[//000000001]: # (critcl\_application\_package \- C Runtime In Tcl \(CriTcl\)) [//000000002]: # (Generated from file 'critcl\_application\_package\.man' by tcllib/doctools with format 'markdown') [//000000003]: # (Copyright © Jean\-Claude Wippler) [//000000004]: # (Copyright © Steve Landers) [//000000005]: # (Copyright © 2011\-2024 Andreas Kupries) [//000000006]: # (critcl\_application\_package\(n\) 3\.3\.1 doc "C Runtime In Tcl \(CriTcl\)")
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# NAME critcl\_application\_package \- CriTcl Application Package Reference # Table Of Contents - [Table Of Contents](#toc) - [Synopsis](#synopsis) - [Description](#section1) - [API](#section2) - [Options](#section3) - [Modes Of Operation/Use](#section4) - [Package Structure](#section5) - [Authors](#section6) - [Bugs, Ideas, Feedback](#section7) - [Keywords](#keywords) - [Category](#category) - [Copyright](#copyright) # SYNOPSIS package require Tcl 8\.6 package require critcl::app ?3\.3\.1? package require critcl ?3\.3\.1? package require platform ?1\.0\.2? package require cmdline [__::critcl::app::main__ *commandline*](#1) # DESCRIPTION Be welcome to the *C Runtime In Tcl* \(short: *[CriTcl](critcl\.md)*\), a system for embedding and using C code from within [Tcl](http://core\.tcl\-lang\.org/tcl) scripts\. This document is the reference manpage for the __critcl::app__ package\. Its intended audience are developers working on critcl's internals\. These commands are not needed to simply write a *CriTcl script*\. If you are in need of an overview of the whole system instead, please go and read the *[Introduction To CriTcl](critcl\.md)*\. This package resides in the Application Layer of CriTcl\. ![](\.\./image/arch\_application\.png), implementing the functionality of the *CriTcl Application*, and through this, the mode [generate package](#section4)\. The actual application is \(only\) a shim wrapping around this package\. It itself is build on top of the core package __[critcl](critcl\.md)__\. # API The package exports a single command - __::critcl::app::main__ *commandline* The *commandline* is a list of zero or more options followed by zero or more *CriTcl script* files\. By default, the *CriTcl script* files are build and the results cached\. This cuts down on the time needed to load the package\. The last occurrence of __\-pkg__ and __\-tea__, if provided, selects the corresponding alternative mode of operations\. For a larger set of examples please see section "Building CriTcl Packages" in the document about *Using CriTcl*\. The options are: # Options The following options are understood: - __\-v__ - __\-\-version__ Print the version to __stdout__ and exit\. - __\-I__ path Arranges for the compiler to search *path* for headers\. Uses of this option are cumulative\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-L__ path Arranges for the linker to search *path*\. Uses of this option are cumulative\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-cache__ path Sets *path* as the directory to use as the result cache\. The default is "~/\.critcl/", or "~/\.critcl/\." when generating a package\. See option __\-pkg__, below\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-clean__ Arranges for all files and directories in the result cache to be deleted before compilation begins\. Ignored when generating a package because this mode starts out with a unique and empty result cache\. See option __\-pkg__, below\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-config__ path Provides a custom configuration file\. By default a configuration included in the system core is used\. When specified multiple times the last value is used\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-debug__ mode Activates one of the following debugging modes: * __memory__ Track and report memory allocations made by the Tcl core\. * __symbols__ Compile all "\.c" files with debugging symbols\. * __all__ Both __memory__ and __symbols__\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. Uses of this option are cumulative\. - __\-disable__ name Sets the value of the custom build configuration option *name* to __false__\. It is equivalent to "\-with\-*name* 0"\. Validated only if one of the input files for the *CriTcl script* actually defines and uses a custom build configuration option with that *name*\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-enable__ name Sets the value of the custom build configuration option *name* to __true__\. It is equivalent to "\-with\-*name* 1"\. Validated only if one of the input files for the *CriTcl script* actually defines and uses