NAME

       xotclsh - Tcl Shell containing object-oriented scripting language XOTcl

SYNOPSIS

       xotclsh ?filename arg arg ...?
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DESCRIPTION

       xotclsh  is a shell-like application that reads XOTcl commands from its standard input or from a file and
       evaluates them.  Similarly as the relation between tclsh and wish, xowish provides all  functionality  of
       xotclsh and provides as well predefined support for TK widgets.

       XOTcl  (XOTcl,  pronounced exotickle) is an object-oriented scripting language based on MIT's OTcl. It is
       intended as a value added replacement of OTcl.

       Scripting languages, such as Tcl, are designed for glueing components together, provide features such  as
       dynamic  extensibility and dynamic typing with automatic conversion, that make them well suited for rapid
       application development.

       The object system of XOTcl enables a user to to define objects, classes, and  meta-classes.  Classes  are
       special  objects with the purpose of managing other objects. ``Managing'' means that a class controls the
       creation and destruction of its instances and that it contains a repository of methods accessible for the
       instances. Every object may be enhanced with object-specific methods. XOTcl supports single and  multiple
       inheritance.  All  object-class  and  class-class  relationships  in  XOTcl are introspectable and can be
       dynamically changed at arbitrary times.  Ambiguities in name resolution of methods  are  avoided  through
       method chaining through "next", which does not require explicit method naming.

       XOTcl combines the ideas of scripting and object-orientation in a way that preserves the benefits of both
       of  them.  It  is  equipped  with several new language constructs that help building and managing complex
       systems. We added the following support:

       Dynamic Object Aggregations, to provide dynamic aggregations through nested namespaces (objects).

       Nested Classes, to reduce the interference of independently developed program structures.

       Assertions, to reduce the interface and the reliability problems caused by dynamic typing and, therefore,
       to ease the combination of many components.

       Meta-data, to enhance self-documentation of objects and classes.

       Per-object mixins, as a means to give an object dynamically access to  the  methods  of  one  or  several
       supplemental classes.

       Per-class  mixins,  as a means to give all instances of an class dynamically access to the methods of one
       or several supplemental classes.

       Filters as a means of abstractions over method invocations to implement large  program  structures,  like
       design patterns.

       XOTcl  provides  a  value-added  replacement  of  Tcl  package loading providing integration with object-
       oriented constructs and tracking/tracing of component loading.

VARIABLES

       xotclsh sets all variables that tclsh sets, and additionally the following variables:

       ::xotcl::version XOTcl version number.

       ::xotcl::confdir Directory for XOTcl configuration.

       ::xotcl::logdir Directory where logfiles are placed.

KEYWORDS

       argument, interpreter, prompt, script file, shell

XOTcl                                                                                                 xotclsh(1)