To expand on this, general usage of the following terms could be defined as follows:
- Template: A format used for describing output
- Format: A way of abstractly expressing how something should look, as opposed to what the content should be
- Regular Expression: A way of defining some set of matching criteria, often used for limiting or parsing input
- Mask: A format used for constraining input
Hopefully, that helps!
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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.
The idea is a little like C++ templates, except not quite so brain-meltingly complicated. -- TheDamian, Exegesis 6
Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.
