What is a "baton" from subversion sources?

Hello.

I'm learning subversion API right now and examining it's source code and
examples. It's a lot of things in subversion source code that is called
a "baton". For example, svn_cmdline_create_auth_baton() create "auth
baton", and callbacks takes callback function pointer and, again,
batons. I never heard of a term "baton" related to the programming. That
is the "baton" concept subversion source code refers to? Maybe i can
read somewhere about "batons" used in programming? Or is it a well-known
term of some origin?

Best,
Grigory.
Received on 2011-02-11 20:32:57 CET