Data descriptor
From Wiki @ Karl Jones dot com
In computing, a data descriptor is a structure containing information that describes data.
Description
Data descriptors may be used in compilers, as a software structure at run time in languages like Ada\ or PL/I, or as a hardware structure in some computers such as Burroughs large systems.
Data descriptors are typically used at run-time to pass argument information to called subroutines.
HP OpenVMS and Multics have system-wide language-independent standards for argument descriptors.
Descriptors are also used to hold information about data that is only fully known at run-time, such as a dynamically allocated array.
Unlike a dope vector, a data descriptor does not contain address information.
See also
External links
- Data descriptor @ Wikipedia
