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Tk_SetOptions(3)




Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

_________________________________________________________________


NAME

     Tk_CreateOptionTable, Tk_DeleteOptionTable,  Tk_InitOptions,
     Tk_SetOptions,  Tk_FreeSavedOptions, Tk_RestoreSavedOptions,
     Tk_GetOptionValue,  Tk_GetOptionInfo,  Tk_FreeConfigOptions,
     Tk_Offset - process configuration options


SYNOPSIS

     #include <tk.h>

     Tk_OptionTable
     Tk_CreateOptionTable(interp, templatePtr)

     Tk_DeleteOptionTable(optionTable)

     int
     Tk_InitOptions(interp, recordPtr, optionTable, tkwin)

     int
     Tk_SetOptions(interp, recordPtr, optionTable, objc, objv, tkwin, savePtr, maskPtr)

     Tk_FreeSavedOptions(savedPtr)

     Tk_RestoreSavedOptions(savedPtr)

     Tcl_Obj *
     Tk_GetOptionValue(interp, recordPtr, optionTable, namePtr, tkwin)

     Tcl_Obj *
     Tk_GetOptionInfo(interp, recordPtr, optionTable, namePtr, tkwin)

     Tk_FreeConfigOptions(recordPtr, optionTable, tkwin)

     int
     Tk_Offset(type, field)


ARGUMENTS

     Tcl_Interp *interp (in)                     A   Tcl   inter-
                                                 preter.     Most
                                                 procedures   use
                                                 this   only  for
                                                 returning  error
                                                 messages;  if it
                                                 is NULL then  no
                                                 error   messages
                                                 are    returned.
                                                 For
                                                 Tk_CreateOptionTable
                                                 the value cannot
                                                 be   NULL;    it
                                                 gives        the

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        1

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

                                                 interpreter   in
                                                 which the option
                                                 table  will   be
                                                 used.

     const Tk_OptionSpec *templatePtr (in)       Points   to   an
                                                 array  of static
                                                 information that
                                                 describes    the
                                                 configuration
                                                 options that are
                                                 supported.  Used
                                                 to    build    a
                                                 Tk_OptionTable.
                                                 The  information
                                                 pointed  to   by
                                                 this    argument
                                                 must  exist  for
                                                 the  lifetime of
                                                 the
                                                 Tk_OptionTable.

     Tk_OptionTable optionTable (in)             Token   for   an
                                                 option    table.
                                                 Must  have  been
                                                 returned   by  a
                                                 previous call to
                                                 Tk_CreateOptionTable.

     char *recordPtr (in/out)                    Points to struc-
                                                 ture   in  which
                                                 values of confi-
                                                 guration options
                                                 are      stored;
                                                 fields  of  this
                                                 record are modi-
                                                 fied   by   pro-
                                                 cedures such  as
                                                 Tk_SetOptions
                                                 and read by pro-
                                                 cedures  such as
                                                 Tk_GetOptionValue.

     Tk_Window tkwin (in)                        For options such
                                                 as
                                                 TK_OPTION_COLOR,
                                                 this    argument
                                                 indicates    the
                                                 window  in which
                                                 the option  will
                                                 be   used.    If
                                                 optionTable uses

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        2

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

                                                 no       window-
                                                 dependent
                                                 options,  then a
                                                 NULL  value  may
                                                 be  supplied for
                                                 this argument.

     int objc (in)                               Number of values
                                                 in objv.

     Tcl_Obj *const objv[] (in)                  Command-line
                                                 arguments    for
                                                 setting   confi-
                                                 guring options.

     Tk_SavedOptions *savePtr (out)              If not NULL, the
                                                 structure
                                                 pointed  to   by
                                                 this argument is
                                                 filled  in  with
                                                 the  old  values
                                                 of  any  options
                                                 that  were modi-
                                                 fied   and   old
                                                 values       are
                                                 restored
                                                 automatically if
                                                 an error  occurs
                                                 in
                                                 Tk_SetOptions.

     int *maskPtr (out)                          If not NULL, the
                                                 word  pointed to
                                                 by  maskPtr   is
                                                 filled  in  with
                                                 the bit-wise  OR
                                                 of  the typeMask
                                                 fields  for  the
                                                 options     that
                                                 were modified.

     Tk_SavedOptions *savedPtr (in/out)          Points   to    a
                                                 structure previ-
                                                 ously filled  in
                                                 by Tk_SetOptions
                                                 with old  values
                                                 of      modified
                                                 options.

