TCL/TK for Dummies [Paperback]

Tim Webster (Author), Alex Francis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0764501526 | ISBN-13: 978-0764501524

Just what you need -- another programming language that promises to transform your Web site into an interactive multimedia powerhouse. But before you roll your eyes, consider this: Tcl/Tk, the new scripting language from the folks who gave us Java, not only adds interactivity and multimedia to Web pages, but it's also easy to use -- even for non-programmers. And Tcl/Tk For Dummies makes easy-to-use even easier.

A practical, comprehensive reference, Tcl/Tk For Dummies introduces you to the language and what you can do with it. Authors Tim Webster and Alex Francis quickly get you up to speed writing your own tclets, compact programs that run within Web pages viewed in the Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browsing programs. The authors spell out the language's simple syntax and present the commands, procedures, functions, variables, and other elements that make up Tcl/Tk. They also show you how to use widgets, convenient, ready-to-use components that you can add to your Tcl/Tk programs.

In addition, Tcl/Tk For Dummies provides hands-on information on how to do things like

• Develop useful applications that run within a Web browser as if they were traditional, stand-alone programs running under a regular operating system
• Write platform-independent scripts that run on Windows, Mac OS, UNIX, and even on BeOS platforms
• Create animation and games to add value and fun to Web pages
• Improve your Web server's performance by shifting the burden from server-side CGI scripts to client-side Tcl/Tk scripts

Plus, the Tcl/Tk For Dummies CD-ROM includes the Mac and Windows Tcl/Tk 8.0 development software with Wish 8.0, and HTML editor, and plenty of sample code from the book.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Unix users like to write scripts--automated routines that perform tasks more quickly or efficiently than manual labor but are easier to write than full-fledged compiled programs. You can use scripts to automate many routine tasks, such as the process of creating hundreds of new user accounts. Two of the newest scripting languages are Tool Command Language and Tool Kit, most often referred to collectively as Tcl/Tk. Tcl/Tk for Dummies effectively introduces this utilitarian suite of tools and promises to have you writing useful scripts quickly.

Authors Webster and Francis begin with Wish, the editor-with-training-wheels of Tcl/Tk development. They promptly move ahead into writing source code with a text editor, requiring the reader to write a simple Tclet in the process. The authors then document the language, devoting chapters to commands, variables, substitution, control structures, lists, and strings. After that, Webster and Francis document procedures, functions, and widgets--which you use to create graphical interfaces for Tcl/Tk programs--and their exposed services.

The final portion of this book will prove useful to those attempting to solve simple problems with Tcl/Tk. The authors assemble a menagerie of Tclets (on the companion CD-ROM) that you can use as they are or modify to fit slightly different purposes. These canned Tclets include some Internet-ready samples, which illustrate the languages' capacities to work with URLs and network data.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (September 26, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764501526
• ISBN-13: 978-0764501524
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,142,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book is by Dummies, not for them!, January 15, 2000

By 

Ronald Nissley - See all my reviews

This review is from: TCL/TK for Dummies (Paperback)

I was highly disappointed by the quality of this book. This book is so full of bugs it should only be used for kindling (you might get your money's worth). Previously, I had wonderful experiences with 'Dummies' books, but this one is awful. I tested many of the examples and was forced to edit many of them for the programs to work properly. Also, many of the figures and screenshots are out of place -- or their captions are irelevant to them. One other complaint -- a big one -- I don't know if this happened to all of the CDs, but mine didn't have close to everything that the book advertises! Speak of aggravating! The book will sometimes refer to an example that is on the CD, but when you look for it, it's simply not there. Oh, by the way, I only gave this book a star because I was unable to submit the review otherwise!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book couldn't be worse, December 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: TCL/TK for Dummies (Paperback)

This book is terrible. I picked it up on sale for at a local computer store, but it wasn't even worth that price. This book is like a cockroach infestation; the number of bugs is unbearable. Examples don't appear in the right places, and they appear with the wrong headings, as do screenshots, etc... I'm not sure whoever proofread this one before it went out, but they should be fired. Do yourself a huge favor and buy another Tcl/Tk... this one is best avoided.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars don't even bother with this book, May 7, 2002

By 

Mick Weiss (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: TCL/TK for Dummies (Paperback)

if provides a VERY general overview on creating a few buttons and using wish... Thats it. It can be used to show someone what tcl can do. ...In general, the technical books that are "For Dummies" ...[are no good].

If your a programmer (or hope to write widgets in tcl/tk) get a different book.