Glossary

This page is a list of terms and their definitions in the context of the BoGL language.

A

• argument
  A value passed to a function.
  
  
• array
  A common data structure that is often used to implement a fixed size list or, in the case of a two dimensional array, grid.
  
  

B

• board
  Synonym of array.
  
  
• BoGL
  A domain specific teaching language developed by a team of researchers at Oregon State University. The name "BoGL" is an acronym for "Board Game Language".
  
  
• Bool
  A data type whose possible values are True or False.
  
  
• bug
  Synonym of error.
  
  
• built-in
  Already defined in the BoGL language.
  
  

C

• comment
  Text within program code that has been marked to be ignored by the interpreter.
  
  
• condition
  An expression that determines the evaluation of a control structure.
  
  
• conditional expression
  An expression that consists of three expressions. One is a condition, the value of which determines which of the other two to evaluate.
  
  

D

• debugging
  The process of fixing bugs in a program.
  
  
• definition
  A statement giving meaning to a name.
  
  

E

• editor
  The textbox in which BoGL code can be written.
  
  
• error
  An issue that causes undesired behavior or failure in a program.
  
  
• expression
  Code that evaluates to a value.
  
  
• extended type
  A data type whose possible values have been extended to include the possible values of another type.
  
  

I

• if/else statement
  Synonym of a conditional expression.
  
  
• input (statement)
  A BoGL keyword that, when encountered in a program, pauses execution until a value is entered by the user. The value entered by the user replaces the keyword in the program.
  
  
• input (to a function)
  Synonym of argument.
  
  
• Int
  A data type whose possible values are any integer.
  
  
• interpreter
  A tool/program that interprets and executes code.
  
  

L

• language error
  An error that is caught by the interpreter before the code is allowed to run.
  
  
• let expression
  An expression that defines a value that will be used in a specific expression.
  
  
• loop
  Synonym of repeat.
  
  

N

• nested conditional expression
  A conditional expression within another conditional expression.
  
  
• nested let expression
  A let expression within another let expression.
  
  

P

• parameter
  A specific variable within a function that will be assigned the value of an argument.
  
  

R

• recursion
  The act of a function calling itself.
  
  
• runtime
  The time in which the program is running.
  
  
• runtime error
  An error that occurs while the program is running.
  
  

S

• synonym
  A name with the same meaning as another name.
  
  

T

• testing
  The process of ensuring a program works the way it is intended to.
  
  
• tuple
  A data type that consists of a pair (or trio, tetrad, pentad, etc...) of types.
  
  
• type
  A set of possible values.
  
  

V

• value definition
  A statement that assigns a type and a value of that type to a name.
  
  

W

• while loop
  An expression that consists of two expressions. One is repeated as long as the other (condition) evaluates to True.