P:

package file: Makesis project file type, which has the extension pkg.; See also: Makesis
PAD: Packet Assembler/Disassembler. Allows access to a packet data network from a circuit-switched network.
page specification: The page orientation and page size for printing encapsulated by the TPageSpec class.; See also: orientation
panic: An operation to terminate a thread that has caused an error. Panics are used when the error is due to incorrect program code, such as passing an illegal parameter value.
paragraph: A sequence of one or more words terminated by a paragraph delimiter.; See also: paragraph delimiter
paragraph delimiter: Marks the end of a paragraph. In rich text, the paragraph delimiter may be regarded as storing the paragraph format attributes for the paragraph that it terminates. This means that when a paragraph delimiter is deleted, the paragraph formatting for that paragraph is set to the paragraph formatting of the paragraph into which it is merged.; See also: paragraph paragraph format attribute rich text
paragraph fill colour: The colour setting used to fill a paragraph. May also fill the left text margin, if one has been set.; See also: text area background colour left text margin
paragraph format attribute: Describes the appearance of paragraphs; for instance margin width, text alignment, bullets and paragraph spacing.; See also: format attribute rich text global text
paragraph format layer: A format layer specifying paragraph format attributes.; See also: paragraph format layer paragraph format attribute
parent: A Message Server entry that owns another entry: for example, a folder is the parent of a message within it.
partition: An area of a media that can be used as a single device and, if formatted, as a volume.; See also: device media volume
password mode: Window server mode where the user is required to enter a password before any further actions can be performed.
path: The identification of a file or directory by its components. The components are drive, directory components, filename and extension.; See also: drive filename extension
PC Synchronisation: Connecting a Symbian phone to a PC and synchronising the data store, for example, email, PC based contacts, diary, and other applications.
PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect. A standard for connecting peripherals to processors that is processor independent.
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation): The process of taking samples of an analog sound and storing the results as binary data.
PDD: A physical device driver. A PDD provides functionality specific to a particular device.; See also: LDD
PDE: Page Directory Entry. In an MMU with two level page table, this term is used for the 32 bit entry in the first level table, or page directory. Each PDE maps 1M on ARM, 4M on X86.
PDU message: The PDU message format describes a generic SMS message as a byte stream.; See also: text message
PE: Portable Executable - a standard format for executable (image) files and object files. The PETRAN tool converts executables from PE format to the Symbian OS executable format.
pen: The pen is used for free line and shape outline drawing. The pen colour also affects text colour.; See also: brush graphics context pen attribute
pen attribute: Pen attributes are: pen colour, pen style, pen width.; See also: pen pen colour pen style pen width
pen colour: The colour in which the pen draws lines and text.; See also: pen attribute
pen style: The style with which the pen draws lines. This may be null, solid, dotted/dashed.; See also: pen attribute
pen width: The width in pixels that the pen draws lines.; See also: pen attribute
permanent file store: A file based persistent store in which streams can be created and subsequently re-opened and changed.; See also: file store
persistent store: A store whose streams have a longer lifetime than the applications that created them.; See also: stream store
phone: A physical object which connects to a line.; See also: phone capability
phone capability: Ability to support fax and modem protocols. May include: fax interface supported, ability to transmit voice, modem detection events supported, ability to steal comms port.; See also: phone
phone indicator: An indicator showing some status information for the phone. Indicator types are defined in TIndicatorType.
phone mode: Phone operational state; idle, establishing line, online data and online command.
phone status: The mode of operation and modem connection status for the phone.; See also: phone mode modem connection status
physical address: A 'real' address, the value that must be placed on the system address bus to select a physical memory bank or device.
picture: Text Content : A graphic inserted into a rich text object. Pictures are type extensible. Graphics Device Interface (GDI) - Basic Graphics Functions : An object with an original size in twips, that can be stored, restored, and drawn to any graphics context. Concrete picture classes draw in different ways and allow cropping and scaling. Pictures are the basis for doors.; See also: door crop scale rich text picture header picture character
picture character: Represents a picture.; See also: picture
picture header: Identifies a picture type. A picture occupies a single character position. The picture header is stored in the same stream as the text. The picture is stored in a different stream to support deferred loading. When inserting a picture into rich text, the picture header rather than the picture itself is inserted into the text.; See also: picture deferred loading picture header factory
picture header factory: Produces picture headers of a single type. Required because pictures are type-extensible.; See also: picture picture header
PIM: Personal Information Managers, for instance agenda and contacts applications.
PIN2: A personal identification number which provides access to protected areas of the SIM e.g. barred phone books.
