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Tcl Dev Kit User Guide |
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Tcl Dev Kit Release Notes
ActiveState's Tcl Dev Kit is a powerful set of development tools and
an extended Tcl platform for professional Tcl developers.
Tcl Dev Kit is a component of ActiveTcl Pro Studio, which also
includes ActiveState's Komodo IDE enhanced with integrated Tcl
debugging and syntax checking. For more information on ActiveTcl Pro
Studio and its benefits, see ActiveTcl
Pro Studio.
Tcl Dev Kit includes the following Tcl productivity tools:
Binaries for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX and AIX are
available on the ActiveState web site.
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General
- Bugfixes for handling of the Apple menu on OS X.
- Better handling of a missing browser when invoking one for help display, or from the license dialog
- Updated compiler package, fixed a crashing bug (uninitialized variable).
- Fixed serveral issues when option
-merge
is specified:
- Option
-startup
is not required, do not complain when it is missing.
- Compute default architecture from option
-output
, not -prefix
.
- Do not use a 'virtual basekit' as last fallback for package search. We
cannot assume that a basekit, tclkit, etc. is used to run the output.
- Show custom icons in prefered size 32x32, or nearest to this.
- Mount
-prefix
file read-only, preventing bogus change of modified timestamp
for a file which is not written to.
- Updated compiler package, fixed a crashing bug (uninitialized variable).
- Made the rules for Tk public (as Tk.pcx).
- TclOO handling extended to recognize method arguments as variables.
- Fixed problem with handling of
dict for
when -onepass
is active.
- Fixed problem with message output when
-onepass
is active and checked code read from stdin
.
- Fixed handling of format, accept any number of flags in a specification, not just one.
- Fixed problem with main menu when at a breakpoint and a context menu is open.
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- Extended Teapot Server to allow users to provide their own header/footer HTML fragments.
- Extended meta data scanner heuristics to recognize new doctools 'image' markup.
- Updated compiler package to 1.7.1, fixing a bug in the code rewriting engine causing misaligned jumps if the input file contained more than 255 literals.
- Fixed mishandling of startup file infomation in the Files tab when deleting tree entries
- Fixed mishandled selection context information causing the display of the wrong icon on the path classification display
- Fixed improper blanking of table cells in the meta data editor dialogs when editing entries.
- Changed the platform setup in wrapped applications. Dynamic identification is now done only for starkits. For starpacks we use the platform of the prefix file (basekit).
- Updated compiler package to 1.7.1, fixing a bug in the code rewriting engine causing misaligned jumps if the input file contained more than 255 literals.
- Fixed loss of messages by bad checkUserProc/checkProcCall interaction.
- Extended the handling of 'default' branches in switch/case commands to detect when they are not the last branch, and warn about misplaced default handler
- Fixes in the code tracking indentations for style warnings. switch/case did not take the list into account the branches could be a part of.
- Fixed mishandling of [info script PATH] commands in debugged code.
- Added recognition of the Tcl 8.5+ switch options -nocase, -matchvar, and -indexvar
- Added proper support for ITcl version 4 used with Tcl 8.6+
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- Added display of license information to the About Box.
- Platform information shown by the Package Selection Dialog tweaked for clarity.
- Show ok/fail information in the exit status of TclApp.
- Fixed problems in the command line processing which wrongly cut it short in some situations.
- Added definition for the math function entier/1.
- Fixed a performance regression which caused a quadratic slowdown of the instrumenter.
- Fixed a problem with instrumenting Tcl 8.6's [try] command, clashed with TclBlend support (java::try).
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- Trial versions show the number of remaining days in the title bars.
- Support for the two new bytecode instructions of Tcl 8.6 (tclcompiler86).
- Now detecting when bytecompiled files are used as input.
- Preventing double-compilation of such files.
- Checking Tcl version embedded in the bytecode of such files against the Tcl version of the prefix file.
- Added support for Tcl 8.6 commands and features.
- Added option -indent to configure indentation style.
- Extended command line support with 'unwrap' command.
- Added ability to open the current file in Komodo.
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- Support for byte-compiling of Tcl code for Tcl 8.6 basekits.
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- Two new machine-readable output formats and options to
activate them (-as dict, -as script)
- New generation of suggestions on how to modify commands to
fix the found problems, where possible.
- Added support for Tcl 8.6.
- New checks of coding style.
- New support for user-defined options (PCO files)
- New support for line-based suppression of output
(-range)
- Bugfixes.
- Extended support for multi-architecture starkits.
- Easier cross-platform wrapping through the new ability to select basekits directly from configured TEApot repositories.
- Extended operations on starkits and starpacks from the commandline.
- Extended command line interface
New in Version 4.1, April 2008
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- TclDebugger - Added support for multi-threaded debugging.
- TclDebugger - Added support for 'snit', 'TclOO'.
