Glossary
Attribute
A configurable property of a command or a logic element that affects the function of the command or element based on its value. For logic attributes, secondary attributes perform this same role.
Child command
A command that has another command as its parent and may affect its functionality. A child command is evaluated only if the parent command initiates the evaluation of its children.
Example of a parent and child command
Child variable context
A variable context that has another variable context as its parent i.e.. a local variable context. A child variable context provides access to the variables of its parent contexts as well, with some limitations.
This term can be shortened into just "child context" without creating much ambiguity.
Related article: Variables and attributes
Command
A logic component that orders Dynamo to execute an operation. Commands form the lowest level of the template logic. In a Flow, commands are placed into Steps. They may also appear in element logic of HTML resources.
The term "logic command" has this same meaning, but as "command" alone is not ambiguous in the context of Dynamo logic, it being shorter makes it the more common term.
Composing
The evaluation of logic components in a document, resulting in a document - a composed document - that has been altered by the logic attributes and elements within. As the main purpose of many Flows is to produce a document, "composing" may also be used to refer to the evaluation process, e.g. "composing a template" would mean going through an evaluation process of the template's Flow.
Document controller
The logic model of older Dynamo templates i.e. legacy templates. Has been entirely superseded by Flow.
EL
Expression Language (EL) is used in values of commands' attributes and certain other contexts. Its main function is provide means to access values of variables in the variable context. EL is used through EL expressions.
Related article: Expression Language (EL)
EL expression
A character string following the syntax of the Expression Language. When evaluated, an expression always resolves into a single value.
This term can be shortened into just "expression" without creating much ambiguity.
Element logic
Logic that exists within an HTML element that either is a logic element or has at least one logic attribute. Contains commands that are evaluated before the effects of the logic element or logic attributes occur.
Evaluation
The act of having a logic component perform its function:
Evaluating a Flow, a Segment or a Step is the Dynamo server reading and processing that logic layer and its contents.
Evaluating a command or a logic attribute or element is the Dynamo server executing that operation component's intrinsic function.
Evaluating an attribute is the Dynamo server processing the EL expressions in the attribute's value to create the attribute's resolved value.
Evaluation, or EL evaluation, is also the act of processing an EL expression to produce a value.
Evaluation process
The operation in which the Dynamo server reads a template's Flow and executes, or evaluates, all the logic components within. May also be referred to as running the template or the evaluation process.
Event
A value specific to an evaluation process that defines the starting Step of each Segment. The Event value is defined as a parameter in the HTTP request sent to Dynamo.
Expression
A term that typically refers to an EL expression.
The logic model of current Dynamo templates. Its structure and the commands within define what will happen when the the evaluation process starts. As a structural component of the logic, Flow is the topmost layer that contains Segments.
Related article: Flow
Form
A term that can be used for Screens as they are typically HTML forms that collect user input.
Format
In the context of commands, a format is a definition of how to present values of a certain type as text on a document. In more specific terms, it is a definition of how to convert other types of values into Strings. Formats can be created with specific commands and they exist throughout an evaluation process.
Host element
An HTML element in which a logic attribute is placed. From the logic attribute's perspective, that element is its host element.
Local variable context
A temporary variable context that certain commands create to be used by their child commands. A local variable context becomes a child of the variable context the context-creating command uses.
This term can be shortened into just "local context" without creating much ambiguity.
Related article: Variables and attributes
Logic attribute
A logic component that can appear in HTML document content as an attribute for a standard HTML element. Alters the element it is in and/or its contents when evaluated.
Logic command
See Command.
Logic element
A logic component that can appear in HTML document content as an element. Typically transforms into some other kind of HTML structure when evaluated.
Parent command
A command that has one or more other commands as its children, possibly affecting this command's functionality.
Parent variable context
A variable context that has another variable context as its child. Certain variable operations may target a parent variable context instead of the currently local variable context.
This term can be shortened into just "parent context" without creating much ambiguity.
Related article: Variables and attributes
Parser
In the context of commands, a parser is a definition of how to convert String values into other types of values. Parsers can be created with specific commands and they exist throughout an evaluation process.
Resolved value
The effective value of an attribute after any EL expressions in it have been processed. This term is used to separate the value of an attribute as it is written in the logic, and this resolved value it produces after EL evaluation.
Secondary attribute
An attribute on an HTML element that affects the operation of a specific logic attribute on the same element. Equivalent to an attribute of a command or a logic element.
Screen
A template resource that is an HTML page composed and displayed to the user when a Screen step is evaluated. User input collected in a Screen becomes variables to be used by the commands that follow.
Screen step
A Step that displays a Screen to the user instead of executing commands.
Related article: Flow
Segment
A logic layer that contains Steps and exists under the Flow.
Related article: Flow
Step
A logic layer that contains commands and exists under a Segment.
This is also a term used to describe Steps in general, both the command-containing Step and the Screen step.
Related article: Flow
Tag
The former name used for commands.
Variable
A pair consisting of a key and a value, stored in the variable context. Commands can create variables, and read their values through EL-expressions.
Related article: Variables and attributes
Variable context
A storage of variables that exists within an evaluation process and persists throughout it from start to end. Allows commands to interact with each other through variables.
Related article: Variables and attributes