[//000000001]: # (tool \- Standardized OO Framework for development) [//000000002]: # (Generated from file 'tool\.man' by tcllib/doctools with format 'markdown') [//000000003]: # (Copyright © 2015 Sean Woods ) [//000000004]: # (tool\(n\) 0\.8 tcllib "Standardized OO Framework for development")
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# NAME tool \- TclOO Library \(TOOL\) Framework # Table Of Contents - [Table Of Contents](#toc) - [Synopsis](#synopsis) - [Description](#section1) - [Keywords](#section2) - [Public Object Methods](#section3) - [Private Object Methods](#section4) - [AUTHORS](#section5) - [Bugs, Ideas, Feedback](#section6) - [Keywords](#keywords) - [Category](#category) - [Copyright](#copyright) # SYNOPSIS package require Tcl 8\.6 9 package require sha1 package require dicttool package require oo::meta package require oo::dialect [tool::define __class\_method__ *arglist* *body*](#1) [tool::define __[array](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#array)__ *name* *contents*](#2) [tool::define __array\_ensemble__ *methodname* *varname* ?cases?](#3) [tool::define __dict\_ensemble__ *methodname* *varname* ?cases?](#4) [tool::define __[method](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#method)__ *methodname* *arglist* *body*](#5) [tool::define __option__ *name* *dictopts*](#6) [tool::define __property__ ?branch? *field* *value*](#7) [tool::define __variable__ *name* *value*](#8) [*object* __cget__ *option*](#9) [*object* __configure__ ?keyvaluelist?](#10) [*object* __configure__ *field* *value* ?field? ?value? ?\.\.\.?](#11) [*object* __configurelist__ ?keyvaluelist?](#12) [*object* __forward__ *stub* *forward*](#13) [*object* __graft__ *stub* *forward*](#14) [*object* __InitializePublic__](#15) [*object* __Eval\_Script__ ?script?](#16) [*object* __Option\_Default__ *field*](#17) # 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\. package require tool # 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\_dict\_ensemble\.md)__ - __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](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#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](tool\_dict\_ensemble\.md)__\. 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](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#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](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#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 ** 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 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 *tcloo* of the [Tcllib Trackers](http://core\.tcl\.tk/tcllib/reportlist)\. Please also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation\. When proposing code changes, please provide *unified diffs*, i\.e the output of __diff \-u__\. Note further that *attachments* are strongly preferred over inlined patches\. Attachments can be made by going to the __Edit__ form of the ticket immediately after its creation, and then using the left\-most button in the secondary navigation bar\. # KEYWORDS [TOOL](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#tool), [TclOO](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#tcloo), [framework](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#framework) # CATEGORY TclOO # COPYRIGHT Copyright © 2015 Sean Woods