- TclChecker - Added support for 'snit', 'TclOO', 'XOTcl'.
- TclApp - Improved OS X support. Automatic handling of option
-psnXXX
for OS X bundles.
New in Version 4.0.4, November 2007
General
New in Version 4.0.3, October 2007
General
- General. Fixed problem with the tools not able to run on
Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon). Updated underlying basekits
to upx 3.00.
New in Version 4.0.2, September 2007
General
- Bugfixes for several tools. Most notably we improved on
the 8.4/8.5 Compiler differentiation in TclApp.
New in Version 4.0.1, July 2007
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- TclApp - New switch '-postcode' (+ gui text entry)
- TclApp - Enhanced checking of basekits for Tcl version and
architecture information.
Tcl Dev Kit 4.0, May 2007
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- Mac OS X and Solaris x86 support.
- Tcl 8.5 support.
- Integration of the TEApot package repository.
- General facelift of all tools, including themed widgets.
- TEApot integration: Packages for inclusion in
wrapped applications can be sourced from the ActiveState TEApot
repository, making it easier to wrap applications for
multiple platforms. Packages can also be sourced from .tap files or
other TEApot repositories.
- APP bundles: Support for the ".app" directory
structure for GUI applications on Mac OS X.
- Metadata: A
-metadata
option has
been added to support metadata key/value pairs used by TEA packages
('name', 'version', 'platform' etc.). An -infoplist
option has also been added for specifying Info.plist
metadata for OS X applications
- TEApot integration: Can read and write TEApot
packages, generate TEApot packages from spec, and expand TEApot
packages into directories.
- Recognition of inline pragmas to control the checker's behaviour
in detail.
- Can now look in OS X .app bundles if the executable inside is
mountable (starkit/starpack).
- Can now scan TEApot metadata (teapot.txt).
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Tcl Dev Kit 3.2, April 2005
General
- Bugfixes for several tools.
- Removed the embedded ActiveTcl distribution. The Tcl Dev
Kit applications now work with any (Active)Tcl installation they find.
- Removed the Tcl Browser Plugin distribution.
Tcl Dev Kit Compiler
Tcl Dev Kit TclApp
- Revised the search for package
definition files. TclApp now manages a list of paths to
search in its global preferences. Default values are set
during installation based on the found (Active)Tcl
installations.
- Added a new tab Kit Info allowing the
editing of the string information embedded in Windows
executables (Copyright, Version, ...). The associated command
line option is -stringinfo.
Tcl Virtual Filesystem Explorer
- Extended the Version Tab in the File Properties Dialog to
allow editing of the shown string information embedded into
Windows executables.
Tcl Dev Kit 3.1.1: December, 2004
General
- Updated to the ActiveTcl 8.4.9 code base.
- Bugfixes for several tools.
Tcl Dev Kit Compiler
- Now providing the sources of package
tbcload.
Tcl Dev Kit 3.1: March, 2004
General
- In all the graphical tools, Ctrl-plus
and Ctrl-minus can be used to increase or decrease the font size.
Alternatively, Ctrl-MouseWheel will have the same effect on
operating systems where the mouse wheel is supported.
- Tcllib version 1.6 is supported.
- The HTML version of the documentation now has search functionality.
Cross Reference Tool
- Scanning performance is faster (approximately 14 times faster), uses
less memory, and generates a smaller database (by approximately 60%).
- The 3.1 version of the Cross Reference Tool can read databases
generated by the 3.0 version; however, 3.1 databases cannot be read
by the 3.0 version.
Virtual Filesystem Explorer
- If the icon associated with a file type is "known" (based on the file's
extension), it will be displayed more quickly. The file will subsequently
be analyzed for identifying characteristics, and the icon will be updated
if necessary. Icon identification is more intelligent; in addition to looking
within the file, the application will also look in the registry (on Windows)
and, if an association is found, the icon embedded in the associated
application is used.
- On Unix systems, the Virtual Filesystem Explorer now displays (by
default) the current user's HOME directory in the directory panel.
TclApp
- The graphical version of TclApp now displays the corresponding
command-line string in the output displayed on the Run
tab.
- The Files tab has a new "Scan" button that lists
the packages required by the items that have already been added on
the Files tab.
Tcl Debugger
- Tooltips can be disabled (or re-enabled) via the
Windows tab in the Preferences.
Inspector
- Tooltips can be disabled (or re-enabled) via the Help | Show
Tooltips menu option.
Browser Plugin
- The plugin initialization crashing issue on HP-UX and Solaris has been
corrected.
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Tcl Dev Kit 3.0: November, 2003
Tcl Dev Kit version 3.0 includes two new tools and numerous enhancements to
existing tools. The following sections provide a brief overview of the new tools
and enhancements to existing tools. Refer to the relevant chapter in the
User Guide for a complete description.
