static link

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static link

(Or "access link" or "environment link") A pointer from an activation record to the activation record for the textually enclosing scope. A static link is only required in a statically (lexically) scoped language.

The number of static links to follow may be determined statically (at compile time). It is simply the difference in lexical nesting depth between the declaration and the reference.

See also display.

(1995-03-07)