Installing packages on Windows

[TM]

Hi,

I am facing trouble installing extra packages (such as UDP) on Windows and I was wondering if someone can point me in the right direction please.

I use Tcl on Windows at work. Recently my computer died and I am re-installing Tcl in the new PC. In the past I used ActiveTcl and relied on Teacup to install the extra packages. Unfortunately, the procedure doesn't seem to work anymore. Googling the problem doesn't provide useful answers (other than pointing out Active State open-sourced Teapot/Teacup) - although that is probably due to me not asking the right question...

So, what are the current options if I need to add extra packages? I would prefer sticking to the ActiveTcl distribution, but would consider alternatives if needed.

Thanks,
TM

[et4]

Post by TM
Hi,
I am facing trouble installing extra packages (such as UDP) on Windows and I was wondering if someone can point me in the right direction please.
I use Tcl on Windows at work. Recently my computer died and I am re-installing Tcl in the new PC. In the past I used ActiveTcl and relied on Teacup to install the extra packages. Unfortunately, the procedure doesn't seem to work anymore. Googling the problem doesn't provide useful answers (other than pointing out Active State open-sourced Teapot/Teacup) - although that is probably due to me not asking the right question...
So, what are the current options if I need to add extra packages? I would prefer sticking to the ActiveTcl distribution, but would consider alternatives if needed.
Thanks,
TM

check out https://www.magicsplat.com/tcl-installer/index.html

I install it on my laptop, but on my main computers I just use a tclkit from

https://sourceforge.net/projects/twapi/files/Tcl%20binaries/Tclkits%20with%20TWAPI/

and then copy the magicsplat library folders to my main system and use auto_path to point to them.

[Helmut Giese]

Post by TM
Hi,
I am facing trouble installing extra packages (such as UDP) on Windows and I was wondering if someone can point me in the right direction please.
I use Tcl on Windows at work. Recently my computer died and I am re-installing Tcl in the new PC. In the past I used ActiveTcl and relied on Teacup to install the extra packages. Unfortunately, the procedure doesn't seem to work anymore. Googling the problem doesn't provide useful answers (other than pointing out Active State open-sourced Teapot/Teacup) - although that is probably due to me not asking the right question...
So, what are the current options if I need to add extra packages? I would prefer sticking to the ActiveTcl distribution, but would consider alternatives if needed.
Thanks,
TM

Hi,
go to http://www.bawt.tcl3d.org and check out the 'Downloads' page.
There are 'batteries included' versions which contain a wide range of
packages.
And for those special packages not included I suggest you do this:
1) In Tcl's 'lib' folder make a directory 'Addons'
2) Copy all wanted packages into their own sub-directory in 'Addons'.
It may eventually look like this:
Addons
Foo0.2
Bar-0.7
Baz-1.0
3) Create a file 'pkgindex.tcl' in 'Addons' and add these lines (using
the names of your directories):
set maindir $dir
set dir [file join $maindir Foo0.2] ; source [file join $dir
pkgIndex.tcl]
set dir [file join $maindir Bar-0.7] ; source [file join $dir
pkgIndex.tcl]
set dir [file join $maindir Baz-1.0] ; source [file join $dir
pkgIndex.tcl]
unset maindir

Whenever you want to add another package just copy it into its proper
sub-directory and add another line to the pkgindex file.
As a bonus: Whenever you install a new Tcl version you just copy the
whole 'Addons' directory into the new lib directory and your done.

HTH
Helmut

[TM]

et4 & Helmut Giese,

Than you for the suggestions - I'll look into it.

Is there no way to download a current ActivelTcl distribution and download a current version of the now open-sourced Teacup? I was unable to find a binary for Windows (https://github.com/ActiveState/teapot)...

I've tried an older version of ActiveTcl (8.5) includingTeacup but it doesn't work despite the ActiveState repository (https://teapot.activestate.com/index) still being available. Is it that older Teacup versions cannot deal with HTTPS?

Thanks,
TM

[TM]

I ended up going with https://www.magicsplat.com, which comes with all the 'extra' packages I need, but I'll use Helmut Giese's suggestion if I ever need to manually add further packages in future.

Thanks again for the help,
TM

[Christian Gollwitzer]

Post by TM
Is there no way to download a current ActivelTcl distribution and download a current version of the now open-sourced Teacup? I was unable to find a binary for Windows (https://github.com/ActiveState/teapot)...

