Alphanumeric characters – any of the 26 letters of the alphabet, or the digits 0 to 9, or the special characters such as a comma, colon, semi-colon, dash, asterisk, etc.
Application – a set of programs written in a specific computer language, designed and organized to carry out a specific operation(s), i.e., CPDMS.net is a registry database management application.
Backup – an additional copy; or to create a copy.
Browser - a Web browser, often referred to as a "browser;" an application used to access the World Wide Web. It interprets HTML code including text, images, hypertext links, Javascript, and Java applets. After rendering the HTML code, the browser displays a formatted page. Internet Explorer is the only browser currently supported for CPDMS.net.
Categorical variable – a variable which is divided into distinct, mutually exclusive categories that are usually identified by a code. Patient Race is an example of a categorical variable.
Continuous variable – a quantitative variable which may have any value that occurs along a continuum. Age and tumor size are treated as continuous variables.
Cursor – the blinking location on a computer screen which indicates where the next entered character will appear.
Database – the application used to store and retrieve CPDMS.net data.
Default – action taken; or the value resulting from the failure to specify any particular result.
Disk – the physical device that stores computer data. Edit – to change the value of a data field.
Edit Check—to validate the value of a data field. Execute – to carry out a procedure or menu option. Field – storage allocated for a single data element.
Format – the manner in which values are presented. For example, dates in CPDMS.net are entered and stored in month/day/year (MMDDYYYY) format.
Hardware – the physical components of a computer system; i.e., the monitor, keyboard, printer, and the central processing unit.
Keyboard – the hardware used to enter typed data into the computer.
Key fields – data items which serve to locate and identify specific segments of a patient record.
Menu – a list of options (or paths) from which the user may choose to execute system operations.
Monitor – the hardware attached to a computer to display text and graphics.
Operating System (OS) - this is the software that operates the computer hardware at the most basic level. Without an operating system, no software programs can run. The OS allocates memory, processes tasks, accesses disks and peripherals, and serves as the user interface.
Printer – the hardware connected to the computer or network which generates a paper copy of the information stored or displayed.
Program – a list of commands written in a language that can be interpreted and carried out by the computer, once it has been initiated by the user.
Queue – a set of files, or commands, or requests waiting to be processed. Record – a related set of data items, such as a patient record or a case record.
Software – the variable components of a computer system, which include the operating system instructions and the program applications. Software can be loaded into, or erased from, the system memory as user needs dictate.
Subdirectory – list of computer files stored in a separate level within a hierarchical directory structure.
Upload – the process of transmitting data files to the statewide Central Registry. Variable – a name of a data element.

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