* doc/Tcl_Main.3:

        * generic/tclMain.c:  Substantial rewrite and expanded documentation
        of Tcl_Main to correct a number of bugs and flaws:

                * Interactive Tcl_Main can now enter a main loop, exit
                  that loop and continue interactive operations.  The loop
                  may even exit in the midst of interactive command typing
                  without loss of the partial command.  [Bugs 486453, 474131]
                * Tcl_Main now gracefully handles deletion of its master
                  interpreter.
                * Interactive Tcl_Main can now operate with non-blocking stdin
                * Interactive Tcl_Main can now detect EOF on stdin even in
                  mid-command.  [Bug 491341]
                * Added VFS-aware internal routines for managing the
                  startup script selection.
                * Tcl variable 'tcl_interactive' is now linked to C variable
                  'tty' so that one can disable/enable interactive prompts
                  at the script level when there is no startup script.  This
                  is meant for use by the test suite.
                * Consistent use of the Tcl libraries standard channels as
                  returned by Tcl_GetStdChannel(); as opposed to the channels
                  named 'stdin', 'stdout', and 'stderr' in the master interp,
                  which can be different or unavailable.
                * Tcl_Main now calls Tcl_Exit() if evaluation of [exit] in the
                  master interpreter returns, assuring Tcl_Main does not return.                * Documented Tcl_Main's absence from public stub table
                * Documented that Tcl_Main does not return.
                * Documented Tcl variables set by Tcl_Main.
                * All prompts are done from a single procedure, Prompt.
                * Use of Tcl_Obj-enabled interfaces everywhere.

        * generic/tclInt.decls (TclGetStartupScriptPath,
          TclSetStartupScriptPath): New internal VFS-aware routines for
        managing the startup script of Tcl_Main.
        * generic/tclIntDecls.h:
        * generic/tclStubInit.c: make genstubs

        * generic/tclTest.c (TestsetmainloopCmd,TestexitmainloopCmd,
          Tcltest_Init,TestinterpdeleteCmd):
        * tests/main.test (new):  Added new file to test suite that
        thoroughly tests generic/tclMain.c; added some new test commands
        for testing Tcl_SetMainLoop().


FossilOrigin-Name: f24c18a585bae5d10dd0fcb587ac979f99d00370

1 files changed, 54 insertions, 15 deletions

diff --git a/doc/Tcl_Main.3 b/doc/Tcl_Main.3
index 038eff9..d5bc108 100644
--- a/doc/Tcl_Main.3
+++ b/doc/Tcl_Main.3
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 '\" See the file "license.terms" for information on usage and redistribution
 '\" of this file, and for a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES.
 '\" 
-'\" RCS: @(#) $Id: Tcl_Main.3,v 1.5 2001/12/10 15:50:47 dgp Exp $
+'\" RCS: @(#) $Id: Tcl_Main.3,v 1.6 2002/01/05 22:55:51 dgp Exp $
 '\" 
 .so man.macros
 .TH Tcl_Main 3 8.4 Tcl "Tcl Library Procedures"
@@ -49,20 +49,52 @@ nothing but invoke \fBTcl_Main\fR.
 \fBTcl_Main\fR then does all the work of creating and running a
 \fBtclsh\fR-like application.
 .PP
-When it is has finished its own initialization, but before
-it processes commands, \fBTcl_Main\fR calls the procedure given by
-the \fIappInitProc\fR argument.  This procedure provides a ``hook''
-for the application to perform its own initialization, such as defining
-application-specific commands.  The procedure must have an interface
-that matches the type \fBTcl_AppInitProc\fR:
+\fBTcl_Main\fR is not provided by the public interface of Tcl's
+stub library.  Programs that call \fBTcl_Main\fR must be linked
+against the standard Tcl library.  Extensions (stub-enabled or
+not) are not intended to call \fBTcl_Main\fR.
+.PP
+\fBTcl_Main\fR and therefore all applications based upon it, like
+\fBtclsh\fR, use \fBTcl_GetStdChannel\fR to initialize the standard
+channels to their default values. See \fBTcl_StandardChannels\fR for
+more information.
+.PP
+\fBTcl_Main\fR supports two modes of operation, depending on the
+values of \fIargc\fR and \fIargv\fR.  If \fIargv[1]\fR exists and
+does not begin with the character \fI-\fR, it is taken to be the
+name of a file containing a \fIstartup script\fR, which \fBTcl_Main\fR
+will attempt to evaluate.  Otherwise, \fBTcl_Main\fR will enter an
+interactive mode.
+.PP
+In either mode, \fBTcl_Main\fB will define in its master interpreter
+the Tcl variables \fIargc\fR, \fIargv\fR, \fIargv0\fR, and
+\fItcl_interactive\fR, as described in the documentation for \fBtclsh\fR.
+.PP
+When it has finished its own initialization, but before it processes
+commands, \fBTcl_Main\fR calls the procedure given by the
+\fIappInitProc\fR argument.  This procedure provides a ``hook'' for
+the application to perform its own initialization of the interpreter
+created by \fBTcl_Main\fR, such as defining application-specific
+commands.  The procedure must have an interface that matches the
+type \fBTcl_AppInitProc\fR:
 .CS
 typedef int Tcl_AppInitProc(Tcl_Interp *\fIinterp\fR);
 .CE
 