ActiveState doesn't anymore provide Tcl. The days where ActiveState was
the go-to Tcl distribution are over.

Christiab

[The Rickster]

Post by Christian Gollwitzer

Post by TM
Is there no way to download a current ActivelTcl distribution and download a current version of the now open-sourced Teacup? I was unable to find a binary for Windows (https://github.com/ActiveState/teapot)...

ActiveState doesn't anymore provide Tcl. The days where ActiveState was
the go-to Tcl distribution are over.
Christiab

That is incorrect information!
See this: https://www.activestate.com/products/tcl/ and other options for tcl.

[The Rickster]

Post by TM
Hi,
I am facing trouble installing extra packages (such as UDP) on Windows and I was wondering if someone can point me in the right direction please.
I use Tcl on Windows at work. Recently my computer died and I am re-installing Tcl in the new PC. In the past I used ActiveTcl and relied on Teacup to install the extra packages. Unfortunately, the procedure doesn't seem to work anymore. Googling the problem doesn't provide useful answers (other than pointing out Active State open-sourced Teapot/Teacup) - although that is probably due to me not asking the right question...
So, what are the current options if I need to add extra packages? I would prefer sticking to the ActiveTcl distribution, but would consider alternatives if needed.
Thanks,
TM

TCL DevKit provides the tools (applications) to package scripts in a form (usually zip) acceptable for use with teacup.
Additionally, the devkit provides an app for building a runtime executable from teacup members. I beleive TCL DevKit is still downloadable from Active State. If not, let me know if you would like the install set.

[TM]

Post by The Rickster
TCL DevKit provides the tools (applications) to package scripts in a form (usually zip) acceptable for use with teacup.
Additionally, the devkit provides an app for building a runtime executable from teacup members. I beleive TCL DevKit is still downloadable from Active State. If not, let me know if you would like the install set.

Thanks for the tip, I have never used Tcl Dev Kit.

It seems that you need a license for it. Since I was able to get all the packages I need with MagicSplat, I'll give Tcl Dev Kit a miss for the time being.

TM

[The Rickster]

Post by TM

Post by The Rickster
TCL DevKit provides the tools (applications) to package scripts in a form (usually zip) acceptable for use with teacup.
Additionally, the devkit provides an app for building a runtime executable from teacup members. I believe TCL DevKit is still downloadable from Active State. If not, let me know if you would like the install set.

Thanks for the tip, I have never used Tcl Dev Kit.
It seems that you need a license for it. Since I was able to get all the packages I need with MagicSplat, I'll give Tcl Dev Kit a miss for the time being.
TM

Not a bad choice.
However, for the record, tcl devkit is open source. As such, it contains some excellent examples of tcl code and provides for the generation of a starpack. However, I am open so suggested alternatives in this regard. , What seems to be true in the context of this conversation is that many are uninformed with regard to the tcl related options from ActiveState. If someone can suggest a better dev environment than Komodo, please let me know.

[s***@gmail.com]

Post by The Rickster
Not a bad choice.
However, for the record, tcl devkit is open source. As such, it contains some excellent examples of tcl code and provides for the generation of a starpack. However, I am open so suggested alternatives in this regard. , What seems to be true in the context of this conversation is that many are uninformed with regard to the tcl related options from ActiveState.

Hello,

I used to be an ActiveState customer. I am including a couple of
paragraphs from an email from a while back regarding Tcl Dev Kit (or TDK
as they call it).

In light of that, I am not certain this post is sufficiently informed
either. Specifically, I am doubtful that it is open source (would be
great to learn otherwise). I am more doubtful that you can use it to
generate a starpack as this is explicitly mentioned below as requiring a

Post by The Rickster
Sales of ActiveState’s Tcl Dev Kit (TDK) and ActiveTcl Pro Studio were discontinued in 2016, and have now been declared End of Life (EOL).
Originally, TDK customers were legally allowed to wrap ActiveState’s ActiveTcl distribution in order to deploy it internally or redistribute it to customers. Once TDK was discontinued in 2016, this was no longer the case.
If an ActiveTcl distribution was used to wrap files for an external customer, an OEM agreement will be required.
If an ActiveTcl distribution was used to wrap files for internal use, every system where that file is installed will require an additional ActiveTcl license.

