N

NaN

Not a number.

national language support (NLS)

A function which enables you to specify system and user locale information.

NDIS

A programming interface for different protocols sharing the same network hardware.

network stack

An operating system component responsible for processing data that is transmitted or received over a network.

node

1. In local area networks, a device that is connected to the network and is capable of communicating with other network devices. 2. In tree structures, a location on the tree that can have links to one or more nodes below it. Some authors make a distinction between node and element, with an element being a given data type and a node comprising one or more elements as well as any supporting data structures.

nonclient area

The parts of a window that are not a part of the client area. A window's nonclient area consists of the border, menu bar, title bar, and scroll bar.

nonqueued message

A message sent directly to a window procedure.

nonsignaled

See synchronization object.

notification

A signal from the operating system that an event has occurred. This could be a timer event or a system event such as establishing a network connection. An application registers a notification for an event and the system generates a notification when the event occurs. Windows CE provides an application programming interface (API) that can be used to register events and select options that determine the type of notification.

notification function

A Windows CE function that allows an application to register its name and an event with the system. When the event occurs the kernel automatically starts the named application.

notification message

A message a control sends to its parent window when events, such as input from the user, occur.