     Tcl_Obj *namePtr (in)                       The   value   of
                                                 this  object  is
                                                 the  name  of  a

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        3

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

                                                 particular
                                                 option.  If NULL
                                                 is   passed   to
                                                 Tk_GetOptionInfo
                                                 then information
                                                 is returned  for
                                                 all     options.
                                                 Must not be NULL
                                                 when
                                                 Tk_GetOptionValue
                                                 is called.

     type name type (in)                         The name of  the
                                                 type     of    a
                                                 record.

     field name field (in)                       The  name  of  a
                                                 field in records
                                                 of type type.
_________________________________________________________________


DESCRIPTION

     These procedures handle most of the details of parsing  con-
     figuration  options  such  as those for Tk widgets.  Given a
     description of what options are supported, these  procedures
     handle  all the details of parsing options and storing their
     values into a C structure  associated  with  the  widget  or
     object.  The  procedures were designed primarily for widgets
     in Tk, but they can also be used for other kinds of  objects
     that have configuration options.  In the rest of this manual
     page "widget" will be used to  refer  to  the  object  whose
     options  are  being  managed; in practice the object may not
     actually be a widget.  The term "widget record" is  used  to
     refer  to the C-level structure in which information about a
     particular widget or object is stored.

     Note: the easiest way to learn how to use  these  procedures
     is  to look at a working example.  In Tk, the simplest exam-
     ple is the code that implements the button family  of  widg-
     ets,   which  is  in  tkButton.c.   Other  examples  are  in
     tkSquare.c and tkMenu.c.

     In order to use these procedures, the code  that  implements
     the  widget  must  contain  a  static array of Tk_OptionSpec
     structures. This is a template that  describes  the  various
     options  supported  by  that  class  of  widget;  there is a
     separate template for each kind  of  widget.   The  template
     contains  information  such  as the name of each option, its
     type, its default value, and where the value of  the  option
     is  stored  in  the  widget record.  See TEMPLATES below for
     more detail.

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        4

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

     In order to process configuration options  efficiently,  the
     static  template  must be augmented with additional informa-
     tion that is  available  only  at  runtime.   The  procedure
     Tk_CreateOptionTable  creates  this dynamic information from
     the  template  and  returns  a  Tk_OptionTable  token   that
     describes  both  the static and dynamic information.  All of
     the  other  procedures,  such  as  Tk_SetOptions,   take   a
     Tk_OptionTable     token     as     argument.     Typically,
     Tk_CreateOptionTable is called the first time that a  widget
     of   a   particular  class  is  created  and  the  resulting
     Tk_OptionTable is used in the future for all widgets of that
     class.  A Tk_OptionTable may be used only in a single inter-
     preter,    given    by    the     interp     argument     to
     Tk_CreateOptionTable.   When  an  option  table is no longer
     needed Tk_DeleteOptionTable should be called to free all  of
     its  resources.   All  of the option tables for a Tcl inter-
     preter  are  freed  automatically  if  the  interpreter   is
     deleted.

     Tk_InitOptions is invoked when a new widget  is  created  to
     set the default values for all of the widget's configuration
     options.  Tk_InitOptions is passed a  token  for  an  option
     table  (optionTable)  and  a  pointer  to  a  widget  record
     (recordPtr), which is the C structure that holds information
     about  this  widget.  Tk_InitOptions uses the information in
     the option table to choose an appropriate default  for  each
     option,  then  it stores the default value directly into the
     widget record, overwriting any information that was  already
     present  in  the  widget  record.   Tk_InitOptions  normally
     returns TCL_OK.  If an  error  occurred  while  setting  the
     default values (e.g., because a default value was erroneous)
     then TCL_ERROR is returned and an error message is  left  in
     interp's result if interp is not NULL.

     Tk_SetOptions is invoked  to  modify  configuration  options
     based  on  information specified in a Tcl command.  The com-
     mand might be one that creates a new widget,  or  a  command
     that  modifies  options on an existing widget.  The objc and
     objv arguments describe the values of the arguments from the
     Tcl  command.   Objv must contain an even number of objects:
     the first object of each pair gives the name  of  an  option
     and  the  second object gives the new value for that option.
     Tk_SetOptions looks up each name in optionTable, checks that
     the new value of the option conforms to the type in optionT-
     able, and stores the value of the  option  into  the  widget
     record  given  by recordPtr.  Tk_SetOptions normally returns
     TCL_OK.  If an error occurred (such  as  an  unknown  option
     name  or an illegal option value) then TCL_ERROR is returned
     and an error message is left in interp's result if interp is
     not NULL.