[The Rickster]

Post by s***@gmail.com

Post by The Rickster
Not a bad choice.
However, for the record, tcl devkit is open source. As such, it contains some excellent examples of tcl code and provides for the generation of a starpack. However, I am open so suggested alternatives in this regard. , What seems to be true in the context of this conversation is that many are uninformed with regard to the tcl related options from ActiveState.

Hello,
I used to be an ActiveState customer. I am including a couple of
paragraphs from an email from a while back regarding Tcl Dev Kit (or TDK
as they call it).
In light of that, I am not certain this post is sufficiently informed
either. Specifically, I am doubtful that it is open source (would be
great to learn otherwise). I am more doubtful that you can use it to
generate a starpack as this is explicitly mentioned below as requiring a

Post by The Rickster
Sales of ActiveState’s Tcl Dev Kit (TDK) and ActiveTcl Pro Studio were discontinued in 2016, and have now been declared End of Life (EOL).
Originally, TDK customers were legally allowed to wrap ActiveState’s ActiveTcl distribution in order to deploy it internally or redistribute it to customers. Once TDK was discontinued in 2016, this was no longer the case.
If an ActiveTcl distribution was used to wrap files for an external customer, an OEM agreement will be required.
If an ActiveTcl distribution was used to wrap files for internal use, every system where that file is installed will require an additional ActiveTcl license.

Here are the facts:
1.tcl devkit is open source. If one took the time, as I did, to go to the active state web site, rather than speculate, then they would 'know'.
2. it can be used to generate a starpack. Go to verbaltransactions.com and execute any one of their demos. All are executable starpacks generated with tcl devkit. I 'know' cause I did it my self.
3. the code is a 'work of art'. Excellent expression of code creativity that can be achieved with tcl, almost exclusively.

[Alex P]

https://www.activestate.com/blog/tcl-dev-kit-tdk-now-end-of-life/ sends a message on TDK first hand:

ActiveState no longer builds or maintains any of the tools that ship with TDK, and will stop renewing support subscriptions immediately. Support for existing contracts will cease on October 1, 2020. As a result, we are advising TDK/Pro Studio users to end their use of the product and its tooling, and either deploy their programs unobfuscated, or convert them to a compiled language.

Decommissioning TDK

While EOL will not occur until October 2020, the best course of action for customers is to end their reliance on TDK and remove it from their enterprise.
--------
That said, your experience of constructing starpacks with TDK would be greatly welcome in https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/page/Tcl+Dev+Kit
Thanks in advance.
(http://verbaltransactions.com/ is nice but not so much informative on this subject)

[The Rickster]

Post by Alex P
ActiveState no longer builds or maintains any of the tools that ship with TDK, and will stop renewing support subscriptions immediately. Support for existing contracts will cease on October 1, 2020. As a result, we are advising TDK/Pro Studio users to end their use of the product and its tooling, and either deploy their programs unobfuscated, or convert them to a compiled language.
Decommissioning TDK
While EOL will not occur until October 2020, the best course of action for customers is to end their reliance on TDK and remove it from their enterprise.
--------
That said, your experience of constructing starpacks with TDK would be greatly welcome in https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/page/Tcl+Dev+Kit
Thanks in advance.
(http://verbaltransactions.com/ is nice but not so much informative on this subject)

Done dancing around on this subject. If you don't want to benefit from Tcl DevKit, that's your choice; and your cited comments have 'nothing to do with nothing". Fact: the code is open source and there are no prohibitions with regard to its use; which I believe is the basis for 'open source'. The ref to verbaltransactions relates, again, to what is fact: starpacks can be created with the devkit code freely available to anyone who wished to leverage its capabilities - and view truly expressive use of tcl\tk.

[Alex P]

Perhaps you might notice that this forum is about sharing with experience and/or knowledge about Tcl/Tk.

Not for wordy opinions about Tcl/Tk packages, no matter how great they are.

[EL]

Post by Alex P
https://www.activestate.com/blog/tcl-dev-kit-tdk-now-end-of-life/ sends a

The TDK has been open source‘d under the BSD 3-Clause license, apparently:

https://github.com/ActiveState/tdk

Given the blog entry from your link above, it seems that ActiveState‘s
communication in this regard is rather contradictional and confusing.