Glossary

Abjad uses the following terms in ways that are unique to the project.

altitude
Attribute of pitches equal to the integer number of staff spaces above middle C at which a pitch notates on the grand staff. The altitude of middle C is zero. Used as a measure of the absolute height of a pitch.
assignable
Attribute used of rational numbers that can be written as the duration of notes and rests without recourse to ties. The numbers 1/4, 1/8 and 3/16 are assignable. The numbers 5/16 and 9/16 are not assignable.
coverage
The percentage of public classes, methods and functions currently documented in the system (doc coverage). Also the percentage of code exercised when the regression tests run (test coverage). Abjad coverage goals are set at 100% for the docs and as high as possible for the core code.
driver
Used in reference to the testing process the term refers to the application chosen to execute a collection of tests before, during or after making changes to the system. Abjad uses py.test to execute the regression battery automatically.
format
LilyPond input string corresponding to an Abjad object.
grob
LilyPond contraction of ‘graphic object’. In its primary sense, refers to bit of LilyPond code that models a particular symbol on the printed page. The LilyPond NoteHead grob is LilyPond code that models musical noteheads on the printed page. In its secondary sense, a bit of LilyPond that models some part of the LilyPond engraving process that does not correspond to a visual symbol on the printed page. The LilyPond NonMusicalPaperColumn grob is a non-printing grob. The term is special to LilyPond and borrowed by Abjad. Refer to chapter Grobs to see Abjad grob handling.
parentage
The containment profile of any Abjad component. Consider a note contained within a tuplet which is, in turn, contained within a staff. The parentage of that note lists the containing tuplet and staff, in that order. See the _Parentage interface for more information.
render
Short-hand verb meaning to format an Abjad object as valid LilyPond input and then pass that input to LilyPond to create a PDF of the resulting notation. The same as calling show() on an Abjad object.
thread
A term referring to a structural relationship binding a strictly sequential set of Voice level Abjad component. See the chapter on Threads for a detail discussion.

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