Novice question: What's a "binding"

Novice question: What's a "binding"

[Scot Mcintosh]

I'm just getting familiar with Ada and there is a mystery I'm trying to
clear up: what is meant by "bindings"? I see the term appearing as a
noun, as in: "We supply X Windows bindings for Ada". My inference is
that they are what I have thought of in the past as libraries. Before
making a fool of myself in front of someone important, I figure I had
better ask. (Oops, not that you people aren't important: I mean
someone like a *customer*). If my inference is correct, how did
this term happen to be selected instead of the more common (I think)
"libraries"?

----
Scot McIntosh
Internet: psm%helios.nosc.mil@nosc.mil
UUCP:     {ihnp4,akgua,decvax,decwest,ucbvax}!sdscvax!nosc!psm
"These meetings will continue until we find out why no work is getting done"
 - Sign on conference room in Los Alamos.
-- 
----
Scot McIntosh
Internet: psm%helios.nosc.mil@nosc.mil
UUCP:     {ihnp4,akgua,decvax,decwest,ucbvax}!sdscvax!nosc!psm

Re: Novice question: What's a "binding"

[mcsun!uknet!yorkohm!minster!mjl-b]

In article <1992Oct13.225642.25188@nosc.mil> psm@nosc.mil (Scot Mcintosh) write
s:
>I'm just getting familiar with Ada and there is a mystery I'm trying to
>clear up: what is meant by "bindings"? I see the term appearing as a
>noun, as in: "We supply X Windows bindings for Ada". My inference is
>that they are what I have thought of in the past as libraries. Before
>making a fool of myself in front of someone important, I figure I had
>better ask. (Oops, not that you people aren't important: I mean
>someone like a *customer*). If my inference is correct, how did
>this term happen to be selected instead of the more common (I think)
>"libraries"?

I've always taken "binding" to mean "interface to a library written in a
language other than Ada". Hence X bindings for Ada are an interface to the C
X libraries (actually, it gets more complex than this due to X callbacks --
but I digress :-) ).

I'm sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-)


>Scot McIntosh
>Internet: psm%helios.nosc.mil@nosc.mil

Mat

| Mathew Lodge                      | "A conversation with you, Baldrick,     |
| mjl-b@minster.york.ac.uk          |  and somehow death loses its sting..."  |
| Langwith College, Uni of York, UK |  -- Blackadder II                       |