Truncating is an adjective that describes something (such as a leaf or a feather) with the square end as if it had been cut off. The verb truncate means to cut or shorten. You can truncate a board that is too long with an electric saw, a chainsaw, or maybe even a karate kick. In computer science, the term is often used in reference to types of data or variables, such as floating point numbers and strings.
A code truncation operation can take a number with several digits to the left of the decimal point and truncate that number to an integer. Strings can also be truncated, which can be useful if a string exceeds the maximum character limit for a given application. The stem on one limb is truncated, but on the other it ends with a vermiform fleshy appendix. Java has included a method in its standard library that will truncate a positive float value and convert it to an integer.
Twaitter's special file format allows users to upload multiple tweets and have them scheduled and truncated as needed. The algorithm of subtracting 0.5 from a value and then rounding it (which truncates a positive number) has many uses in operating systems or programming languages. It can be used to limit the size of a field, data flow, or file. A unique feature is that the domains of the truncation function and the rounding function for any returned value are exactly offset by 0.5.Truncating can also be used in email platforms, where a user can view the message that a given email has been “truncated”.
It can also be used to shorten an essay by omitting a paragraph or two, or even cut short your vacation in Belize by going home early.
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