Structure of This Book
Following this brief introduction, Chapter 2 covers the core features of the Tcl language itself. Chapter 3 covers Tk, the graphical user interface (GUI) toolkit that is probably the most popular Tcl extension. Chapter 4 covers the C-language application programming interface for Tcl, and Chapter 5 does the same for Tk.
Each language extension chapter follows a similar format: after a brief introduction, any special global and environment variables are described, followed by a logically grouped summary of the commands. The heart of each chapter is an alphabetical summary of each command that lists the options in detail. Short programming examples are provided for the more complex commands.
Chapter 6 covers Expect, the first popular application to be built using Tcl. Chapter 7 is on [incr Tcl], which adds object-oriented programming features to Tcl. Chapter 8 covers [incr Tk], a framework for object-oriented graphical widgets built using [incr Tcl].
Chapter 9 covers Tix, a Tk extension that adds powerful graphical widgets. Chapter 10 is on TclX, also known as Extended Tcl, a number of extensions that make Tcl more suited to general-purpose programming. Chapter 11 is on BLT, which provides a number of useful new commands for producing graphs, managing data, and performing other graphics-related functions.
Tcl has good support for relational databases. Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 cover the Tcl extensions for the popular Oracle and Sybase relational databases, and Chapter 14 describes Tclodbc, which supports the Microsoft Windows ODBC database protocol.
Chapter 15, Hints and Tips for the Tcl Programmer, by Tom Poindexter, departs from the style of the rest of the book somewhat by presenting a collection of tips for using Tcl effectively, commonly made errors, and suggestions on programming style.
The Appendix, Tcl Resources, lists further resources on Tcl, both in print and on the Internet. The index cross-references the material in the book, including every Tcl command described in the text.
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