Provided by: libtcl-perl_1.27+ds-2_amd64 
NAME
Tcl - Tcl extension module for Perl
SYNOPSIS
use Tcl;
$interp = Tcl->new;
$interp->Eval('puts "Hello world"');
DESCRIPTION
The Tcl extension module gives access to the Tcl library with functionality and interface
similar to the C functions of Tcl. In other words, you can
• create Tcl interpreters
The Tcl interpreters so created are Perl objects whose destructors delete the
interpreters cleanly when appropriate.
• execute Tcl code in an interpreter
The code can come from strings, files or Perl filehandles.
• bind in new Tcl procedures
The new procedures can be either C code (with addresses presumably obtained using
dl_open and dl_find_symbol) or Perl subroutines (by name, reference or as anonymous
subs). The (optional) deleteProc callback in the latter case is another perl
subroutine which is called when the command is explicitly deleted by name or else when
the destructor for the interpreter object is explicitly or implicitly called.
• Manipulate the result field of a Tcl interpreter
• Set and get values of variables in a Tcl interpreter
• Tie perl variables to variables in a Tcl interpreter
The variables can be either scalars or hashes.
Methods in class Tcl
To create a new Tcl interpreter, use
$interp = Tcl->new;
The following methods and routines can then be used on the Perl object returned (the
object argument omitted in each case).
$interp->Init ()
Invoke Tcl_Init on the interpreter.
$interp->CreateSlave (NAME, SAFE)
Invoke Tcl_CreateSlave on the interpreter. Name is arbitrary. The safe variable, if
true, creates a safe sandbox interpreter.
See: http://www.tcl.tk/software/plugin/safetcl.html
http://www.tcl.tk/man/tcl8.4/TclCmd/safe.htm
This command returns a new interpreter.
$interp->Eval (STRING, FLAGS)
Evaluate script STRING in the interpreter. If the script returns successfully (TCL_OK)
then the Perl return value corresponds to Tcl interpreter's result otherwise a die
exception is raised with the $@ variable corresponding to Tcl's interpreter result
object. In each case, corresponds means that if the method is called in scalar context
then the string result is returned but if the method is called in list context then
the result is split as a Tcl list and returned as a Perl list. The FLAGS field is
optional and can be a bitwise OR of the constants Tcl::EVAL_GLOBAL or
Tcl::EVAL_DIRECT.
$interp->GlobalEval (STRING)
REMOVED. Evalulate script STRING at global level. Call Eval(STRING,
Tcl::EVAL_GLOBAL) instead.
$interp->EvalFile (FILENAME)
Evaluate the contents of the file with name FILENAME. Otherwise, the same as Eval()
above.
$interp->EvalFileHandle (FILEHANDLE)
Evaluate the contents of the Perl filehandle FILEHANDLE. Otherwise, the same as Eval()
above. Useful when using the filehandle DATA to tack on a Tcl script following an
__END__ token.
$interp->call (PROC, ARG, ...)
Looks up procedure PROC in the interpreter and invokes it using Tcl's eval semantics
that does command tracing and will use the ::unknown (AUTOLOAD) mechanism. The
arguments (ARG, ...) are not passed through the Tcl parser. For example, spaces
embedded in any ARG will not cause it to be split into two Tcl arguments before being
passed to PROC.
Before invoking procedure PROC special processing is performed on ARG list:
1. All subroutine references within ARG will be substituted with Tcl name which is
responsible to invoke this subroutine. This Tcl name will be created using
CreateCommand subroutine (see below).
2. All references to scalars will be substituted with names of Tcl variables
transformed appropriately.
These first two items allow one to write and expect it to work properly such code as:
my $r = 'aaaa';
button(".d", -textvariable => \$r, -command=>sub {$r++});
3. All references to hashes will be substituted with names of Tcl array variables
transformed appropriately.
