Embedding a Tcl web server into APL

ABSTRACT

Tcl stands for Tool Command Language. It is a script language, but unlike the well-known perl, it is also an extensible interpreter that is designed to be easily embedded into other applications. The Tcl source code is available from the Internet and the package can be used freely even in commercial applications. In addition to its condensed notation and simple syntax, APL's strength is its powerful array handling capacity. Tcl is based on string handling and very strong on gluing different pieces of software together. It is especially the many available Tcl extensions for GUI, network, database, HTML and XML support, which make the combination of APL and Tcl very attractive.With the implementation of a few new APL system commands into the APL2C system, it is possible to create one or several Tcl interpreters from within APL. As each of the Tcl interpreters runs on its own thread, a synchronization mechanism is provided for the communication between APL and Tcl. As an example, a Tcl web server with an APL backbone has been realized to demonstrate the power of the combination between APL and Tcl.

REFERENCES

• 1: ISO/IEC 9899: 1990. ISO C Standard. ISO Central Secretariat, Case postale 56, 1211 Geneva 20, SWITZERLAND
• 2: Tilman P. Otto, An APL ompiler, Proceedings of the international conference on APL-Berlin-2000 conference, p.186-193, July 24-27, 2000, Berlin, Germany
• 3: John K. Ousterhout, Tcl and the Tk toolkit, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1994
• 4: Tcl Homepage. www.scriptics.com
• 5: Jim Weigang, APL-ASCII transliteration, ACM SIGAPL APL Quote Quad, v.25 n.3, p.38-46, March 1995 [doi>10.1145/202088.202094]
• 6: Brent B. Welch, Practical programming in Tcl and Tk, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1995

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.2 Language Classifications

          Nouns: Tcl; APL

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques
          Subjects: User interfaces

General Terms:
Design, Languages