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        5

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

     Tk_SetOptions has two additional features.   First,  if  the
     maskPtr  argument  is  not NULL then it points to an integer
     value that is filled in with information about  the  options
     that  were modified.  For each option in the template passed
     to Tk_CreateOptionTable there is a typeMask field.  The bits
     of  this  field  are defined by the code that implements the
     widget; for example, each bit might correspond to a particu-
     lar configuration option.  Alternatively, bits might be used
     functionally.  For  example,  one  bit  might  be  used  for
     redisplay:  all  options  that  affect the widget's display,
     such that changing the option  requires  the  widget  to  be
     redisplayed,  might  have  that  bit set.  Another bit might
     indicate that the geometry of the widget must be recomputed,
     and  so on.  Tk_SetOptions OR's together the typeMask fields
     from all the options that were  modified  and  returns  this
     value  at *maskPtr; the caller can then use this information
     to optimize  itself  so  that,  for  example,  it  does  not
     redisplay  the  widget if the modified options do not affect
     the widget's appearance.

     The second additional feature of  Tk_SetOptions  has  to  do
     with  error  recovery.   If an error occurs while processing
     configuration options, this feature  makes  it  possible  to
     restore  all  the  configuration  options  to their previous
     values.  Errors can occur either while processing options in
     Tk_SetOptions  or  later  in  the caller.  In many cases the
     caller  does  additional  processing   after   Tk_SetOptions
     returns;  for example, it might use an option value to set a
     trace on a variable and may detect an error if the  variable
     is  an array instead of a scalar.  Error recovery is enabled
     by passing in a non-NULL value for the savePtr  argument  to
     Tk_SetOptions;  this should be a pointer to an uninitialized
     Tk_SavedOptions   structure   on   the    caller's    stack.
     Tk_SetOptions overwrites the structure pointed to by savePtr
     with information about the old values of any  options  modi-
     fied  by  the  procedure.  If Tk_SetOptions returns success-
     fully, the caller uses the structure in one of two ways.  If
     the  caller  completes  its  processing  of  the new options
     without any errors, then  it  must  pass  the  structure  to
     Tk_FreeSavedOptions so that the old values can be freed.  If
     the caller detects an error in its  processing  of  the  new
     options,    then   it   should   pass   the   structure   to
     Tk_RestoreSavedOptions, which will copy the old values  back
     into  the  widget  record  and  free  the  new  values.   If
     Tk_SetOptions  detects  an  error  then   it   automatically
     restores  any  options  that  had  already been modified and
     leaves *savePtr in an empty state: the caller need not  call
     either  Tk_FreeSavedOptions  or  Tk_RestoreSavedOptions.  If
     the  savePtr  argument  to  Tk_SetOptions   is   NULL   then
     Tk_SetOptions  frees  each old option value immediately when
     it sets a new value for the option.  In  this  case,  if  an
     error  occurs  in  the  third option, the old values for the

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        6

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

     first two options cannot be restored.

     Tk_GetOptionValue returns the current value of a  configura-
     tion  option  for a particular widget.  The namePtr argument
     contains the  name  of  an  option;  Tk_GetOptionValue  uses
     optionTable  to lookup the option and extract its value from
     the widget record pointed to by recordPtr, then  it  returns
     an  object containing that value.  If an error occurs (e.g.,
     because namePtr contains an unknown option name)  then  NULL
     is  returned and an error message is left in interp's result
     unless interp is NULL.

     Tk_GetOptionInfo  returns  information  about  configuration
     options  in  a  form suitable for configure widget commands.
     If the namePtr argument is not NULL, it points to an  object
     that   gives   the   name   of   a   configuration   option;
     Tk_GetOptionInfo returns an object containing  a  list  with
     five  elements,  which  are the name of the option, the name
     and class used for the option in the  option  database,  the
     default  value for the option, and the current value for the
     option.    If   the   namePtr   argument   is   NULL,   then
     Tk_GetOptionInfo  returns  information  about all options in
     the form of a list of  lists;  each  sublist  describes  one
     option.   Synonym  options are handled differently depending
     on whether namePtr is NULL: if namePtr is NULL then the sub-
     list  for  each  synonym option has only two elements, which
     are the name of the option and the name of the other  option
     that  it  refers  to;  if  namePtr  is  non-NULL and names a
     synonym option then the object returned is the  five-element
     list for the other option that the synonym refers to.  If an
     error occurs (e.g.,  because  namePtr  contains  an  unknown
     option  name)  then NULL is returned and an error message is
     left in interp's result unless interp is NULL.