4. As a special case, there is a mechanism to deal with Tk's special event variables
(they are mentioned as '%x', '%y' and so on throughout Tcl). When creating a
subroutine reference that uses such variables, you must declare the desired variables
using Tcl::Ev as the first argument to the subroutine. Example:
sub textPaste {
my ($x,$y,$w) = @_;
widget($w)->insert("\@$x,$y", $interp->Eval('selection get'));
}
$widget->bind('<2>', [\&textPaste, Tcl::Ev('%x', '%y'), $widget] );
$interp->return_ref (NAME)
returns a reference corresponding to NAME, which was associated during previously
called "$interpnt->call(...)" preprocessing. As a typical example this could be
variable associated with a widget.
$interp->delete_ref (NAME)
deletes and returns a reference corresponding to NAME, which was associated during
previously called "$interpnt->call(...)" preprocessing. this follows _code_dispose
about if NAME is a TClNAME or a DESCNAME. if NAME is a VARNAME then it is just
deleted and returned.
$interp->icall (PROC, ARG, ...)
Looks up procedure PROC in the interpreter and invokes it using Tcl's eval semantics
that does command tracing and will use the ::unknown (AUTOLOAD) mechanism. The
arguments (ARG, ...) are not passed through the Tcl parser. For example, spaces
embedded in any ARG will not cause it to be split into two Tcl arguments before being
passed to PROC.
This is the lower-level procedure that the 'call' method uses. Arguments are
converted efficiently from Perl SVs to Tcl_Objs. A Perl AV array becomes a
Tcl_ListObj, an SvIV becomes a Tcl_IntObj, etc. The reverse conversion is done to the
result.
$interp->invoke (PROC, ARG, ...)
Looks up procedure PROC in the interpreter and invokes it directly with arguments
(ARG, ...) without passing through the Tcl parser. For example, spaces embedded in any
ARG will not cause it to be split into two Tcl arguments before being passed to PROC.
This differs from icall/call in that it directly invokes the command name without
allowing for command tracing or making use of Tcl's unknown (AUTOLOAD) mechanism. If
the command does not already exist in the interpreter, and error will be thrown.
Arguments are converted efficiently from Perl SVs to Tcl_Objs. A Perl AV array
becomes a Tcl_ListObj, an SvIV becomes a Tcl_IntObj, etc. The reverse conversion is
done to the result.
Tcl::Ev (FIELD, ...)
Used to declare %-substitution variables of interest to a subroutine callback. FIELD
is expected to be of the form "%#" where # is a single character, and multiple fields
may be specified. Returns a blessed object that the 'call' method will recognize when
it is passed as the first argument to a subroutine in a callback. See description of
'call' method for details.
$interp->result ()
Returns the current Tcl interpreter result. List v. scalar context is handled as in
Eval() above.
$interp->CreateCommand (CMDNAME, CMDPROC, CLIENTDATA, DELETEPROC, FLAGS)
Binds a new procedure named CMDNAME into the interpreter. The CLIENTDATA and
DELETEPROC arguments are optional. There are two cases:
(1) CMDPROC is the address of a C function
(presumably obtained using dl_open and dl_find_symbol. In this case CLIENTDATA and
DELETEPROC are taken to be raw data of the ClientData and deleteProc field presumably
obtained in a similar way.
(2) CMDPROC is a Perl subroutine
(either a sub name, a sub reference or an anonymous sub). In this case CLIENTDATA can
be any perl scalar (e.g. a ref to some other data) and DELETEPROC must be a perl sub
too. When CMDNAME is invoked in the Tcl interpreter, the arguments passed to the Perl
sub CMDPROC are
(CLIENTDATA, INTERP, LIST)
where INTERP is a Perl object for the Tcl interpreter which called out and LIST is a
Perl list of the arguments CMDNAME was called with. If the 1-bit of FLAGS is set then
the 3 first arguments on the call to CMDPROC are suppressed. As usual in Tcl, the
first element of the list is CMDNAME itself. When CMDNAME is deleted from the
interpreter (either explicitly with DeleteCommand or because the destructor for the
interpreter object is called), it is passed the single argument CLIENTDATA.
