**Summary**
An interactive learning tool and development environment for Tcl/Tk, meant as a '''companion to the [tclkit]''' distribution of Tcl/Tk.

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 What:        tcltalk.kit
 Where:       http://tcltalk.ath.cx/
 Description: A beginner's learning tool (or teaching tool?)
              and development environment for Tcl/Tk.
 Version:     0.3.9.1
              - Tested under Linux using tclkit-8.5.1 
              - Tested under Linux using kbskit-8.5.3 (No write permission. Needs Mk4tcl!)
              - Tested under WINE windows emulator using tclkit-8.5.2.exe
 Updated:     8/2008
 Contact:     See web site
 Download:    http://tcltalk.ath.cx/files
===

The '''main idea''' is to give the user immediate feedback from the underlying interpreter,
which can be very instructive for the novice. Therefore TclTalk tries to follow some concepts from common [Smalltalk](tm) systems, some of which are workspaces, browsers and image-based developing. In the case of TclTalk the latter means that the user does not necessarily produce any files lying around and keeping track of while scripting. Instead, all development done using Tcltalk's browser is tracked in a change.log and/or packaged to Tcl/Tk packages inside the kits file. This way the user has always only her tcltalk.kit file, or whatever you name it for the purpose of development. The broader idea is, to take a fresh copy of a tcltalk.kit file, run it and start developing using workspaces and browsers. When ready or when pausing, simply quit TclTalk and it will keep your changes for a next fresh start. The only thing you lose from start to start is the workspaces and their contents. This should give the user a motive to use the browser for the persistence of code.


''([escargo] - This not to be confused with other "image-based" computing, which has to do with image processing. This is the kind of "image" used in some early [APL] systems and with common [Smalltalk] implementations.)'' 

After entering your initials, you can start right away typing code into the big transcript window, mark it with your mouse and then use the context menu on the right mouse button to let Tcl/Tk evaluate that marked code and print the result beneath the code into the same window. This also works on any other workspace.

To serve as a '''learning tool''', TclTalk provides a simple mechanism to manage its tutorial files. They can easily be written inside TclTalk, using a workspace and then saving them in the /doc directory inside the kit.

To realize some sort of '''image based computing''', TclTalk's starkit is writable and all changes that you make using the system browser are traced in a change log within the kit's file.

'''Deployment''' of applications is as easy as using TclTalk's menu. Just choose the option "Create turnkey starkit..." and answer a few questions. In case of success you get a standalone starkit ready for deployment. If you start such an application kit with the command line parameter ''-ide'', then it will start in modification mode and shows you TclTalk's environment instead of running the app. You can then make changes using the browser and exit to run the now changed app.

TclTalk is written in pure Tcl/Tk and gets deployed as a [starkit] for best possible plattform independence.
Feel free to download the starkit from http://tcltalk.ath.cx/files.

Regards...

[Shin The Gin] ''(Thomas Braun)''

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**Screenshot**

[http://tcltalk.ath.cx/images/tcltalk_screenshot.png]

For a screencast, showing the complete march from a fresh start of TclTalk to a new standalone "turnkey" starkit have a look at: http://tcltalk.ath.cx/files/sessions/session002.swf

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**See also**
[IDE] - Or ''read even more'' in [TclTalk - Reports and Comments]
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So, what's the status of this program? Is development on it continuing?
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Not to be confused with the similarly named (but differently purposed) [TclTalkback].

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%| [Category Dev. Tools] | [Category Education] | [Category Tclkit] | [Category Deployment] | [Category Introspection ] |%
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