DIGITAL RESEARCH(r) CP/M Plus TM (CP/M Version 3) Operating ...

Appendix E : User's Glossary CP/M 3 User's Guide
control character: Nonprinting character combination that sends a simple cornmand
to CP/M 3. Some control characters perform line editing functions. To enter a
control character, hold down the CTRL key on your terminal and strike the character
key specified. See Appendix D.
cursor: One-character symbol that can appear anywhere on the console screen. The
cursor indicates the position where the next keystroke at the console will have an
effect.
data file: Nonexecutable collection of similar information that generally requires a
command file to manipulate it.
default: Currentlv selected disk drive and/or user number. Any command that does
not specify a c;isk drive or a user number references the default disk drive and user
number. When CP/M 3 Is first invoked, the default disk drive is drive A, and the
default user number is 0, until changed with the USER command.
delimiter: Special characters that separate different items in a command line. For
example, in CP/M 3, a colon separates the drive spec from the filename. A period
separates the filename from the filetype. Brackets separate any options from their
command or filespec. Cominas separate one item in an option list from another. All
of the preceding special characters are delimiters.
directory: Portion of a disk that contains descriptions of each file on the disk. In
response to the DIR command, CP/M 3 displays the filenames stored in the directory.
DIR attribute: File attribute. A file with the DIR attribute can be displayed b'Y a
DIR command. The file can be accessed from the default user number only.
disk, diskette: Magnetic media used to store information. Programs and data are
recorded on the disk in the same way that music is recorded on a cassette tape. The
term diskette refers to smaller capacity removable floppy diskettes. Disk can refer to
a diskette, a removable cartridge disk, or a fixed hard disk.
disk drive: Peripheral device that reads and writes on hard or floppy disks. CP/M 3
assigns a letter to each drive under its control. For example, CP/M 3 can refer to the
drives in a four-drive system as A, B, C, and D.
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