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Tips for the Tcl/Tk Interface in DsTool
DsTool's interface is written in Tcl/Tk. In addition to providing
an easy-to-use graphics interface framework, Tcl/Tk
is a scripting language, and you can run DsTool entirely by entering
commands at the prompt %DsTool. Some other useful tips follow:
- 1.
- Enter the command end_wait if DsTool grabs the input and
does not relinquish it. Typically, during computations, DsTool
disables mouse input and returns control to the mouse when
the computation is finished. If an unexpected error occurs
in the computation,
control might not be properly restored. The command end_wait
typed at the DsTool command prompt should return control to
the mouse.
- 2.
- You can modify the default window colors and fonts
in DsTool by following the instructions for
adding custom Tcl/Tk code to your own version of DsTool. See the
accompanying documentation in $DSTOOL/my_dstool/README
for more information. The procedure essentially
involves adding one line of code, and compiling your own
version of DsTool.
- 3.
- While you can run DsTool entirely from the keyboard, it is not
recommended that you do so. Typically, a button press will call
``tcl_to_pm'' to update the Postmaster, then ``pm EXEC'' to
perform the computation by calling a C routine, and finally ``pm_to_tcl''
to update the interface. However, it may perform
other tasks as well. For example, the ``Forwards'' button on the
Continuation window checks to see if the number of active parameters
selected is the correct number before proceeding. If you insist on
running DsTool by typing from the prompt, you should use the procedures
that Tcl/Tk calls when a button is pressed, instead of calling the
Postmaster routines directly.
For example, to replicate a press of the ``Forwards'' button on the Orbits
window, instead of typing pm EXEC Flow.Forwards, type
orbits(forwards).
In addition, if you change an entry in a field, you should follow it with
a call of ``tcl_to_pm'' to update the Postmaster. Similarly, if you
change a Postmaster entry,
you should follow it with a call of ``pm_to_tcl'', to update the interface.
- 4.
- One efficient way to automate long calculations is by writing Tcl
scripts . You can run scripts by entering the command
``source filename'' at the prompt. As with the previous note,
you should be careful when writing scripts to make sure that you are
computing the quantities that you wish to compute.
Next: Colors in DsTool
Up: Hints and Suggestions for
Previous: Tips for Using Geomview
John Lapeyre
1998-09-04