 \fIAppInitProc\fR is almost always a pointer to \fBTcl_AppInit\fR; for more
 details on this procedure, see the documentation for \fBTcl_AppInit\fR.
-When the \fIappInitProc\fR is finished, the startup script will be
-evaluated.  If none exists, then an interactive prompt is provided.
+.PP
+When the \fIappInitProc\fR is finished, \fBTcl_Main\fR enters one
+of its two modes.  If a startup script has been provided, \fBTcl_Main\fR
+attempts to evaluate it.  Otherwise interactive operations begin,
+with prompts and command evaluation results written to the standard
+output channel, and commands read from the standard input channel
+and then evaluated.  The prompts written to the standard output
+channel may be customized by defining the Tcl variables \fItcl_prompt1\fR
+and \fItcl_prompt2\fR as described in the documentation for \fBtclsh\fR.
+The prompts and command evaluation results are written to the standard
+output channel only if the Tcl variable \fItcl_interactive\fR in the
+master interpreter holds a non-zero integer value.
 .PP
 .VS 8.4
 \fBTcl_SetMainLoop\fR allows setting an event loop procedure to be run.
@@ -70,21 +102,28 @@ This allows, for example, Tk to be dynamically loaded and set its event
 loop.  The event loop will run following the startup script.  If you
 are in interactive mode, setting the main loop procedure will cause the
 prompt to become fileevent based and then the loop procedure is called.
+When the loop procedure returns in interactive mode, interactive operation
+will continue.
 The main loop procedure must have an interface that matches the type
 \fBTcl_MainLoopProc\fR:
 .CS
 typedef void Tcl_MainLoopProc(void);
 .CE
 .VE 8.4
-
 .PP
-\fBTcl_Main\fR and therefore all applications based upon it, like
-\fBtclsh\fR, use \fBTcl_GetStdChannel\fR to initialize the standard
-channels to their default values. See \fBTcl_StandardChannels\fR for
-more information.
+\fBTcl_Main\fR does not return.  Normally a program based on
+\fBTcl_Main\fR will terminate when the \fBexit\fR command is
+evaluated.  In interactive mode, if an EOF or channel error
+is encountered on the standard input channel, then \fBTcl_Main\fR
+itself will evaluate the \fBexit\fR command after the main loop
+procedure (if any) returns.  In non-interactive mode, after
+\fBTcl_Main\fR evaluates the startup script, and the main loop
+procedure (if any) returns, \fBTcl_Main\fR will also evaluate
+the \fBexit\fR command.
 
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
-Tcl_GetStdChannel(3)
+tclsh(1), Tcl_GetStdChannel(3), Tcl_StandardChannels(3), Tcl_AppInit(3),
+exit(n)
 
 .SH KEYWORDS
 application-specific initialization, command-line arguments, main program