a custom build configuration option with that *name*\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-force__ Forces compilation even if a shared library for the file already exists\. Unlike cleaning the cache, this is lazy in the destruction of files and only affects relevant files\. Ignored when generating a package \(see option __\-pkg__, below\), which starts out with a unique and empty result cache\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-help__ Prints a short description of command line syntax and options and then exits the application\. - __\-keep__ Causes the system to cache compiled "\.c" files\. Also prevents the deletion of the unique result cache used by the run when generating a package \(see option __\-pkg__ below\), Intended for debugging of __[critcl](critcl\.md)__ itself, where it may be necessary to inspect the generated C code\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-libdir__ directory Adds *directory* to the list of directories the linker searches for libraries in \(like __\-L__\)\. With __\-pkg__, generated packages are saved in *directory*\. When specified multiple times the last value is used\. The default is "lib", resolved relative to the current working directory\. - __\-includedir__ directory Adds *directory* to the list of directories the compiler searches for headers in\. With __\-pkg__, generated header files are saved in *directory*\. Uses of this option are cumulative\. The last value is used as the destination for generated header files\. The default is the relative directory "include", resolved relative to the current working directory\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-pkg__ Generates a package from the *CriTcl script* files\. Input files are processed first as usual, but are then bundled into a single library, with additional generated files to form the library into a standard Tcl package\. generation\. If both options, i\.e\. __\-pkg__ and __\-tea__ are specified the last one specified wins\. Options __\-clean__ and __\-force__ are ignored\. __\-libdir__ is relevant in both this and __\-tea__ mode\. The basename of the first file is the name of the package to generate\. If its file extension indicates a shared library \("\.so", "\.sl", "\.dylib", and "\.dll"\) it is also removed from the set of input files\. Each *CriTcl script* file is kept as part of the input\. A single file without a suffix is assumed to be a *CriTcl script*\. A file without a suffix, but other input files following is treated like the name of a shared library proper, and removed from the set of input files\. Examples: ... -pkg ... foo => Package name is: foo => Input file is: foo.tcl ... -pkg ... foo bar.tcl => Package name is: foo => Input file is: bar.tcl ... -pkg ... foo.tcl => Package name is: foo => Input file is: foo.tcl ... -pkg ... foo.so bar.tcl => Package name is: foo => Input file is: bar.tcl - __\-show__ Prints the configuration of the chosen target to __stdout__ and then exits\. Set __\-target__, below\. - __\-showall__ Prints the whole chosen configuration file to __stdout__ and then exits\. See __\-config__, above\. - __\-target__ name Overrides the default choice of build target\. Only the last occurrence of this option is used\. The named target must exist in the chosen configuration file\. Use __\-targets__ \(see below\) to get a list of the acceptable targets\. Use __\-config__ to select the configuration file\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. - __\-targets__ Prints the list of all known targets from the chosen configuration file to __stdout__ and then exits\. Use __\-config__ to select the configuration file\. - __\-tea__ Like __\-pkg__, except no binaries are generated\. Creates a directory hierarchy containing the *CriTcl script*, its companion files, and a TEA\-conformant build system with most of the needed support code, including copies of the critcl packages\. If both __\-pkg__ and __\-tea__ are specified the last occurrence wins\. __\-I__, __\-L__, __\-clean__, __\-force__, __\-cache__, __\-includedir__, __\-enable__, __\-disable__, and __\-with\-__FOO____ are ignored\. In contrast, the option __\-libdir__ is relevant in both this and __\-pkg__ mode\. The basename of the first file is the name of the package to generate\. If its file extension indicates a shared library \("\.so", "\.sl", "\.dylib", and "\.dll"\) it is also removed from the set of input files\. Each *CriTcl script* file is kept as part of the input\. A single file without a suffix is assumed to be a *CriTcl script*\. A file without a suffix, but other input files following is treated