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The characteristics of an application created in Dexterity are stored in a file called an application dictionary. The dictionary stores the resources that make up the application. Some of the types of resources an application dictionary can have include fields, tables, forms and reports.
For instance, the Real Estate Sales Manager sample application uses a single application dictionary named RESM.DIC. This dictionary stores the resources that make up the product.
Storing resources in the dictionary, in contrast to compiling functionality into an executable application, allows the dictionary to be platform independent. In addition, the dictionary structure allows resources to be reused, which reduces coding required for an application and helps ensure consistency. For example, you can define a field resource once, and all tables, reports, and forms that use the field will refer to that specific resource. Resource relationships also allow quick global changes – a single global static text change will change the text value in all windows and reports where it is used.