$interp->DeleteCommand (CMDNAME)
Deletes command CMDNAME from the interpreter. If the command was created with a
DELETEPROC (see CreateCommand above), then it is invoked at this point. When a Tcl
interpreter object is destroyed either explicitly or implicitly, an implicit
DeleteCommand happens on all its currently registered commands.
(TCLNAME,GENCODE) = $interp->create_tcl_sub(CODEREF, EVENTS, TCLNAME, DESCRNAME)
Creates a COMMAND called TCLNAME calling CODEREF in the interpreter $interp, and adds
it to the internal tracking structure. DESCRNAME and TCLNAME should not begin with =
or @ or ::perl:: to avoid colisions If TCLNAME IS blank or undef, it is constructed
from the CODEREF address. GENCODE starts as TCLNAME but gets @$EVENTS which can
contain %vars joined to it.
TCLNAME and DESCRNAME get stored in an internal structure, and can be used to purge
things fRom the command table via code_destroy or $interp->delete_ref;
Returns (TCLNAME,GENCODE). if you are creating code refs with this you can continue
to use the same coderef and it will be converted on each call. but if you save
GENCODE, you can replace the anon-coderef call in the tcl command with GENCODE.
for instance
$interp->call('FILEEVENT',$fileref,WRITABLE=>sub {...});
can be replaced by
my ($tclcode,$gencode)=$interp->create_tcl_sub(sub{...}, EVENTS, TCLNAME, DESCRNAME);
$interp->call('FILEEVENT',$gencode,WRITABLE=>$gencode);
or
my $sub=sub{....};
$interp->call('FILEEVENT',$fileref,WRITABLE=>$sub);
can be replaced by
my ($tclcode,$gencode)=$interp->create_tcl_sub($sub, EVENTS, TCLNAME, DESCRNAME);
$interp->call('FILEEVENT',$gencode,WRITABLE=>$gencode);
although
$interp->call('FILEEVENT',$fileref,WRITABLE=>$sub);
will stil work fine too.
Then you later call
$interp->delete_ref($tclname);
when you are finished with that sub to clean it from the internal tracking and command
table. This means no automatic cleanup will occur on the sub{...} or $sub
And after the destroy inside Tcl any triggering writable on $fileref will fail as
well. so it should be replaced first via
$interp->call('FILEEVENT',$fileref,WRITABLE=>'');
(CODEREF) = Tcl::_code_dispose(NAME)
Purges the internal table of a NAME and may initiate destruction of something created
thru call or create_tcl_sub
TCLNAME and DESCRNAME get stored in an internal structure, and can be used to purge
things form the command table. calling _code_dispose on a TCLNAME retruned from
create_tcl_sub removes all use instances and purges the command table. calling
_code_dispose on a DESCRNAME passed to create_tcl_sub removes only that instace Code
used in a DESCRNAME may be used in other places as well, only when the last usage is
purged does the entry get purged from the command table
While the internal tracking structure saves the INTERP the code was added to, it
itself does not keep things separated by INTERP, A TCLNAME or DESCRNAMe can only exist
in one INTERP at a time, using a new INTERP just causes the one in the last INTERP to
disappear, and probably end up with the Tcl code getting deleted
Returns (CODEREF), this is the original coderef
$interp->SetResult (STRING)
Sets Tcl interpreter result to STRING.
$interp->AppendResult (LIST)
Appends each element of LIST to Tcl's interpreter result object.
$interp->AppendElement (STRING)
Appends STRING to Tcl interpreter result object as an extra Tcl list element.
$interp->ResetResult ()
Resets Tcl interpreter result.
$interp->SplitList (STRING)
Splits STRING as a Tcl list. Returns a Perl list or the empty list if there was an
error (i.e. STRING was not a properly formed Tcl list). In the latter case, the error
message is left in Tcl's interpreter result object.
$interp->SetVar (VARNAME, VALUE, FLAGS)
The FLAGS field is optional. Sets Tcl variable VARNAME in the interpreter to VALUE.
The FLAGS argument is the usual Tcl one and can be a bitwise OR of the constants
Tcl::GLOBAL_ONLY, Tcl::LEAVE_ERR_MSG, Tcl::APPEND_VALUE, Tcl::LIST_ELEMENT.