     Tk_FreeConfigOptions  must  be  invoked  when  a  widget  is
     deleted.   It frees all of the resources associated with any
     of  the  configuration  options  defined  in  recordPtr   by
     optionTable.

     The Tk_Offset macro is provided as a safe way of  generating
     the  objOffset  and  internalOffset  values  for  entries in
     Tk_OptionSpec structures.  It takes two arguments: the  name
     of a type of record, and the name of a field in that record.
     It returns the byte offset of the named field in records  of
     the given type.


TEMPLATES

     The   array   of   Tk_OptionSpec   structures   passed    to
     Tk_CreateOptionTable  via its templatePtr argument describes
     the configuration options supported by a particular class of
     widgets.   Each structure specifies one configuration option
     and has the following fields:

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        7

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

          typedef struct {
              Tk_OptionType type;
              const char *optionName;
              const char *dbName;
              const char *dbClass;
              const char *defValue;
              int objOffset;
              int internalOffset;
              int flags;
              ClientData clientData;
              int typeMask;
          } Tk_OptionSpec;
     The type field indicates what kind of  configuration  option
     this   is  (e.g.  TK_OPTION_COLOR  for  a  color  value,  or
     TK_OPTION_INT for an integer value).   Type  determines  how
     the value of the option is parsed (more on this below).  The
     optionName field is a string such as -font or -bg; it is the
     name  used for the option in Tcl commands and passed to pro-
     cedures via the objc or namePtr arguments.  The  dbName  and
     dbClass  fields  are  used  by  Tk_InitOptions  to look up a
     default value for this option in  the  option  database;  if
     dbName  is  NULL  then  the  option  database is not used by
     Tk_InitOptions for this option.  The defValue  field  speci-
     fies  a  default  value  for this configuration option if no
     value is specified in the option  database.   The  objOffset
     and  internalOffset fields indicate where to store the value
     of this option in  widget  records  (more  on  this  below);
     values  for  the  objOffset and internalOffset fields should
     always be generated with the  Tk_Offset  macro.   The  flags
     field  contains  additional  information to control the pro-
     cessing  of  this  configuration  option  (see   below   for
     details).  ClientData provides additional type-specific data
     needed by certain types.  For instance, for  TK_OPTION_COLOR
     types,  clientData  is  a string giving the default value to
     use on monochrome displays.  See  the  descriptions  of  the
     different   types   below  for  details.   The  last  field,
     typeMask, is used by  Tk_SetOptions  to  return  information
     about  which  options  were modified; see the description of
     Tk_SetOptions above for details.

     When Tk_InitOptions and Tk_SetOptions store the value of  an
     option  into  the widget record, they can do it in either of
     two ways.  If the objOffset field of  the  Tk_OptionSpec  is
     greater  than or equal to zero, then the value of the option
     is stored as a (Tcl_Obj *) at the  location  in  the  widget
     record  given  by objOffset.  If the internalOffset field of
     the Tk_OptionSpec is greater than or equal to zero, then the
     value  of  the  option is stored in a type-specific internal
     form at the location in the widget record  given  by  inter-
     nalOffset.    For   example,   if   the   option's  type  is
     TK_OPTION_INT then the internal form is an integer.  If  the
     objOffset or internalOffset field is negative then the value

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        8

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

     is not stored in that form.  At least  one  of  the  offsets
     must be greater than or equal to zero.

     The flags field consists of one or more bits ORed  together.
     At    present    only    a   single   flag   is   supported:
     TK_OPTION_NULL_OK.  If this bit is set for an option then an
     empty  string  will  be accepted as the value for the option
     and the resulting internal form will be a  NULL  pointer,  a
     zero  value,  or  None, depending on the type of the option.
     If the flag is not set then empty  strings  will  result  in
     errors.   TK_OPTION_NULL_OK  is  typically  used  to allow a
     feature to be turned off entirely, e.g. set a  cursor  value
     to  None  so that a window simply inherits its parent's cur-
     sor.  Not all option  types  support  the  TK_OPTION_NULL_OK
     flag;  for those that do, there is an explicit indication of
     that fact in the descriptions below.

