Tcl and the Tk Toolkit (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Ousterhout's Tcl and the Tk Toolkit was one of the first books on Tcl (tool command language) and Tk (toolkit) and has become one of the classics in the field. Written by the developer of Tcl and Tk, the text takes a no-nonsense approach to the language, describing the elements of Tcl and Tk in programming-reference-style detail. If you are already familiar with a C-like language and want a just-the-facts introduction to Tcl and Tk, this is the book for you. The manual is divided into four sections: a description of the Tcl language, an introduction to Tk, a discussion of the Tcl/C interface, and information about the Tk/C interface. Although there are no fully worked out programs, code snippets illustrate how to use control structures and data types. Written in 1994, the book is based on Tcl 7.3 and Tk 3.6 and does not cover the most recent versions of Tcl and Tk.

Product Description

This book introduces two systems, Tcl and Tk, that together provide a simple, inexpensive, and yet powerful programming system for developing and using windowing applications. Both a tutorial and reference, the book provides a comprehensive introduction to the major concepts and the philosophy of how to use Tcl and Tk.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (April 10, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 020163337X
• ISBN-13: 978-0201633375
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #631,203 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excllent introduction to Tcl/Tk, November 27, 1999

By	booklover "booklover" (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This is the best tutorial on Tcl/Tk. It is wonderfully clear and well organized.

The book deals with earlier versions of Tcl and Tk but I've yet to run across an example that doesn't work. (I'm sure there are some.)

This book helped me greatly when I decided to learn Tcl/Tk, and it is a pleasure to read.

The author is the creator of Tcl/Tk and a superb educator as well.

The book has a UNIX orientation though I tried on the software on my Windows 98 machine and found that his examples work. He uses the X-windows system as a basis but his explanation of X is so simple and clear I did not find my ignorance of it a problem. Also the Tk I'm using (8.2) on Windows 98 works great with his examples.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best way to learn Tcl/Tk, and a great reference, December 29, 1999

By	Mike Christie (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although more detailed books like Welch's 'Practical Programming in Tcl and Tk' are very useful, Ousterhout's original book is still the best way to learn the language. His style is clear and concise, and he covers the core of the language with good examples and thorough explanatory text.

The layout is clean and easy to read, without any space wasted on fancy graphics or eye-candy. Instead, you get clear tables laying out what happens, or listing the commands in a certain functionality area. For example, page 122 has a table I've gone back to many times that lists the different return values from catch.

Even though I have and use other Tcl books, when I just want to check a point of syntax or verify functionality, this is the one I go to. It's an invaluable book for a Tcl/Tk developer.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is Just a Great Book, February 17, 2007

By	Joaquin Menchaca (San José, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've read other books written by the authors of the language, and found them to be lacking. But this author's book is really well organized, thoughtful, clear, and has great explanations. I was up and running creating widgets, etc. in a matter of no time.

I think this book is more of an instructional guide (and a damn good one too), but I don't believe it is oriented as a reference guide. I know that there were a few gripes on this should be both, but I wouldn't want that. Technology changes, so I prefer references to remain online. Gone are the days to cart a wheel-barrel of reference material for a given project, only to be obsoleted in a few years.

This book opened the doors to the great wonderful world of Tcl/Tk. And I am confident it will help others in years to come.