Tcl Source Code

Changelog entry of the enclosed patch is:

 * generic/tclVar.c: simplification of the variable
logic; three
flag masks (VAR_SCALAR, VAR_UNDEFINED and
VAR_ARGUMENT) are not
used any longer.

*** POTENTIAL INCOMPATIBILITY ***
Extensions that include tclInt.h and directly access
the variable
flag values will definitely lose binary compatibility
due to
changes in some macro definitions. Source
compatibility may also
be affected depending on the details, and needs
reviewing. 
Extensions that might be impacted include procomp,
tbcload, itcl and
xotcl. 

I think that this simplification is important, as it
makes the handling of variables simpler and faster. The
changes required to any extension accessing VAR_* flags
or Tcl(SET|Clear|Is)Var* macros are small and simple.

But I am still somewhat wary of breaking so many
important extensions. OTOH, when if not in alpha?
Decisions ...

Requesting comments.

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VAR_SCALAR and VAR_UNDEFINED are gone with varReform [Patch 1750051].

File Added - 106866: varflags2.diff

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I'll hold on until the day after 8.5a2 is branched ...
If we're already breaking compat, here's some more
modifications. No benchmarks yet.

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confirmed this changes breaks
both binary and source compatibility
with both XOTcl and Itcl.

I'd be shy about committing this
until we at least identify the
patches to those extensions that
will restore them to working.
Unlikely to be suitable for
commit before 8.5a2 release, IMO.

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Itcl has already been broken for 8.5 anyway; you might as
well plunge onwards ;)

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Further note: Some unused flag values have been kept, some
unneeded macros have been defined to do nothing - hoping
that this simplifies the porting effort. 
The missing flag values are ignored. This may be important
for tbc files prepared prior to this patch to run, at least
until the tbcload developers take a look and/or make
whatever changes are necessary.

File Added - 106669: varflags.diff