Project files from previous versions of the Tcl Dev Kit are compatible
with this version.
The Virtual Filesystem Explorer is used to mount and navigate system drives
and volumes, to view the contents of archive files with .zip extensions,
and to view the contents of starkits and starpacks. Refer to the
Virtual Filesystem Explorer section
in the User Guide for complete information.
Running the Virtual Filesystem Explorer:
Windows
- Start Menu: Start | Programs | ActiveState
Tcl Dev Kit | Tcl Dev Kit VFS Explorer
- Command Line:
tclvfse.tcl
Unix
The Cross Reference Tool is a new application that builds a
database of program components, including packages, namespaces, variables,
etc. Program component information can be extracted from programs and
packages contained in TclApp
(or Prowrap) projects, Tcl Dev Kit
Package definitions (".tap files"), and
from
Komodo
project files. The database can be explored via any of the program components.
For example, the Cross Reference Tool can be used to view commands and variables
within namespaces, or the source of variable definitions. Refer to the
Cross Reference Tool section of the User
Guide for complete information.
Running the Cross Reference Tool:
Windows
- Start Menu: Start | Programs | ActiveState
Tcl Dev Kit | Tcl Dev Kit Cross Reference Tool
- Command Line:
tclxref.tcl
Unix
- Renamed Executable: To start the debugger from the
Windows command line, enter
tcldebugger.tcl
. From the Unix
command line, enter tcldebugger
.
- Integrated Coverage: It it no longer necessary to
invoke the debugger with the
coverage
switch; coverage
functionality is accessible via the View | Code Coverage
menu option, or via the Code Coverage button on the toolbar.
- Profiling: Profiling has been extended to include a
timing mechanism. Timing information for individual calls is displayed on
the Calls tab in the Code Coverage and
Profiling dialog.
- Debugging Multiple Processes: The debugger can
"spawn" another debugger process. To control spawning, use
the sub-commands on the Debug | Breakpoints menu
("Add all Spawnpoints" (each line where...); "Add Spawnpoint" (a specific
line where a new debugger process should be spawned); "Disable Spawnpoint").
- User Preferences: User preferences from previous
Tcl Dev Kit versions (such as debugger color usage) will not be imported
during installation, and must be manually re-configured.
- Renamed Executable: To start the graphical version of
the Checker from the Windows command line, enter
tclchecker.tcl
.
From the Unix command line, enter tclchecker
.
- Package Versions: The
-use
option allows
a version specification, and overrides package require
statements. For example, -use tk4.1
will scan against version
4.1 of Tk, even if the package require
statement specified a
different Tk version.
- Variables: The Checker now scans variable usage.
- Checker API: The
Checker API is documented in the
User Guide.
- Renamed Executable: To start the Compiler from the
Windows command line, enter
tclcompiler.tcl
. From the Unix
command line, enter tclcompiler
.
- 8.3 Compiler: The 8.3-compatible compiler is no longer
included.
- Renamed Executable: To start the graphical version of
TclApp from the Windows command line, enter
tclapp.tcl
. From
the Unix command line, enter tclapp
. To use the command-line
version, append options to the command.
- Icon Preview:
In the graphical TclApp,
if an icon is associated with the selected Prefix file (as
specified on the Wrapping tab), the icon will be displayed
to the left of the Prefix file field.
- Custom Icons: Custom icons can be assigned to wrapped
applications using the Custom icon field on the
Wrapping tab of the
graphical TclApp, or
using the
-icon path
command-line switch.
- Starkit to Starpack Conversion: TclApp can be used
to convert starkits into starpacks.
- Command-Line Logging: When using the
command-line
version of TclApp, output can be written to a log file using the new
-log
switch.
- Default Extensions: When using a
-prefix
file, the prefix file's extension will be used as the default extension
for the generated application (if no explicit output file name is specified).
If the prefix has no extension, the name of the generated application will
have no extension.
- Package Versions: If the version of a package specified
in a TclApp project file does not exist, the
command-line version of
TclApp will fail unless the
-pkg-accept
switch is used (which
will use the highest available version of the package).
When using the
graphical TclApp,
a message will be displayed when opening the project file, and the highest
available version of the specified package will be used.
- Renamed Executable: To start the Package
Editor from the Windows command line, enter
tclpe.tcl
.
From the Unix command line, enter tclpe
.
- Renamed Executable: To start the Service Manager
from the Windows command line, enter
tclsvc.tcl
.
- Service Base Kit: The Tcl Dev Kit includes a new base
kit ("
base-tclsvc-win32-ix86.exe
") that can be used to build
"portable" services. When using TclApp to generate the application, specify
base-tclsvc-win32-ix86.exe
as the prefix file. This service
can then be installed on any system (using the Tcl Dev Kit's Service
Manager) that supports Windows NT-based services.
- Renamed Executable: To start the Inspector from the
Windows command line, enter
tclinspector.tcl
.
