• ActiveTcl

    From Mark Summerfield@m.n.summerfield@gmail.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 07:57:28 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    Page: https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/page/Binary+Distributions
    Link: http://www.activestate.com/Products/activetcl/

    Page: https://www.tcl-lang.org/
    Link: http://www.activestate.com/activetcl

    When I click either link I end up on this page: https://www.activestate.com/platform/supported-languages/tcl/

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Harald Oehlmann@wortkarg3@yahoo.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 09:14:06 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    Am 19.12.2025 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    Page: https://wiki.tcl-lang.org/page/Binary+Distributions
    Link: http://www.activestate.com/Products/activetcl/

    Page: https://www.tcl-lang.org/
    Link: http://www.activestate.com/activetcl

    When I click either link I end up on this page: https://www.activestate.com/platform/supported-languages/tcl/

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    To my knowledge, ActiveState has discontinued the Tcl service.

    Harald
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Christian Gollwitzer@auriocus@gmx.de to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 09:16:59 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and should
    be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    Christian

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mark Summerfield@m.n.summerfield@gmail.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 08:23:38 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and should
    be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but
    perfectly okay).
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Christian Gollwitzer@auriocus@gmx.de to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 09:26:56 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    Am 19.12.25 um 09:23 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul
    Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok
    P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but perfectly okay).

    The binaries mentioned above include a ton of extensions. If you
    donwload e.g. "vanillawish" from this page: https://ch-werner.hier-im-netz.de/LUCK/ you'll have a hard time finding
    an extension that is not included. Similarly, BAWT is a way to build
    your own from sources that will also work on Windows (which is the most annoying platform to build software for)

    Christian

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Harald Oehlmann@wortkarg3@yahoo.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 09:27:21 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    Am 19.12.2025 um 09:23 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and should
    be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul
    Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok
    P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but perfectly okay).

    You may look into BAWT. You can use the framework to have a running
    build environment, which makes it eventually easier for you to build.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan Grunwald@nospam.nurdglaw@gmail.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 12:29:06 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    On 19/12/2025 08:23, Mark Summerfield wrote:
    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and should
    be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul
    Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok
    P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but perfectly okay).

    Mark,

    Back in the day - maybe as long as 20 years ago - ActiveState used to
    provide a really good, free, basic Tcl installation on Windows and a
    useful and usable repo for a good number of extensions. They also
    provided paid-for consultancy services in Tcl. At some point two or
    three BIG names in the Tcl community moved on from the company, which continued to provide consultancy but ran down its "community", i.e.
    free, service. Over time, the community service declined and it seems
    now to have been withdrawn completely.

    All this coincided with my own move from Windows to Linux at home so I
    never properly investigated the alternatives on the MS systems. Like
    you, I have come to value the vaguely streamlined feel of a
    self-compiled system sufficiently to tolerate the tedium involved in
    that self-compilation. I'm running a bleeding-edge system on Linux and a fairly recent 8.7 on my Windows desktop which continues to be required
    to support Mrs G.

    Can anyone recommend a way to build on Windows? I'm really not
    interested in the alternatives from Paul, Christian and Ashok
    recommended above. The last time I attempted to download, install and
    run up a version of MS Visual Studio I only just stopped myself throwing
    the computer out of the window. I'd be happy to have another go if I was *sure* that I'd be able to build a working Tcl system and extension in a reasonable timescale (say 6 hours) once I'd managed to install a compiler.

    Alan
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Harald Oehlmann@wortkarg3@yahoo.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 13:41:21 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    Am 19.12.2025 um 13:29 schrieb Alan Grunwald:
    On 19/12/2025 08:23, Mark Summerfield wrote:
    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that-a page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and should >>> be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul
    Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok
    P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    -a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but
    perfectly okay).

    Mark,

    Back in the day - maybe as long as 20 years ago - ActiveState used to provide a really good, free, basic Tcl installation on Windows and a
    useful and usable repo for a good number of extensions. They also
    provided paid-for consultancy services in Tcl. At some point two or
    three BIG names in the Tcl community moved on from the company, which continued to provide consultancy but ran down its "community", i.e.
    free, service. Over time, the community service declined and it seems
    now to have been withdrawn completely.

