Re: Proper way to split a string?

Luc <luc@sep.invalid> wrote:

On Fri, 20 Dec 2024 23:13:44 -0600, Gerald Lester wrote:
 

Rich suggested making it a list. You can do that or make ::PINPUT an array:
>
set ::PINPUT(state) waiting
bind $::SRw  <Return>  {
    set ::PINPUT(pname) $pname
    set ::PINPUT(pname) $pfile
    set ::PINPUT(state) done
}
>
then:
>
vwait ::PINPUT(state)
catch {destroy $::SRw}
return [array get ::PINPUT]
>
Where you go to use it, do:
>
array set resultArray $returnValue
>
Or use the dict command to access the pieces.
>

**************************
 
It's good to know that I was even wronger than I thought.
 
I have been using a list as Rich suggested, but the use of an array
is very interesting, rather Tcl-ish.

And array has the downside of you cannot directly pass an array into a
proc nor directly return an array from a proc [1].

Either of a list or a dict can be passed in and returned directly with
no further 'effort' needed on your part within your code.

A list gives you the data, but without any attached 'names', so you
have to remember that "index 2 is data value Y" elsewhere.

A dict gives you 'named values' (just like an array) so if you prefer
that method, then you can use a dict to 'return' the values out of a
proc, and they will have names just like with an array.

And, you can convert a dict to an array via "array set array_name
$dict_name".  Converting an array to a dict works this way "set
dict_name [dict create {*}[array get array_name]]" or by just
'accessing' the list returned from [array get] with the [dict] command,
which will shimmer it into a dict.  The explicit [dict create] method
does make it clear in your code that you are purposefully performing
the transform.


[1] Instead you have to do things like "array get name_of_array" to
return it, or pass in the name of the array and use upvar to access it.