C

C

cast An explicit conversion from one type to another.

circular reference A condition that occurs when two objects refer to each other but do not have an external reference. Circular references are automatically detected and disposed of by the garbage collector.

class A user-defined Reference type that serves as a template for an object of that type.

CLR See common language runtime.

code access security Verification that all callers to code have appropriate permission to access it.

code tuning The act of examining application code and optimizing for faster execution. Code tuning is usually an iterative process that involves several successive rounds of planning, improvement, and assessment of the results.

common language runtime (CLR) The environment in which managed code executes. The common language runtime provides just-in-time compilation, enforces type safety, and manages memory through garbage collection.

Common Type System A set of types that are used by all .NET languages, thus ensuring .NET language type compatibility.

complex binding In data binding, binding more than one column to a single control. The DataGrid is an example of a control that can be complexly bound.

component Strictly speaking, a class that implements IComponent or inherits System.Component. More generally, any class that provides a reusable set of functionality.

connected data access Data access that requires a data connection that is always open.

Constant A type that represents a value that does not change in the course of an application s execution and cannot be changed.

constraint In ADO.NET, an object that represents a rule that enforces referential integrity, such as a constraint that specifies a primary key.

constructor The method that executes when a class is instantiated. The constructor usually contains initialization code to set member variables to initial values.

container controls Controls that can host other controls. Examples include Forms, Panels, and TabPages.

control A class that inherits System.Control. Controls usually have a visual representation, interact with the user as a part of the user interface, and are hosted in a container control.

controls collection The collection of a container control that manages the controls it hosts.

custom control A user-designed control that directly inherits System.Control.