[https://www.packtpub.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/productview/2985_Tcl.jpg]

[WJG] (10/03/11)

When I received my review copy of the  https://www.packtpub.com/tcl-tk-8-5-programming-cookbook/book%|%Tcl/Tk 8.5 Programming Cookbook%|% I was half expecting a rewrite of the manual -lists of features and functionality with little indication of how and when to use specific resources. I was wrong. Let me explain. A cookbook is something to turn to when you’ve run out of ideas or perhaps are looking to find some new way of tackling an old problem. Alternatively, cookbooks are for beginners and novices, those people who need to know how do something effectively and quickly. In this area the ‘Cookbook’ score points in every chapter. 
Turn to any page in the text and you will find a clear, structure on how to use Tcl/Tk to resolve particular issues. There is a task statement, such as 'Creating a List’ in which a particular requirement is identified followed by 'How to Do It’ code snippet and 'Why it Works’ explanation. For someone new to Tcl programming this is an excellent approach. 

Overall, the ‘Cookbook’ is organised over thirteen chapters which cover all the key areas any novice Tcler needs to know. The flow of the book first introduces the reader to the key aspects of Tcl: the shell, program control, error handling, string manipulation, lists, dictionaries (particularly useful) and file operations. Following this it deals with the creation and configuration of GUIs using the Tk widget set and the use of in-built dialogs and the creation of menus. Finally, the issues and decisions surrounding  the completion of a first Tcl/Tk project are examined in the form of an address book application.

'''Conclusion'''
The Tcl/Tk 8.5 Programming CookBook is exactly what it set out to be - a practical tutorial text. It doesn’t cover the advanced features of Tcl/Tk but this is intentional. Would I recommend this book to a Tcl/Tk newbie? Yes.

[RLH] - I am going through the book now as a review and will post mine here as well. I am probably more to the beginner side of things, so that will be my viewpoint in the review.

[AM] I have a copy now myself, and I will post my comments here (I qualify for the other end of the spectrum)

----
[AM] (19 may 2011) It took me a while to get around to actually write up my conclusions. But here they are:

The book is set up to describe and illustrate all the main commands
of Tcl/Tk. It does so by presenting each command in turn with its options.
The advantage of this choice is that you can see what the command does,
in quite some detail. However, you do see it in isolation.

The book is ''not'' a tutorial, nor aims to be one. SO, I think it is very useful for
people who have learned the basics of Tcl and want to check how to use a particular
command. In addition they should have some experience in programming in Tcl, to know
what command they are looking for.

'''Strong points'''

   * Emphasis on tclsh and wish in interactive mode to experiment with the various commands.
   * Overview of the commands with their options.
   * Presentation of the effects of these commands in isolation.

'''Weak points'''

   * For some commands the real power is not shown. When he describes [foreach], the author does not present iterating over several loops at the same time for instance. The most common use of [grid] is missing as well:
======
     grid .widget1 .widget2 .widget3
     grid .widget4 .widget5 .widget6
======
   * A command like [expr] is treated at the start of the book, but it does not have much context. I would have preferred a more prominent presentation.
   * Some text is repeated too often, this hinders reading the book in my view and some personal remarks are out of place. But that is a minor issue.

'''Possible extras'''

   * An appendix with a description of Tcl's syntax - the dodecalogue, as it is fondly called.
   * A chapter on the typical use of the various commands - the idiom (it may be a bit out of scope, but it would help putting the commands in context, I think)
   * One or two more elaborate examples, to better understand how all the pieces fit together.

<<categories>>Book