The New [incr Tcl]:
Objects, Mega-Widgets, Namespaces and More
Michael J. McLennan
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Abstract
The allure of using Tcl/Tk is the way that applications come together
with relative ease. A sticky note facility can be put together in an
hour. A simple video game can be created in an afternoon. But as
applications get larger, Tcl/Tk code becomes more and more difficult
to understand, maintain and extend. [incr Tcl] provides the extra
language support needed to build large Tcl/Tk applications. The
latest release offers better performance and a host of new features.
The global namespace of commands and variables can now be partitioned
into smaller namespaces acting as subsystems. The class facility
extends the concept of namespaces to support unique instances of
objects with similar characteristics. This technology can be used to
create mega-widgets and other high-level building blocks that help
applications come together even faster than before, with better
structure in the resulting code.
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