HolonT - a Forth IDE for Tcl
Wolf Wejgaard
HolonTForth uses Tcl as its native language. With HolonT you have the
Tcl universum available in Forth.
Why Tcl? Tcl offers everything I could possibly want. Strings, lists,
regular expressions, fine graphic tool kits (Tk and others), web
tools, a great database (Metakit), OO in many flavors, and more. Tcl
is available on all platforms, and Tcl applications run everywhere.
Moreover there is this brilliant Tclkit, which contains the whole Tcl
system in one executable file. Tclkit embodies a virtual file system
and in it the commonly used Tcl packages, including Tk and Metakit. It
is included with the HolonT packages.
So why don't I just use Tcl? I did. Four years ago I switched to Tcl
because it offers the features that I couldn't find in Forth. I turned
to Tcl in order to develop the new Holon (which I presented here last
year), and have now used the new Holon to build HolonT.
So why Forth again? Tcl has, for me, one fundamental problem, its
prefix notation. Prefix notation creates an additional layer of
complexity that I simply can't adapt to. I still have problems with
the rules of argument substitutions, with braces and brackets and
taking care that the command arguments really form correct lists. Tcl
is described by 12 rules. If you convert Tcl to postfix notation as in
HolonTForth, 6 of the rules simply vanish. Braces, brackets,
substitutions ond argument lists evaporate. Back to the roots of
simplicity!
HolonT is available as a free open source system at
http://holonforth.com/new/tcl/holont.html, prepared for Windows, Linux
and OSX.
Note: This is a first version, still experimental. It provides the
compiler mechanism and Forth words for the commonly used parts of the
Tcl kernel as well as a couple of Tk words that I have used so far in
the sample chess and private programs. Also note: this system is not
competing in the speed race.
Howerd
Another nice program!
So now I have to learn Tcl ...
I like the new user interface to HolonT.
Have you converted HolonJ etc to the new Tcl look and feel?
Regards
Howerd
Wolf Wejgaard
On 7 Mai, 14:35, Howerd <howe...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Have you converted HolonJ etc to the new Tcl look and feel?
No, the old Holon systems feel quite happy in DOS. But I am glad to
have space available now to explore additional promises of the Holon
concept.
Regards, Wolf
Wolf Wejgaard
> ... promises of the Holon concept.
Actually, the promises of Forth.
Regards, Wolf
Don Seglio
started migrating it to the MSP430, had the assembler working but
without the source that was the end of the progress.
I really like they way it organizes the source code, makes it very easy
to work on a project.
Wolf Wejgaard
Further bug reports are welcome.
Please use the google.group holonforth
--
Rien n'est parfait, soupira le loup.
(inspired by Saint-Exupéry)
Wolf Wejgaard
> How about the original HolonForth will it be open source one day, I
> started migrating it to the MSP430, had the assembler working but
> without the source that was the end of the progress.
>
> I really like they way it organizes the source code, makes it very easy
> to work on a project.
For a while I have offered my cooperation for porting Holon to new
targets (see the topica mailing list). The assembler is only the first
step in the involved process. You need a monitor in the target, must
create the Forth kernel words, adapt the umbilical communication, tune
the debugger to the target uP, and more.
There have been several attempts but only one project actually made it
to the end (HolonR2k). It was considerably more work than anticipated
for both parties.
The process particularly showed that the old source of Holon needs a
lot of explanation, it contains the what and the how but not the why.
I don't think it is a good idea to distribute it.
Instead of commenting source of an old closed world, I will rather
give you all the information you want about Holonforth, based on the
new open source systems. Just ask, there exists a google.group
holonforth ready for discussions.