P.I.P.S.: An API layer, above the Symbian OS native APIs, that is more closely aligned with standard C and POSIX APIs, making Symbian software development more accessible to developers who program using the C language.
pixel: A single display element for a graphics device (screen).
pkg file: Makesis project file extension.; See also: package file
plain text: Provides storage for text and services to manipulate it but does not support format attributes and cannot be displayed.; See also: editable text text object format attribute
PLMN: Public Land Mobile Network. Another name for a GSM phone network.; See also: PSTN
plug-in: A polymorphic interface DLL used to enhance, or extend the operation of a framework.
point: A point specified in terms of (x,y) co-ordinates; See also: rectangle region
point primitive: A graphics operation to draw (using the pen) a single point.; See also: pen graphics operation
pointer cursor: The cursor that indicates the current position of the pointer (different from the text cursor and line cursor).
pointer event: A pointer-related event such as up, down, drag, move.; See also: window server key event
pointer grab: When the pointer is grabbed by a window, all events are sent to that window, regardless of which window they occurred in.
policy: The way an application works is its policy. Policy imposes constraints which on the one hand limit freedom of design and implementation, and on the other hand make it easier to design and implement if the policy is followed.; See also: policy-free
policy-free: A user interface or programming system is policy-free if it imposes little or no policy.; See also: policy
polling: Polling is the fax mode of operation where the caller requests the remote answering machine to send a fax.
polyline: A concatenated sequence of straight lines.; See also: line primitive
polymorphic DLL: A DLL that provides some plug-in functionality to another program by implementing a pre-defined interface. They are dynamically loaded by the DLL user during run-time. In Symbian OS, the typical use of a polymorphic DLL is to implement a framework extension. Polymorphic DLLs are sometimes known as provider DLLs.; See also: framework extension dynamic link library DLL dynamically loaded DLL
polymorphic interface DLL: See polymorphic DLL
POP3: Post Office Protocol version 3: a common protocol for transferring mail from the server ('Post Office') to the client. Defined in RFC 1939.
portrait: Vertical page orientation used for printing.; See also: orientation landscape
POSIX: Portable Operating System Interface, standards specified by the IEEE that define the API for software compatible with variants of the Unix operating system.
POTS: Plain Old Telephone Service: a basic telephony service that offers only the ability to place and receive calls.
PPP: The Point-to-Point Protocol, an IETF standard, which manage the dial-up link.
preferred networks list: Priority list for selection of a preferred network.
pre-processor: Prepares source files for further processing, used in C++ to replace macro representations with the code to be compiled.
primary: The first executable in the ROM to run, namely the kernel.
primary base class: A base class which is not an interface class. Usually, derived from CBase.; See also: interface class
primary inheritance tree: The inheritance tree formed by primary base classes. By the rules of interface class use, multiple inheritance may never be used to form an inheritance graph that is more complex than a tree with a single root.; See also: primary base class interface class
print parameter: Number of copies and page range to print.
printer device: A graphics device that is used for printing.; See also: graphics device
printer model: UID and associated name of a printer.; See also: printer device
printer model list: The list of supported printer models.; See also: printer model
priority client: ETel priority clients have privilege in call manipulation functions. For instance, the priority client can hang up or put on hold other clients calls. If another client has a data call active, and the priority client suddenly needs to make an emergency call, it can force the other call to be dropped by making that request.
priority function: ETel priority functions are executed using pre-allocated memory, and hence cannot fail with an out of memory error. Any client can use a priority function, not just the priority client.
process: The Symbian OS unit of memory protection - one user process may not access another's memory. A process contains one or more threads.
process-relative: A handle is process-relative if ownership of that handle is vested in the process.; See also: handle
product: A combination of CPU core, ASSP and surrounding development board. Often the early stages of a product in the more traditional sense.
progress bars: A control that provides a visual indication of the progress of a process.
project file: The CS Help project file defines the location of all resources required to produce the output help file.; See also: customisation file MMP
property: A uniquely named value in a vCard or a vCalendar, consisting of a property name, one or more property parameters (optional), and a property value.; See also: property name property parameter property value
property group: A collection of grouped properties.; See also: grouped property
property name: Uniquely identifies a property.; See also: property
property parameter: Qualifies a property name. Has a name and optionally a value. A property can have more than one property parameter.; See also: property
property value: A string containing the value for a property.; See also: property
protocol family: An integer which uniquely identifies a protocol suite.
protocol provider: A class that provides services according to a protocol defined in a protocol class.; See also: mixin protocol
protocol user: A class which uses services from a protocol provider class, defined by a protocol.; See also: mixin protocol protocol provider
PSTN: Public-switched Telephone network.; See also: PLMN
public/private key pair: A public key known to everyone and a private key that is known only to the recipient of the message. When someone wants to send a secure message to another person, they use their public key to encrypt a message. The receiver then uses their private key to decrypt it.
PTE: Page Table Entry. In an MMU with two level page table, this term is used for the 32 bit entry in the second level table, or page table. Each PTE maps 4K on ARM and 4K on X86.