191 lines
8.2 KiB
HTML
191 lines
8.2 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">
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<HTML>
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<HEAD>
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<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="SGML-Tools 1.0.9">
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<TITLE>The Linux Tcl and Tk HOWTO: Introduction</TITLE>
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<LINK HREF="TclTk-HOWTO-2.html" REL=next>
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<LINK HREF="TclTk-HOWTO.html#toc1" REL=contents>
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</HEAD>
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<BODY>
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<A HREF="TclTk-HOWTO-2.html">Next</A>
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Previous
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<A HREF="TclTk-HOWTO.html#toc1">Contents</A>
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<HR>
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<H2><A NAME="introduction"></A> <A NAME="s1">1. Introduction</A></H2>
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<P>
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<P>This is the Linux Tcl and Tk HOWTO. It is intended as a Linux reference
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covering everything you should know concerning installation, configuration
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and an introduction to development under Tcl and Tk. History and some pros
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and cons about Tcl and Tk under Linux are analized, and references are given
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to many other sources of information on a variety of topics related to this
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simple but powerful scripting language.
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<P>If you ever rebuilt your Linux kernel inside X using the command
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<HR>
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<PRE>
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make xconfig
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</PRE>
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<HR>
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<P>you surely managed to face the strenght of this simple but powerful scripting
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language.
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<P>After executing the first step of kernel rebuilding, a script called kconfig.tk
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is executed via wish (the Tcl intepreter). The Linux Kernel Configuration wind
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ow
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appears. Instead of answering a series of questions, this X-based configuratio
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n
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utility allows you to use checkboxes to select which kernel options you want
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to enable.
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<P>The system stores your last configuration options so that every time you
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run it, you need only to add or remove some checks and you don't need to reent
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er
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the whole set of option. Moreover you can fill the whole (or part of the) list
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of kernel option the order you want. After this simplified step you can rebuil
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d
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your kernel in the traditional way.
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<P>There's actually another famous case. Have you ever used "printtool"
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? (Printer Config Tool (C) Copyright 1994 by
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<A HREF="http://www.redhat.com">Red Hat Software</A> - author: Michael
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Callahan).
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If you installed a Red Hat distribution you happily managed to
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use it to set up printing services . Well, printtool front-end is mainly a
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Tcl/Tk script.
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<P>For those who don't know Red Hat let me tell you how you can easily configure
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your printers just filling some textboxes and filling in some checkboxes.
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<P>The program itself takes care of setting up printing services through the
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creation of spooling directory, writes /etc/printcap file and the printer's
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filter, reloads lpd and tests your filter with ascii or postscript pages. It
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allows you manipulate ghostscript options (i.e. choose up to 8 pages per outpu
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t
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page and setting margins), has an help-on-line and many more features.
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<P>What is the difference compared to other service-printing implementation?
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<P>Everything is achieved by using Tcl/Tk as a "glue" between consolidated
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application and operating with normal Linux configuration files in a visual
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and interactive window under X-Window. No new application-specific commands
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were written at all.
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.1">1.1 Purpose of this document</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>Currently the purpose of the document is limited to giving initial references
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to Linux users; in future versions I will try to incorporate a small "Programm
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ing
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Tutorial".
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Let me state that again: this is not (and doesn't want to substitute)
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an omnicomprehensive "user manual" or "reference" for Tcl and Tk development
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and programming - it's just a starting point for Linux users.
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<P>The author's concept of reference manual coincides with the definition
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of man pages and many people learn Tcl/Tk from these basic source of informati
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on.
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These files are a part of the source code distribution and are installed on
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your Linux box. You will be able to access the Tcl/Tk manual pages through
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the man command.
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<P>Many structured and complete programming tutorials have been written in
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order to let the new user begin hacking with Tcl/Tk; tons of other material
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are available in the Internet. Interpreting Tcl/Tk philosophy I won't try to
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reinvent the wheel, I will manage to glue the huge amount of material already
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available.
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<P>I suggest you to have a look at the other documents listed in the
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<A HREF="TclTk-HOWTO-8.html#references">References section</A> in order to find where to retri
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eve
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specific information about Tcl and Tk.
