151 lines
7.2 KiB
Markdown
151 lines
7.2 KiB
Markdown
# README: Tcl
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This is the **Tcl 8.6.12** source distribution.
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You can get any source release of Tcl from [our distribution
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site](https://sourceforge.net/projects/tcl/files/Tcl/).
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[](https://github.com/tcltk/tcl/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Linux%22+branch%3Acore-8-6-branch)
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[](https://github.com/tcltk/tcl/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Windows%22+branch%3Acore-8-6-branch)
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[](https://github.com/tcltk/tcl/actions?query=workflow%3A%22macOS%22+branch%3Acore-8-6-branch)
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## Contents
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1. [Introduction](#intro)
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2. [Documentation](#doc)
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3. [Compiling and installing Tcl](#build)
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4. [Development tools](#devtools)
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5. [Tcl newsgroup](#complangtcl)
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6. [The Tcler's Wiki](#wiki)
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7. [Mailing lists](#email)
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8. [Support and Training](#support)
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9. [Tracking Development](#watch)
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10. [Thank You](#thanks)
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## <a id="intro">1.</a> Introduction
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Tcl provides a powerful platform for creating integration applications that
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tie together diverse applications, protocols, devices, and frameworks.
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When paired with the Tk toolkit, Tcl provides the fastest and most powerful
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way to create GUI applications that run on PCs, Unix, and Mac OS X.
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Tcl can also be used for a variety of web-related tasks and for creating
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powerful command languages for applications.
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Tcl is maintained, enhanced, and distributed freely by the Tcl community.
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Source code development and tracking of bug reports and feature requests
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take place at [core.tcl-lang.org](https://core.tcl-lang.org/).
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Tcl/Tk release and mailing list services are [hosted by
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SourceForge](https://sourceforge.net/projects/tcl/)
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with the Tcl Developer Xchange hosted at
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[www.tcl-lang.org](https://www.tcl-lang.org).
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Tcl is a freely available open-source package. You can do virtually
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anything you like with it, such as modifying it, redistributing it,
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and selling it either in whole or in part. See the file
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`license.terms` for complete information.
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## <a id="doc">2.</a> Documentation
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Extensive documentation is available on our website.
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The home page for this release, including new features, is
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[here](https://www.tcl-lang.org/software/tcltk/8.6.html).
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Detailed release notes can be found at the
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[file distributions page](https://sourceforge.net/projects/tcl/files/Tcl/)
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by clicking on the relevant version.
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Information about Tcl itself can be found at the [Developer
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Xchange](https://www.tcl-lang.org/about/).
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There have been many Tcl books on the market. Many are mentioned in
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[the Wiki](https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/_/ref?N=25206).
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The complete set of reference manual entries for Tcl 8.6 is [online,
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here](https://www.tcl-lang.org/man/tcl8.6/).
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### <a id="doc.unix">2a.</a> Unix Documentation
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The `doc` subdirectory in this release contains a complete set of
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reference manual entries for Tcl. Files with extension "`.1`" are for
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programs (for example, `tclsh.1`); files with extension "`.3`" are for C
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library procedures; and files with extension "`.n`" describe Tcl
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commands. The file "`doc/Tcl.n`" gives a quick summary of the Tcl
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language syntax. To print any of the man pages on Unix, cd to the
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"doc" directory and invoke your favorite variant of troff using the
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normal -man macros, for example
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groff -man -Tpdf Tcl.n >output.pdf
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to print Tcl.n to PDF. If Tcl has been installed correctly and your "man" program
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supports it, you should be able to access the Tcl manual entries using the
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normal "man" mechanisms, such as
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man Tcl
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### <a id="doc.win">2b.</a> Windows Documentation
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The "doc" subdirectory in this release contains a complete set of Windows
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help files for Tcl. Once you install this Tcl release, a shortcut to the
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Windows help Tcl documentation will appear in the "Start" menu:
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Start | Programs | Tcl | Tcl Help
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## <a id="build">3.</a> Compiling and installing Tcl
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There are brief notes in the `unix/README`, `win/README`, and `macosx/README`
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about compiling on these different platforms. There is additional information
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about building Tcl from sources
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[online](https://www.tcl-lang.org/doc/howto/compile.html).
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## <a id="devtools">4.</a> Development tools
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ActiveState produces a high-quality set of commercial quality development
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tools that is available to accelerate your Tcl application development.
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Tcl Dev Kit builds on the earlier TclPro toolset and provides a debugger,
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static code checker, single-file wrapping utility, bytecode compiler, and
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more. More information can be found at
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https://www.activestate.com/products/tcl/
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## <a id="complangtcl">5.</a> Tcl newsgroup
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There is a USENET newsgroup, "`comp.lang.tcl`", intended for the exchange of
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information about Tcl, Tk, and related applications. The newsgroup is a
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great place to ask general information questions. For bug reports, please
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see the "Support and bug fixes" section below.
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## <a id="wiki">6.</a> Tcl'ers Wiki
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There is a [wiki-based open community site](https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/)
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covering all aspects of Tcl/Tk.
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It is dedicated to the Tcl programming language and its extensions. A
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wealth of useful information can be found there. It contains code
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snippets, references to papers, books, and FAQs, as well as pointers to
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development tools, extensions, and applications. You can also recommend
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additional URLs by editing the wiki yourself.
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## <a id="email">7.</a> Mailing lists
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Several mailing lists are hosted at SourceForge to discuss development or use
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issues (like Macintosh and Windows topics). For more information and to
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subscribe, visit [here](https://sourceforge.net/projects/tcl/) and go to the
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Mailing Lists page.
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## <a id="support">8.</a> Support and Training
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We are very interested in receiving bug reports, patches, and suggestions for
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improvements. We prefer that you send this information to us as tickets
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entered into [our issue tracker](https://core.tcl-lang.org/tcl/reportlist).
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We will log and follow-up on each bug, although we cannot promise a
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specific turn-around time. Enhancements may take longer and may not happen
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at all unless there is widespread support for them (we're trying to
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slow the rate at which Tcl/Tk turns into a kitchen sink). It's very
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difficult to make incompatible changes to Tcl/Tk at this point, due to
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the size of the installed base.
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The Tcl community is too large for us to provide much individual support for
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users. If you need help we suggest that you post questions to `comp.lang.tcl`
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or ask a question on [Stack
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Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/tcl). We read the
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newsgroup and will attempt to answer esoteric questions for which no one else
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is likely to know the answer. In addition, see the wiki for [links to other
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organizations](https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/training) that offer Tcl/Tk training.
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## <a id="watch">9.</a> Tracking Development
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Tcl is developed in public. You can keep an eye on how Tcl is changing at
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[core.tcl-lang.org](https://core.tcl-lang.org/).
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## <a id="thanks">10.</a> Thank You
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We'd like to express our thanks to the Tcl community for all the
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helpful suggestions, bug reports, and patches we have received.
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Tcl/Tk has improved vastly and will continue to do so with your help.
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