    All this coincided with my own move from Windows to Linux at home so I
    never properly investigated the alternatives on the MS systems. Like
    you, I have come to value the vaguely streamlined feel of a self-
    compiled system sufficiently to tolerate the tedium involved in that self-compilation. I'm running a bleeding-edge system on Linux and a
    fairly recent 8.7 on my Windows desktop which continues to be required
    to support Mrs G.

    Can anyone recommend a way to build on Windows? I'm really not
    interested in the alternatives from Paul, Christian and Ashok
    recommended above. The last time I attempted to download, install and
    run up a version of MS Visual Studio I only just stopped myself throwing
    the computer out of the window. I'd be happy to have another go if I was *sure* that I'd be able to build a working Tcl system and extension in a reasonable timescale (say 6 hours) once I'd managed to install a compiler.

    Alan

    Alan,
    as there are two camps on Windows, it is easy to throw away the
    computer, if you are in the wrong camp.

    Here is my recipe:
    Download MS-Visual Studio with Visual C compiler - I have Version 2022. Download Tcl and Tk source code and unpack them in the same folder.
    There is nothing else in the folder.

    Go to the start menu and choose: Visual Studio->x84 native prompt
    A command window opens. In this command window:

    cd to the win folder of the unpacked tcl
    Type:
    nmake -f Makefile.vc
    nmake -f Makefile.vc install INSTALLDIR=c:\tcltest

    cd to the win folder of the unpacked tk installation
    Repeat the nmake commands

    Then, you have a ready tclsh and wish in c:\tcltest
    Harald
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Robert Heller@heller@deepsoft.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 14:56:14 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    At Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:29:06 +0000 Alan Grunwald <nospam.nurdglaw@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 19/12/2025 08:23, Mark Summerfield wrote:
    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and should >> be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul
    Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok
    P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but perfectly okay).

    Mark,

    Back in the day - maybe as long as 20 years ago - ActiveState used to
    provide a really good, free, basic Tcl installation on Windows and a
    useful and usable repo for a good number of extensions. They also
    provided paid-for consultancy services in Tcl. At some point two or
    three BIG names in the Tcl community moved on from the company, which continued to provide consultancy but ran down its "community", i.e.
    free, service. Over time, the community service declined and it seems
    now to have been withdrawn completely.

    All this coincided with my own move from Windows to Linux at home so I
    never properly investigated the alternatives on the MS systems. Like
    you, I have come to value the vaguely streamlined feel of a
    self-compiled system sufficiently to tolerate the tedium involved in
    that self-compilation. I'm running a bleeding-edge system on Linux and a fairly recent 8.7 on my Windows desktop which continues to be required
    to support Mrs G.

    Can anyone recommend a way to build on Windows? I'm really not
    interested in the alternatives from Paul, Christian and Ashok
    recommended above. The last time I attempted to download, install and
    run up a version of MS Visual Studio I only just stopped myself throwing
    the computer out of the window. I'd be happy to have another go if I was *sure* that I'd be able to build a working Tcl system and extension in a reasonable timescale (say 6 hours) once I'd managed to install a compiler.
    It is fairly easy to *cross build* for MS-Windows on a Linux system, both the base system and binary extensions. There is a Linux repo containing ming32 (/64) available for Debian-flavored Linuxes. This might be easier for someone used to the likes of GNU Auto tools and GNU Make and wishes to avoid delving into the world of MS Visual Studio.

    Alan


    --
    Robert Heller -- Cell: 413-658-7953 GV: 978-633-5364
    Deepwoods Software -- Custom Software Services
    http://www.deepsoft.com/ -- Linux Administration Services
    heller@deepsoft.com -- Webhosting Services
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Paul Obermeier@obermeier@poSoft.de to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 19:45:42 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    Am 19.12.2025 um 13:29 schrieb Alan Grunwald:
    On 19/12/2025 08:23, Mark Summerfield wrote:
    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that-a page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and should >>> be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul
    Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok
    P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    -a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but
    perfectly okay).

    Mark,

    Back in the day - maybe as long as 20 years ago - ActiveState used to provide a really good, free, basic Tcl installation on Windows and a useful and usable repo for a good number of extensions. They also provided paid-for consultancy services in Tcl. At some point two or three BIG names in the Tcl community moved on from the company, which continued to provide consultancy but ran down its "community", i.e. free, service. Over time, the community service declined and it seems now to have been withdrawn completely.