like the name of a shared library proper, and removed from the set of input files\. Examples: ... -tea ... foo => Package name is: foo => Input file is: foo.tcl ... -tea ... foo bar.tcl => Package name is: foo => Input file is: bar.tcl ... -tea ... foo.tcl => Package name is: foo => Input file is: foo.tcl ... -tea ... foo.so bar.tcl => Package name is: foo => Input file is: bar.tcl - __\-with\-__name____ value This option sets the value of the custom build configuration option *name* to *value*\. The information is validated only if one of the "\.critcl" input files actually defines and uses a custom build configuration option with that *name*\. Ignored when generating a TEA package \(see option __\-tea__ below\)\. # Modes Of Operation/Use CriTcl can be used in three different modes of operation, called 1. *[Compile & Run](\.\./index\.md\#compile\_run)*, and 1. *[Generate Package](\.\./index\.md\#generate\_package)* 1. *Generate TEA Package* *[Compile & Run](\.\./index\.md\#compile\_run)* was the original mode and is the default for *critcl\_pkg*\. Collects the C fragments from the *CriTcl script*, builds them as needed, and caches the results to improve load times later\. The second mode, *[Generate Package](\.\./index\.md\#generate\_package)*, was introduced to enable the creation of \(prebuilt\) deliverable packages which do not depend on the existence of a build system, i\.e\. C compiler, on the target machine\. This was originally done through the experimental __Critbind__ tool, and is now handled by the *CriTcl Application*, also named __[critcl](critcl\.md)__\. Newly introduced with CriTcl version 3 is *Generate TEA Package*\. This mode constructs a directory hierarchy from the package which can later be built like a regular TEA package, i\.e\. using .../configure --prefix ... make all isntall # Package Structure Packages generated by critcl have the following basic structure: +- pkgIndex.tcl +- critcl-rt.tcl +- license.terms (optional) | +- tcl (optional) | +- | +- +- *Notes* 1. The file "pkgIndex\.tcl" is the standard package index file expected by Tcl's package management\. It is sourced during a search for packages, and declares the package to Tcl with its files, and how to handle them\. 1. The file "critcl\-rt\.tcl" is a helper file containing the common code used by "pkgIndex\.tcl" to perform its tasks\. 1. The file "license\.terms" is optional and appears only if the "\.critcl" file the package is generated from used the command __critcl::license__ to declare package author and license\. 1. All files declared with the command __critcl::tsources__ are put into the sub\-directory "tcl"\. 1. The shared library generated by critcl is put into a platform\-specific sub\-directory\. The whole structure, and especially the last point, enable us to later merge the results \(for the same package, and version\) for multiple target platforms into a single directory structure without conflict, by simply copying the top directories over each other\. The only files which can conflict are in the and "tcl" directories, and for these we know that they are identical across targets\. The result of such a merge would look like: +- pkgIndex.tcl +- critcl-rt.tcl +- license.terms (optional) | +- tcl (optional) | +- | +- | +- +- | +- ... +- +- # Authors Jean Claude Wippler, Steve Landers, Andreas Kupries # Bugs, Ideas, Feedback This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems\. Please report them at [https://github\.com/andreas\-kupries/critcl/issues](https://github\.com/andreas\-kupries/critcl/issues)\. Ideas for enhancements you may have for either package, application, and/or the documentation are also very welcome and should be reported at [https://github\.com/andreas\-kupries/critcl/issues](https://github\.com/andreas\-kupries/critcl/issues) as well\. # KEYWORDS [C code](\.\./index\.md\#c\_code), [Embedded C Code](\.\./index\.md\#embedded\_c\_code), [calling C code from Tcl](\.\./index\.md\#calling\_c\_code\_from\_tcl), [code generator](\.\./index\.md\#code\_generator), [compile & run](\.\./index\.md\#compile\_run), [compiler](\.\./index\.md\#compiler), [dynamic code generation](\.\./index\.md\#dynamic\_code\_generation), [dynamic compilation](\.\./index\.md\#dynamic\_compilation), [generate package](\.\./index\.md\#generate\_package), [linker](\.\./index\.md\#linker), [on demand compilation](\.\./index\.md\#on\_demand\_compilation), [on\-the\-fly compilation](\.\./index\.md\#on\_the\_fly\_compilation) # CATEGORY Glueing/Embedded C code # COPYRIGHT Copyright © Jean\-Claude Wippler Copyright © Steve Landers Copyright © 2011\-2024 Andreas Kupries