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.2">1.2 What you should know before reading</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>In order to understand the abc of Tcl/Tk you shouldn't be a programming-guru,
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command sintax is very simple. Basically you have to be familiar with:
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<UL>
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<LI>simple programming concepts;</LI>
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<LI>using very common unix commands and/or utilities;</LI>
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<LI>having access to the Internet;</LI>
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<LI>using ftp.</LI>
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</UL>
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.3">1.3 New versions of this document</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>Newer versions of this document will be uploaded to ftp site:
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<A HREF="ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/Linux/docs/HOWTO/">ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/ pub/Linux/HOWTO/</A>
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and will be available on all other mirrors.
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<P>Hypertext and other versions of this and other Linux HOWTOs are available
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mainly at
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<A HREF="http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/lpd.html">sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/lpd.ht ml</A>
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and
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<A HREF="http://www.linux-howto.com">www.linux-howto.com</A> and on
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many other Mirror World-Wide-Web sites.
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<P>I will try to incorporate in
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<A HREF="http://space.tin.it/computer/tlqhr/">my Web-Page</A> the most
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recent html and sgml version of the document. Most Linux CD-ROM distributions
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include the HOWTOs, often in a subdir of /usr/doc/ directory, and you can also
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buy printed copies from several vendors.
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<P>Sometimes the HOWTOs available from CD-ROM vendors, ftp sites, and in hardcopy
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format are out of date. If the date on this HOWTO is more than six months in
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the past, then a newer copy is probably available on the Internet.
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<P>If you make a translation of this document into another language, drop
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me a line and I'll include a reference to it here.
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.4">1.4 Revision History</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<UL>
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<LI><B>Version 0.1</B>: 28 October 1998 - first version;</LI>
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<LI><B>Version 0.2</B>: 07 November 1998 - deep restyling and lifting.</LI>
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</UL>
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.5">1.5 Feedback and other stuff</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>I rely on you, the reader, to make this HOWTO useful. If you have any suggestio
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ns,
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corrections, or comments, please send them to me, (
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<A HREF="mailto:lukaros@tin.it">Luca Rossetti</A> ), and I will try to
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put them in the next revision.
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<P>If any of the links mentioned in this document becomes unavailable or changes,
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please notify me immediately so that I can update and/or remove the link.
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<P>I am willing to answer general questions about Tcl/Tk and Linux as best
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as I can. Before doing so, please read all of the information in this HOWTO,
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and send me detailed information about the problem.
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<P>If you publish this document on a CD-ROM or in hardcopy form, a complimentary
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copy would be really appreciated. E-mail me and I will send you back my postal
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address.
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<P>In many section I mention publishing companies or commercial URL sites:
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I really don't work for these guys.
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.6">1.6 Credits</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>Most of the information in this HOWTO comes from Dr. Ousterhout's
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<A HREF="http://www.scriptics.com">Scriptics</A> and Larry W. Virden
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<A HREF="http://www.tclfaq.wservice.com/tcl-faq/">comp.lang.tcl FAQs</A>
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.
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<P>I would like to thank the
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<A HREF="http://www.pluto.linux.it/">PLUTO</A> Italian Linux User Group
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and the whole volunteers of
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<A HREF="http://www.pluto.linux.it/ildp/">ILDP</A> (Italian Linux Document
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ation
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Project) especially Eugenia Franzoni and Giovanni Bortolozzo for their feedbac
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k.
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<H2><A NAME="ss1.7">1.7 Distribution Policy</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>This document is Copyright 1998 by
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<A HREF="mailto:lukaros@tin.it">Luca Rossetti</A>.
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<P>This document is distributed in the hope that it will be useful to the
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reader: of course it is considered to be without any warranty; without even
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the implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
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This HOWTO is free documentation; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
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under the terms of the
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<A HREF="http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/LDP-COPYRIGHT.html">LDP COPYRIGHT</A>
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.
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<P>Please read the
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<A HREF="http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/LDP-Manifesto.html">LDP Manifesto</A>
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for more details.
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<HR>
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<A HREF="TclTk-HOWTO-2.html">Next</A>
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Previous
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<A HREF="TclTk-HOWTO.html#toc1">Contents</A>
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</HTML>
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