attribute

In the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), an attribute is a characteristic of a page element, such as a font. An HTML user can set font attributes, such as size and color, to different values. In some programming languages, such as PowerBuilder PowerScript, an attribute is a property of an object or may be considered a container for the property of the object. For example, color might be an attribute of a text object, containing the value of "red."

In a database management system (DBMS), an attribute may describe a component of the database, such as a table or a field, or may be used itself as another term for a field.

In the DOS operating system, file properties, such as "read-only" or "visible," are called file attributes.

Read more about attribute: - The National Center for Supercomputing Applications offers A Basic Guide to HTML . - Yale offers more information about HTML in its Yale Web Style Guide . - Ashok's Website for PowerBuilder Beginners covers PowerBuilder basics, including attributes. - EasyDOS describes the ATTRIB command in its DOS Command Index . It sets or displays file attributes.

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know. Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT SimpleDB shows promise Although still in beta, SimpleDB, a Web service for running queries on structured data in real time, shows promise although getting started with it... Yahoo says no deal Multiple news sources are reporting today that Yahoo Inc. has rejected Microsoft bid to buy it. Microsoft wanted Yahoo as part of a strategy to create... Amazon links Web services to data EnterpriseDB Corp. announced this week that it has ported its Oracle-compatible PostgreSQL database to Amazon Inc.'s compute cloud. The database...

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary ColdFusion  (SearchSOA.com) Delphi  (SearchSOA.com)