From the Unix command line, enter tclinspector
.
- Updated Icons: The icons in the Inspector have been
updated.
Documentation and Demos
- Demos: The demonstration programs included with the
Tcl Dev Kit have been updated and expanded. See the
Demos page for a list and brief
description of each program.
- Tutorials: There is a new
Debugging Subprocesses tutorial;
the Building TclApps tutorial
has been expanded to include wrapping extensions and DLLs.
Tcl Dev Kit 3.0 Beta 1: November, 2003
Tcl Dev Kit 2.6: May, 2003
- TclApp supports a new
-interpreter option for specifying
the interpreter to be included with starkits.
- TclApp supports a new
-notbcload option that prevents
the inclusion of the
tbcload
package in the output application.
- The debugger now passes STDOUT and
STDERR output, and prompts for STDIN input, via the Eval Console.
Tcl Dev Kit 2.5: February, 2003
- The Tcl Dev Kit Wrapper has been replaced by the new TclApp component.
This component is capable of generating starkits, starpacks and Windows
services.
- The Tcl Dev Kit includes a new "Service Manager" component for registering
Windows services built with TclApp.
- The Inspector component is now fully exposed; previously, only aspects
of the Inspector were utilized by the Debugger with Coverage component.
- This version of the Tcl Dev Kit includes the Tcl Browser Plugin for
Internet Explorer and browsers based on the Netscape plug-in API.
Tcl Dev Kit 2.5 beta 2: February, 2003
Tcl Dev Kit 2.5 beta 1: January, 2003
Tcl Dev Kit 2.1: November, 2002
- Based on the Tcl 8.3.5 core; the Tcl 8.4 components are based on 8.4.1
- Additional Wrapper stubs to support Tcl 8.4-based applications. See
Specifying the Tcl Interpreter for
a list of command-line interpreters, or Wrapping
Tab for information on specifying interpreters in the graphical Wrapper.
- Compiler support for Tcl 8.4-based applications.
- The Wrapper stubs for the "-lite" variants of the
bigtclsh
and
bigwish
interpreters are now the default. The non-lite versions
are no longer supported.
Tcl Dev Kit 2.0.1: October, 2002
- TclXML version 2.3 (including expat)
- TclDOM version 2.3
- Fixed bug in handling of PATHEXT variable when running a Windows
installation as a user without administrative rights
Tcl Dev Kit 2.0: August, 2002
- Graphical Compiler The Tcl Dev Kit Compiler has a new
graphical interface.
- Graphical Wrapper The Tcl Dev Kit Wrapper has a new
graphical interface.
- Code Profiling The Tcl Dev Kit Debugger now provides code
coverage analysis and profiling.
- View Syntax Errors in Debugger The Tcl Dev Kit Debugger has a
new Syntax Errors dialog
that can be used to quickly list and display all the errors in programs
open in the code display.
- Checker API The Tcl Dev Kit Checker documentation now
includes the Checker Interface
Specification, for writing custom checker packages.
- Variable Value Formatting You can now specify the format
(hex, octal, etc) in which variable values are displayed in the Variable Display pane, the
Watch Variables window and
the Data Display
window.
- Support for Tcl 8.4
- Project Management The file format for debugger projects
has changed between Tcl Dev Kit version 1 and 2. Version 1 .tpj files can still be opened
by the debugger; changes to version 1 projects will still be stored in the version
1 format. However, information about variable value formatting cannot be stored
in version 1 project files. New projects will always use the version 2 format.
TclPro 2.0 beta 1: June, 2002
TclPro 1.5.0.2: January, 2002
- TclPro Wrapper: fixed a bug where big shells (for
wrapping of scripts that used [incr Tcl], TclX, ...) were not being
distributed
- TclPro Wrapper: reintroduced *-dynamic shells to
distribution
- ActiveTcl 8.3.4.2: support (and inclusion) of the
latest ActiveTcl version
TclPro 1.5.0.1: December, 2001
TclPro 1.5.0.1 beta 1: October, 2001
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- If the file type icon displayed in the Virtual Filesystem Explorer
changes based on file analysis, the new icon will not change until the
window is refreshed (for example, by covering then uncovering the
application).
- User preferences from previous Tcl Dev Kit versions (such as debugger
color usage) will not be imported during installation, and must be manually
re-configured.
- The compiled help file cannot be opened on Windows NT4 systems.
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- For installation-related support issues, please send questions to
support@ActiveState.com.
- Subscribe to the Tcl
mailing lists. Mailing list information and list archives can be viewed
on ASPN,
the ActiveState Programmer Network.
- See the Resources topic for more Tcl
information sources.
- Submit an online
Bug Report. From this form, you can also view existing bugs and check
the status of previous submissions. When submitting a bug report, please
include all relevant details and one or more examples that will help us reproduce
the problem.
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