$interp->SetVar2 (VARNAME1, VARNAME2, VALUE, FLAGS)
Sets the element VARNAME1(VARNAME2) of a Tcl array to VALUE. The optional argument
FLAGS behaves as in SetVar above.
$interp->GetVar (VARNAME, FLAGS)
Returns the value of Tcl variable VARNAME. The optional argument FLAGS behaves as in
SetVar above.
$interp->GetVar2 (VARNAME1, VARNAME2, FLAGS)
Returns the value of the element VARNAME1(VARNAME2) of a Tcl array. The optional
argument FLAGS behaves as in SetVar above.
$interp->UnsetVar (VARNAME, FLAGS)
Unsets Tcl variable VARNAME. The optional argument FLAGS behaves as in SetVar above.
$interp->UnsetVar2 (VARNAME1, VARNAME2, FLAGS)
Unsets the element VARNAME1(VARNAME2) of a Tcl array. The optional argument FLAGS
behaves as in SetVar above.
Command table cleanup
In V1.03 command table cleanup was intoduced. This tries to keep the internal structure
and command table clean. In V1.02 and prior heavy use of sub { .. } in Tcl commands could
pollute these tables as they were never cleared. Command table cleanup tries to alieviate
this.
if you call create_tcl_sub the internal reference exists until you delete_ref or
_code_dispose it, or you call create_tcl_sub with the same DESCRNAME.
if the internal reference was created internaly by call(...) there are two rules
1) If the command is an "after" the internal references is keept at least until 1 second
after the delay. If there are still other "users" of the TCLNAME then it is not
deleted until the last one goes away. If another call with the same CODEREF happens
before this, then it will get registered as a "user" without any need to
delete/recreate the tcl command first.
2) otherwise a DESCRNAME is created with the text sections of the command, prefaced by
"=". Like "=after 1000" or "=:.m.m add command -command -label Exit" or "=::button
.f3.b8 -text conn -command" or "=gets sock9ac2b50" or "=fileevent sock9827430
writable"
the TCLCODES created for that command will be kept at least until a command with the
same DESCRNAME and containing a subroutine reference is run again. Since many
DESCRNAMES can reference the same TCLNAME only when the last DESCRNAME referencing a
TCLNAME is released is the TCLNAME purged.
NOTE: Since
$interp->call('fileevent','sock9827430','writable'); does not contain a subroutine
reference, it will not release/free the TCLNAME/DESCRNAME created by
$interp->call('fileevent','sock9827430','writable',sub{...}); even though that is
the way you deactivate a writable/readable callback in Tcl.
Prior to V1.06 there was also a problem with the coderef never getting cleared from sas, a
refcount was kept at the PVCV that prevented it from getting garbage collected, but that
SV itself got "lost" and could never be garbage collected, thereby also keeping anything
in that codes PAD.
To assist in tracking chages to the internal table and the commands table 3 trace subs
were added, set them to non-blank or non-zero to add the tracking output to SYSOUT, like
this in your code:
sub Tcl::TRACE_SHOWCODE(){1}
Tcl::TRACE_SHOWCODE
Display all generated Tcl code by call(). Be aware: Tkx::MainLoop runs by issuing a
lot of "winfo exists ." calls, a LOT. But this is a nice way to tell what your
programs are doing to Tcl.
Tcl::TRACE_CREATECOMMAND
Display Tcl subroutine creation by call/create_tcl_sub
Tcl::TRACE_DELETECOMMAND
Display Tcl subroutine deletion by cleanup/delete_ref/_code_dispose
Linking Perl and Tcl variables
You can tie a Perl variable (scalar or hash) into class Tcl::Var so that changes to a Tcl
variable automatically "change" the value of the Perl variable. In fact, as usual with
Perl tied variables, its current value is just fetched from the Tcl variable when needed
and setting the Perl variable triggers the setting of the Tcl variable.
