes. In AppleScript, a
value that belongs to the class Data can be
stored in a variable, but cannot be
manipulated.
Date An AppleScript value class used for
a value that specifies a time, day of the
month, month, and year.
declaration The first occurrence of a
variable or property identifier in a script.
The form and location of the declaration
determine how AppleScript treats the
identifier in that script—for example, as a
property, global variable, or local variable.
default target The object that receives a
command if no object is specified or if the
object is incompletely specified in the
command. Default targets are specified in
Tell statements.
delegation The use of a Continue
statement to call a handler in a parent script
object or the current application.
dialect A version of the AppleScript
language that resembles a specific human
language or programming language; for
example, AppleScript English resembles
English, AppleScript Japanese resembles
Japanese, and so on. All scripts, regardless
of the dialects in which they are written, are
converted to the same form, called a
compiled script, when they are compiled.
dictionary The set of commands, objects,
and other words that are understood by a
particular application or by a version of the
system software. Each application or
version of the system software has its own
dictionary.
direct parameter The parameter
immediately following a command.
element An object contained within
another object, or a type of object that can
be contained in another object. For example,
a word object is an element of a paragraph
object, but it is possible to have a paragraph
with no words.
empty list A list with no items.
error expression An expression, usually a
string, that describes an error.
error handler A collection of statements
that are executed in response to an error
message.
error message A message that is returned
by an application, by AppleScript, or by the
Macintosh Operating System if an error
occurs during the handling of a command.
error number An integer that identifies
an error.
evaluation The conversion of an expres-
sion to a value.
Every Element reference form A
reference form that specifies every object
of a particular class in a container.
Exit statement A statement used in the
body of a Repeat statement to exit the
Repeat statement.