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# tool(n) 0.4.2 tcllib "Standardized OO Framework for development"

## Name

tool - Dictionary Tools

## Synopsis

- package require Tcl 8.6
- package require sha1
- package require dicttool
- package require oo::meta
- package require oo::dialect

- tool::define class_method arglist body
- tool::define array name contents
- tool::define array_ensemble methodname varname ?cases?
- tool::define dict_ensemble methodname varname ?cases?
- tool::define method methodname arglist body
- tool::define option name dictopts
- tool::define property ?branch? field value
- tool::define variable name value
- object cget option
- object configure ?keyvaluelist?
- object configure field value ?field? ?value? ?...?
- object configurelist ?keyvaluelist?
- object forward stub forward
- object graft stub forward
- object InitializePublic
- object Eval_Script ?script?
- object Option_Default field

## Description

This module implements the Tcl Object Oriented Library framework, or TOOL. It is intended to be a general purpose framework that is useable in its own right, and easily extensible.

TOOL defines a metaclass with provides several additional keywords to the TclOO description langauge, default behaviors for its consituent objects, and top-down integration with the capabilities provided by the oo::meta package.

The TOOL metaclass was build with the oo::dialect package, and thus can be used as the basis for additional metaclasses. As a metaclass, TOOL has it's own "class" class, "object" class, and define namespace.

    # tool::class workds just like oo::class
    tool::class create myclass {
    }
    # tool::define works just like oo::define
    tool::define myclass method noop {} {}
    # tool::define and tool::class understand additional keywords
    tool::define myclass array_ensemble mysettings mysettings {}
    # And tool interoperates with oo::define
    oo::define myclass method do_something {} { return something }
    # TOOL and TclOO objects are interchangeable
    oo::class create myooclass {
      superclass myclass
    }

Several manual pages go into more detail about specific keywords and methods.

tool::array_ensemble
tool::dict_ensemble
tool::method_ensemble
tool::object
tool::option_handling

## Keywords

TOOL adds new (or modifies) keywords used in the definitions of classes. However, the new keywords are only available via calls to tool::class create or tool::define

tool::define class_method arglist body

  Defines a method for the class object itself. This method will be passed on to descendents of the class, unlike self method.

tool::define array name contents

  Declares a variable name which will be initialized as an array, populated with contents for objects of this class, as well as any objects for classes which are descendents of this class.

tool::define array_ensemble methodname varname ?cases?

  Declares a method ensemble methodname which will control access to variable varname. Cases are a key/value list of method names and bodies which will be overlaid on top of the standard template. See tool::array_ensemble.

  One method name is reserved: initialize. initialize Declares the initial values to be populated in the array, as a key/value list, and will not be expressed as a method for the ensemble.

tool::define dict_ensemble methodname varname ?cases?

  Declares a method ensemble methodname which will control access to variable varname. Cases are a key/value list of method names and bodies which will be overlaid on top of the standard template. See tool::dict_ensemble.

  One method name is reserved: initialize. initialize Declares the initial values to be populated in the array, as a key/value list, and will not be expressed as a method for the ensemble.

tool::define method methodname arglist body

  If methodname contains ::, the method is considered to be part of a method ensemble. See tool::method_ensembles. Otherwise this command behaves exactly like the standard oo::define method command.

tool::define option name dictopts

  Declares an option. dictopts is a key/value list defining parameters for the option. See tool::option_handling.

      tool::class create myclass {
        option color {
          post-command: {puts [list %self%'s %field% is now %value%]}
          default: green
        }
      }
      myclass create foo
      foo configure color purple
      > foo's color is now purple

tool::define property ?branch? field value

  Defines a new leaf in the class metadata tree. With no branch, the leaf will appear in the const section, accessible by either the object's property method, or via oo::meta::info class get const field:

tool::define variable name value

  Declares a variable name which will be initialized with the value value for objects of this class, as well as any objects for classes which are descendents of this class.

## Public Object Methods

The TOOL object mother of all classes defines several methods to enforces consistent behavior throughout the framework.

object cget option

  Return the value of this object's option option. If the property options_strict is true for this class, calling an option which was not declared by the option keyword will throw an error. In all other cases if the value is present in the object's options array that value is returned. If it does not exist, the object will attempt to retrieve a property of the same name.

object configure ?keyvaluelist?
object configure field value ?field? ?value? ?...?

  This command will inject new values into the objects options array, according to the rules as set forth by the option descriptions. See tool::option_handling for details. configure will strip leading -'s off of field names, allowing it to behave in a quasi-backward compatible manner to tk options.

object configurelist ?keyvaluelist?

  This command will inject new values into the objects options array, according to the rules as set forth by the option descriptions. This command will perform validation and alternate storage rules. It will not invoke trigger rules. See tool::option_handling for details.

object forward stub forward

  A passthrough to oo:objdefine [self] forward

object graft stub forward

  Delegates the <stub> method to the object or command designated by forward

      tool::object create A
      tool::object create B
      A graft buddy B
      A configure color red
      B configure color blue
      A cget color
      > red
      A <buddy> cget color
      > blue

## Private Object Methods

object InitializePublic

  Consults the metadata for the class to ensure every array, option, and variable which has been declared but not initialized is initialized with the default value. This method is called by the constructor and the morph method. It is safe to invoke multiple times.

object Eval_Script ?script?

  Executes a block of text within the namespace of the object. Lines that begin with a # are ignored as comments. Commands that begin with :: are interpreted as calling a global command. All other Tcl commands that lack a "my" prefix are given one, to allow the script to exercise internal methods. This method is intended for configuration scripts, where the object's methods are intepreting a domain specific language.

      tool::class myclass {
        constructor script {
          my Eval_Script $script
        }
        method node {nodename info} {
          my variable node
          dict set node $nodename $info
        }
        method get {args} {
          my variable node
          return [dict get $node $args]
        }
      }
      myclass create movies {
        # This block of code is executed by the object
        node {The Day the Earth Stood Still} {
          date: 1952
          characters: {GORT Klatoo}
        }
      }
      movies get {The Day the Earth Stood Still} date:
      > 1952

object Option_Default field

  Computes the default value for an option. See tool::option_handling.

## AUTHORS

Sean Woods

## Bugs, Ideas, Feedback

This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems. Please report such in the category tool of the Tcllib Trackers. Please also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

## Keywords

TOOL, TclOO

## Category

Utility

## Copyright

Copyright © 2015 Sean Woods <yoda@etoyoc.com>