You use two images in the development environment. You use a permanent image stored on the hard disk, which is the file called abt.icx. This image holds the product and any components that you save to it. You also use a temporary image that resides in RAM (random access memory). This image holds your work-in-progress. When you select one of the Save Image options from the File menu, new work you have done becomes part of your abt.icx file. Saving an image to keep components loaded describes the options.

You can store multiple development images on your workstation. Using the Save Image As option describes how to save an image under a new name or to a different directory than what you are currently using, and then start up the image.

In addition to development images, there are runtime images. Runtime images are what you deliver to customers. They are packaged software, and contain classes and objects, like development images. They do not contain components which provide a development environment.