record(n) 1.2.1 record "Tcl Data Structures"

NAME

DESCRIPTION

This package was structured so that it is very similar to how Tk objects work. Each record definition creates a record object that encompasses that definition. Subsequently, that record object can create instances of that record. These instances can then be manipulated with the cget and configure methods.

The package only contains one top level command, but several sub commands (see below). It also obeys the namespace in which the record was define, hence the objects returned are fully qualified.

record define recordName recordMembers ?instanceName1 instanceName2 ...?

Defines a record. recordName is the name of the record, and is also used as an object command. This object command is used to create instances of the record definition. recordMembers are the members of the record that make up the record definition. These are variables and other record. If optional instanceName args are given, then an instance is generated after the definition is created for each instanceName.

record show record

Returns a list of records that have been defined.

record show instances recordName

Returns the instances that have been instantiated by recordName.

record show members recordName

Returns the members that are defined for record recordName. It returns the same format as how the records were defined.

record show values instanceName

Returns a list of values that are set for the instance instanceName. The output is a list of key/value pairs. If there are nested records, then the values of the nested records will itself be a list.

record exists record recordName

Tests for the existence of a record with the name recordName.

record exists instance instanceName

Tests for the existence of a instance with the name instanceName.

record delete record recordName

Deletes recordName, and all instances of recordName. It will return an error if the record does not exist.

record delete instance instanceName

Deletes instance with the name of instanceName. It will return an error if the instance does not exist.

# this is the nested record record define mynestedrecord { nest1 nest2 } # This is the main record record define myrecord { mem1 mem2 {record mynestedrecord mem3} }

record define myrecord { mem1 {mem2 5} }

Getting Values

To get a value of a member, there are several ways to do this.

1. To get a member value, then use the instance built-in cget method:
   
   instanceName cget -mem1
   
   
2. To get multiple member values, you can specify them all in one command:
   
   instanceName cget -mem1 -mem2
   
   
3. To get a list of the key/value of all of the members, there are 3 ways:
   
   - instanceName cget
   
   - instanceName configure
   
   - instanceName
   
   
4. To get a value of a nested member, then use the dot notation:
   
   instanceName cget -mem3.nest1

Setting Values

To set a value of a member, there are several ways to do this.

1. To set a member value, then use the instance built-in configure method:
   
   instanceName configure -mem1 val1
   
   
2. To set multiple member values, you can specify them all in one command:
   
   instanceName configure -mem1 va1 -mem2 val2
   
   
3. To set a value of a nested member, then use the dot notation:
   
   instanceName configure -mem3.nest1 value

Alias access

In the original implementation, access was done by using dot notation similar to how 'C' structures are accessed. However, there was a concensus to make the interface more Tcl like, which made sense. However, the original alias access still exists. It might prove to be helpful to some.

Basically, for every member of every instance, an alias is created. This alias is used to get and set values for that member. An example will illustrate the point, using the above defined records:

# Create an instance first % myrecord inst1 ::inst1 % # To get a member of an instance, just use the % # alias (it behaves like a Tcl command): % inst1.mem1 % % # To set a member via the alias, just include % # a value (optionally the equal sign - syntactic sugar) % inst1.mem1 = 5 5 % inst1.mem1 5 % # For nested records, just continue with the % # dot notation (note no equal sign) % inst1.mem3.nest1 10 10 % inst1.mem3.nest1 10 % # just the instance by itself gives all % # member/values pairs for that instance % inst1 -mem1 5 -mem2 {} -mem3 {-nest1 10 -nest2 {}} % # and to get all members within the nested record % inst1.mem3 -nest1 10 -nest2 {} %

RECORD COMMAND

recordName instanceName|#auto ?-member1 value1 -member2 value2 ...?

Using the recordName object command that was created from the record definition, instances of the record definition can be created. Once a instance is created, then it inherits the members of the record definition, very similar to how objects work. During instance generation, an object command for the instance is created as well, using instanceName. This object command is used to access the data members of the instance. During the instantiation, values for that instance can be given, but all values must be given, and be given in key/value pairs. Nested records, need to be in list format.

Optionally, #auto can be used in place of instanceName. When #auto is used, then a instance name will automatically be generated, of the form recordName<integer>, where <integer> is a unique integer (starting at 0) that is generated.

instanceName cget ?-member1 -member2 ...?

Each instance has the sub command cget associated with it. This is very similar to how Tk widget's cget command works. It queries the values of the member for that particular instance. If no arguments are given, then a key/value list is returned.

instanceName configure ?-member1 value1 -member2 value2 ...?

Each instance has the sub command configure associated with it. This is very similar to how Tk widget's configure command works. It sets the values of the particular member for that particular instance. If no arguments are given, then a key/value list is returned.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

Probably the most obvious example would be to hold contact information, such as addresses, phone numbers, comments, etc. Since a person can have multiple phone numbers, multiple email addresses, etc, we will use nested records to define these. So, the first thing we do is define the nested records:

## ## This is an interactive example, to see what is ## returned by each command as well. ## % namespace import ::struct::record::* % # define a nested record. Notice that country has default 'USA'. % record define locations { street street2 city state zipcode {country USA} phone } ::locations % # Define the main record. Notice that it uses the location record twice. % record define contacts { first middle last {record locations home} {record locations work} } ::contacts % # Create an instance for the contacts record. % contacts cont1 ::cont1 % # Display some introspection values % record show records ::contacts ::locations % # % record show values cont1 -first {} -middle {} -last {} -home {-street {} -street2 {} -city {} -state {} -zipcode {} -country USA -phone {}} -work {-street {} -street2 {} -city {} -state {} -zipcode {} -country USA -phone {}} % # % record show instances contacts ::cont1 % # % cont1 config -first {} -middle {} -last {} -home {-street {} -street2 {} -city {} -state {} -zipcode {} -country USA -phone {}} -work {-street {} -street2 {} -city {} -state {} -zipcode {} -country USA -phone {}} % # % cont1 cget -first {} -middle {} -last {} -home {-street {} -street2 {} -city {} -state {} -zipcode {} -country USA -phone {}} -work {-street {} -street2 {} -city {} -state {} -zipcode {} -country USA -phone {}} % # copy one record to another record % record define contacts2 [record show members contacts] ::contacts2 % record show members contacts2 first middle last {record locations home} {record locations work} % record show members contacts first middle last {record locations home} {record locations work} %

Example 1

This next example just illustrates a simple linked list

% # define a very simple record for linked list % record define llist { value next } ::llist % llist lstart ::lstart % lstart config -value 1 -next [llist #auto] % [lstart cget -next] config -value 2 -next [llist #auto] % [[lstart cget -next] cget -next] config -value 3 -next "end" % set next lstart lstart % while 1 { lappend values [$next cget -value] set next [$next cget -next] if {[string match "end" $next]} {break} } % puts "$values" 1 2 3 % # cleanup linked list % # We could just use delete record llist also % foreach I [record show instances llist] { record delete instance $I } % record show instances llist %