Object Oriented Programming Terminology

An object is an instance of a class. Multiple objects can be created from a class, and they will all be running identical code, but each object contains different data. In LabVIEW terms, a VI called by multiple VI’s makes each caller wait for access the same VI (unless the VI is reentrant). Defining a VI as a part of a class means that every object runs the same code, but because of the data storage mechanism and object references each caller may be acting on a different set of data.

Texts on object oriented programming use different terminology, but most will use one or more of the following.

To describe the data of an object:
Attribute
Property
Data
Variable

To describe the actions an object takes:
Action
Method
Behavior

In the discussion of the single element queue object oriented programming technique, the data is a cluster typdef labeled “cluster of private data” and the methods are referred to as method VI’s.