To tie a Perl scalar $scalar to the Tcl variable tclscalar in interpreter $interp with
optional flags $flags (see SetVar above), use
tie $scalar, "Tcl::Var", $interp, "tclscalar", $flags;
Omit the $flags argument if not wanted.
To tie a Perl hash %hash to the Tcl array variable array in interpreter $interp with
optional flags $flags (see SetVar above), use
tie %hash, "Tcl::Var", $interp, "array", $flags;
Omit the $flags argument if not wanted. Any alteration to Perl variable $hash{"key"}
affects the Tcl variable array(key) and vice versa.
Accessing Perl from within Tcl
After creation of Tcl interpreter, in addition to evaluation of Tcl/Tk commands within
Perl, other way round also instantiated. Within a special namespace " ::perl " following
objects are created:
::perl::Eval
So it is possible to use Perl objects from within Tcl.
Moving Tcl/Tk around with Tcl.pm
NOTE: explanations below is for developers managing Tcl/Tk installations itself, users
should skip this section.
In order to create Tcl/Tk application with this module, you need to make sure that Tcl/Tk
is available within visibility of this module. There are many ways to achieve this,
varying on ease of starting things up and providing flexible moveable archived files.
Following list enumerates them, in order of increased possibility to change location.
• First method
Install Tcl/Tk first, then install Perl module Tcl, so installed Tcl/Tk will be used.
This is most normal approach, and no care of Tcl/Tk distribution is taken on Perl side
(this is done on Tcl/Tk side)
• Second method
Copy installed Tcl/Tk binaries to some location, then install Perl module Tcl with a
special action to make Tcl.pm know of this location. This approach makes sure that
only chosen Tcl installation is used.
• Third method
During compiling Tcl Perl module, Tcl/Tk could be statically linked into module's
shared library and all other files zipped into a single archive, so each file
extracted when needed.
To link Tcl/Tk binaries, prepare their libraries and then instruct Makefile.PL to use
these libraries in a link stage. (TODO provide better detailed description)
Other Tcl interpreter methods
export_to_tcl method
An interpreter method, export_to_tcl, is used to expose a number of perl subroutines and
variables all at once into tcl/tk.
export_to_tcl takes a hash as arguments, which represents named parameters, with
following allowed values:
namespace => '...'
tcl namespace, where commands and variables are to be created, defaults to 'perl'.
If '' is specified - then global namespace is used. A possible '::' at end is
stripped.
subs => { ... }
anonymous hash of subs to be created in Tcl, in the form /tcl name/ => /code ref/
vars => { ... }
anonymous hash of vars to be created in Tcl, in the form /tcl name/ => /code ref/
subs_from => '...'
a name of Perl namespace, from where all existing subroutines will be searched and
Tcl command will be created for each of them.
vars_from => '...'
a name of Perl namespace, from where all existing variables will be searched, and
each such variable will be tied to Tcl.
An example:
use strict;
use Tcl;
my $int = Tcl->new;
$tcl::foo = 'qwerty';
$int->export_to_tcl(subs_from=>'tcl',vars_from=>'tcl');
$int->Eval(<<'EOS');
package require Tk
button .b1 -text {a fluffy button} -command perl::fluffy_sub
button .b2 -text {a foo button} -command perl::foo
entry .e -textvariable perl::foo
pack .b1 .b2 .e
focus .b2
tkwait window .
EOS
sub tcl::fluffy_sub {
print "Hi, I am a fluffy sub\n";
}
sub tcl::foo {
print "Hi, I am foo\n";
$tcl::foo++;
}
export_tcl_namespace
extra convenience sub, binds to tcl all subs and vars from perl tcl:: namespace
AUTHORS
Malcolm Beattie, 23 Oct 1994
Vadim Konovalov, 19 May 2003
Jeff Hobbs, jeff (a) activestate . com, 22 Mar 2004
Gisle Aas, gisle (a) activestate . com, 14 Apr 2004
Special thanks for contributions to Jan Dubois, Slaven Rezic, Paul Cochrane, Huck Finn,
Christopher Chavez, SJ Luo.
COPYRIGHT
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same
terms as Perl itself.
See http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html