Tcl Library Source Code

dict print, of module dicttool inserts a newline and identation spaces to empty dict (key) values, when printing. Besides this being aesthetically strange, it becomes an error when the value is a string of only spaces, in which case the original value is destroyed. For example:

% package req dicttool
1.1
% set d {a 55 b {} c "   "}
a 55 b {} c "   "
% dict print $d

a 55
b {
}
c {
}

# it should be:

a 55
b {}
c {   }

--- dicttool.tcl        2018-02-02 05:38:38.000000000 +0200
+++ dicttool1.tcl       2018-04-22 14:56:18.783045692 +0300
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
       }
       ::incr indent -2
       ::append buffer \n [::string repeat " " $indent] "\}"
-    } elseif {[string index $field end] eq ":" || ![is_dict $value]} {
+    } elseif {[string index $field end] eq ":" || ![is_dict $value] || ![::llength $value]} {
       ::append buffer [::list $value]
     } else {
       ::incr indent 2

dzach is correct, dict print really can't tell an empty string from a subtree, and the only way to prevent unsightly printouts or errors is to provide hints through notation.

As they say in the museum industry... defects inherent in the material

Sean, can you have a look at this ?

Changed severity to 'minor'

I think I missed the point that the value is a leaf, therefore a key ending in a ':' would direct 'dict print' to print the value as is. 

Therefore this is not a bug.

dzach