NAME

       cksum - Calculate a cksum(1) compatible checksum

SYNOPSIS

       package require Tcl  8.2

       package require cksum  ?1.1.3?

       ::crc::cksum  ?-format format? ?-chunksize size? [ -channel chan | -filename file | string
       ]

       ::crc::CksumInit

       ::crc::CksumUpdate token data

       ::crc::CksumFinal token

_________________________________________________________________

DESCRIPTION

       This  package  provides  a  Tcl  implementation  of  the  cksum(1)  algorithm  based  upon
       information  provided  at  in  the  GNU  implementation of this program as part of the GNU
       Textutils 2.0 package.

COMMANDS

       ::crc::cksum ?-format format? ?-chunksize size? [ -channel chan | -filename file |  string
       ]
              The  command  takes  string  data  or a channel or file name and returns a checksum
              value calculated using the cksum(1) algorithm. The result is  formatted  using  the
              format(3tcl) specifier provided or as an unsigned integer (%u) by default.

OPTIONS

       -channel name
              Return a checksum for the data read from a channel. The command will read data from
              the channel until the eof is true. If you need to be able to process events  during
              this calculation see the PROGRAMMING INTERFACE section

       -filename name
              This  is  a  convenience option that opens the specified file, sets the encoding to
              binary and then acts as if the -channel option had been used. The file is closed on
              completion.

       -format string
              Return the checksum using an alternative format template.

PROGRAMMING INTERFACE

       The  cksum  package  implements  the checksum using a context variable to which additional
       data can be added at any time. This is expecially useful in  an  event  based  environment
       such  as  a  Tk application or a web server package. Data to be checksummed may be handled
       incrementally during a  fileevent  handler  in  discrete  chunks.  This  can  improve  the
       interactive  nature  of  a  GUI  application  and  can  help  to  avoid  excessive  memory
       consumption.

       ::crc::CksumInit
              Begins a new cksum context. Returns a token ID that must be used for the  remaining
              functions. An optional seed may be specified if required.

       ::crc::CksumUpdate token data
              Add  data to the checksum identified by token. Calling CksumUpdate $token "abcd" is
              equivalent to calling CksumUpdate $token "ab" followed by CksumUpdate $token  "cb".
              See EXAMPLES.

       ::crc::CksumFinal token
              Returns the checksum value and releases any resources held by this token. Once this
              command completes the token will be invalid. The result is a 32 bit integer value.

EXAMPLES

              % crc::cksum "Hello, World!"
              2609532967

              % crc::cksum -format 0x%X "Hello, World!"
              0x9B8A5027

              % crc::cksum -file cksum.tcl
              1828321145

              % set tok [crc::CksumInit]
              % crc::CksumUpdate $tok "Hello, "
              % crc::CksumUpdate $tok "World!"
              % crc::CksumFinal $tok
              2609532967

AUTHORS

       Pat Thoyts

BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK

       This document, and the package it describes,  will  undoubtedly  contain  bugs  and  other
       problems.    Please   report   such  in  the  category  crc  of  the  Tcllib  SF  Trackers
       [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883].   Please  also  report  any  ideas   for
       enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

SEE ALSO

       crc32(3tcl), sum(3tcl)

KEYWORDS

       checksum, cksum, crc, crc32, cyclic redundancy check, data integrity, security

CATEGORY

       Hashes, checksums, and encryption

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (c) 2002, Pat Thoyts