hook
<programming> A software or hardware feature included in order to
simplify later additions or changes by a user.
For example, a simple program that prints numbers might always print them in
base 10, but a more flexible version would let a variable determine what base to
use; setting the variable to 5 would make the program print numbers in base 5.
The variable is a simple hook. An even more flexible program might examine the
variable and treat a value of 16 or less as the base to use, but treat any other
number as the address of a user-supplied routine for printing a number. This is
a hairy but powerful hook; one can then write a routine to print numbers as
Roman numerals, say, or as Hebrew characters, and plug it into the program
through the hook.
Often the difference between a good program and a superb one is that the latter
has useful hooks in judiciously chosen places. Both may do the original job
about equally well, but the one with the hooks is much more flexible for future
expansion of capabilities.
Emacs, for example, is *all* hooks.
The term "user exit" is synonymous but much more formal and less hackish.
(1997-06-25)
Nearby terms:
Honeywell-800 Business Compiler « HOOD « HOOK «
hook
» hop » Hope » Hope+
|