    All this coincided with my own move from Windows to Linux at home so I never properly investigated the alternatives on the MS systems. Like you, I have come to value the vaguely streamlined feel of a self-compiled system sufficiently to tolerate the tedium involved in that self-compilation. I'm running a bleeding-edge system on Linux and a fairly recent 8.7 on my Windows desktop which continues to be required to support Mrs G.

    Can anyone recommend a way to build on Windows? I'm really not interested in the alternatives from Paul, Christian and Ashok recommended above. The last time I attempted to download, install and run up a version of MS Visual Studio I only just stopped myself throwing the computer out of the window. I'd be happy to have another go if I was *sure* that I'd be able to build a working Tcl system and extension in a reasonable timescale (say 6 hours) once I'd managed to install a compiler.

    Alan

    Note, that BAWT can compile nearly all packages (except Tcl-Stubs and tkribbon) using the MSys/MinGW environment,
    which is part of the BAWT distribution. So no need to install VisdualStudio for most use cases.

    Paul
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Alan Grunwald@nospam.nurdglaw@gmail.com to comp.lang.tcl on Fri Dec 19 18:55:04 2025
    From Newsgroup: comp.lang.tcl

    On 19/12/2025 12:41, Harald Oehlmann wrote:
    Am 19.12.2025 um 13:29 schrieb Alan Grunwald:
    On 19/12/2025 08:23, Mark Summerfield wrote:
    On Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:16:59 +0100, Christian Gollwitzer wrote:

    Am 19.12.25 um 08:57 schrieb Mark Summerfield:
    On these pages are links to ActiveTcl:

    But there are _no_ download links I can discover on, or linked
    from, that-a page.

    I'm using Firefox on Linux, although I also tried another
    browser. Clearly I'm doing something wrong!

    It's not you, it's us ;)

    ActiveTcl was given up some while ago. The links are outdated and
    should
    be removed.

    Current best options for Tcl binaries are the distributions from Paul
    Obermeier (BAWT), Christian Werner (androwish/undroidwish) and Ashok
    P.Nadkarni (Magicsplat)

    -a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a Christian

    OK, thanks!

    I was only curious to see what they provided.
    I'm using Linux and building from source which isn't a problem although
    it does mean I have to add third-party extensions myself (tedious but
    perfectly okay).

    Mark,

    Back in the day - maybe as long as 20 years ago - ActiveState used to
    provide a really good, free, basic Tcl installation on Windows and a
    useful and usable repo for a good number of extensions. They also
    provided paid-for consultancy services in Tcl. At some point two or
    three BIG names in the Tcl community moved on from the company, which
    continued to provide consultancy but ran down its "community", i.e.
    free, service. Over time, the community service declined and it seems
    now to have been withdrawn completely.

    All this coincided with my own move from Windows to Linux at home so I
    never properly investigated the alternatives on the MS systems. Like
    you, I have come to value the vaguely streamlined feel of a self-
    compiled system sufficiently to tolerate the tedium involved in that
    self-compilation. I'm running a bleeding-edge system on Linux and a
    fairly recent 8.7 on my Windows desktop which continues to be required
    to support Mrs G.

    Can anyone recommend a way to build on Windows? I'm really not
    interested in the alternatives from Paul, Christian and Ashok
    recommended above. The last time I attempted to download, install and
    run up a version of MS Visual Studio I only just stopped myself
    throwing the computer out of the window. I'd be happy to have another
    go if I was *sure* that I'd be able to build a working Tcl system and
    extension in a reasonable timescale (say 6 hours) once I'd managed to
    install a compiler.

    Alan

    Alan,
    as there are two camps on Windows, it is easy to throw away the
    computer, if you are in the wrong camp.

    Here is my recipe:
    Download MS-Visual Studio with Visual C compiler - I have Version 2022. Download Tcl and Tk source code and unpack them in the same folder.
    There is nothing else in the folder.

    Go to the start menu and choose: Visual Studio->x84 native prompt
    A command window opens. In this command window:

    cd to the win folder of the unpacked tcl
    Type:
    nmake -f Makefile.vc
    nmake -f Makefile.vc install INSTALLDIR=c:\tcltest

    cd to the win folder of the unpacked tk installation
    Repeat the nmake commands

    Then, you have a ready tclsh and wish in c:\tcltest
    Harald

    Thanks Harald (and Robert and Paul). I have marked this message and will return to this thread if or when I decide that I simply MUST have an up-to-date system on Windows.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2