     The type field of each  Tk_OptionSpec  structure  determines
     how  to  parse  the  value of that configuration option. The
     legal value for type, and  the  corresponding  actions,  are
     described  below.   If the type requires a tkwin value to be
     passed into procedures like Tk_SetOptions, or if it uses the
     clientData  field of the Tk_OptionSpec, then it is indicated
     explicitly; if not  mentioned,  the  type  requires  neither
     tkwin nor clientData.

     TK_OPTION_ANCHOR
          The value must be a standard anchor position such as ne
          or center.  The internal form is a Tk_Anchor value like
          the ones returned by Tk_GetAnchorFromObj.

     TK_OPTION_BITMAP
          The value must be a standard Tk bitmap name. The inter-
          nal  form  is  a Pixmap token like the ones returned by
          Tk_AllocBitmapFromObj.  This option type requires tkwin
          to be supplied to procedures such as Tk_SetOptions, and
          it supports the TK_OPTION_NULL_OK flag.

     TK_OPTION_BOOLEAN
          The value must be a standard boolean value such as true
          or no.  The internal form is an integer with value 0 or
          1.

     TK_OPTION_BORDER
          The value must be a standard color name such as red  or
          #ff8080.  The internal form is a Tk_3DBorder token like
          the ones  returned  by  Tk_Alloc3DBorderFromObj.   This
          option type requires tkwin to be supplied to procedures
          such   as   Tk_SetOptions,   and   it   supports    the
          TK_OPTION_NULL_OK flag.

     TK_OPTION_COLOR

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                        9

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

          The value must be a standard color name such as red  or
          #ff8080.  The internal form is an (XColor *) token like
          the ones returned by Tk_AllocColorFromObj.  This option
          type  requires  tkwin to be supplied to procedures such
          as Tk_SetOptions, and it supports the TK_OPTION_NULL_OK
          flag.

     TK_OPTION_CURSOR
          The value must be a standard cursor name such as  cross
          or  @foo.   The internal form is a Tk_Cursor token like
          the  ones  returned  by  Tk_AllocCursorFromObj.    This
          option type requires tkwin to be supplied to procedures
          such as Tk_SetOptions, and when the option is  set  the
          cursor for the window is changed by calling XDefineCur-
          sor.    This   option   type    also    supports    the
          TK_OPTION_NULL_OK flag.

     TK_OPTION_CUSTOM
          This option allows applications to  define  new  option
          types.   The  clientData field of the entry points to a
          structure defining the new option type.  See  the  sec-
          tion CUSTOM OPTION TYPES below for details.

     TK_OPTION_DOUBLE
          The string value must be a floating-point number in the
          format  accepted  by  strtol.  The internal form is a C
          double  value.    This   option   type   supports   the
          TK_OPTION_NULL_OK  flag;  if  a  NULL value is set, the
          internal representation is set to zero.

     TK_OPTION_END
          Marks the  end  of  the  template.   There  must  be  a
          Tk_OptionSpec  structure with type TK_OPTION_END at the
          end of each template.  If the clientData field of  this
          structure  is not NULL, then it points to an additional
          array of Tk_OptionSpec's, which is itself terminated by
          another  TK_OPTION_END entry.  Templates may be chained
          arbitrarily deeply.  This feature allows common options
          to be shared by several widget classes.

     TK_OPTION_FONT
          The value must be a standard font name  such  as  Times
          16.   The  internal  form  is a Tk_Font handle like the
          ones returned by Tk_AllocFontFromObj.  This option type
          requires  tkwin  to  be  supplied to procedures such as
          Tk_SetOptions, and it  supports  the  TK_OPTION_NULL_OK
          flag.

     TK_OPTION_INT
          The string value must  be  an  integer  in  the  format
          accepted  by strtol (e.g. 0 and 0x prefixes may be used
          to specify octal or hexadecimal numbers, respectively).

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                       10

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

          The internal form is a C int value.

     TK_OPTION_JUSTIFY
          The value must be a standard justification  value  such
          as  left.   The  internal form is a Tk_Justify like the
          values returned by Tk_GetJustifyFromObj.

     TK_OPTION_PIXELS
          The value must specify a screen distance such as 2i  or
          6.4.   The  internal  form is an integer value giving a
          distance  in  pixels,  like  the  values  returned   by
          Tk_GetPixelsFromObj.   Note:  if the objOffset field is
          not used then information about the original  value  of
          this  option  will  be  lost.  See OBJOFFSET VS. INTER-
          NALOFFSET below for details.  This option type supports
          the TK_OPTION_NULL_OK flag; if a NULL value is set, the
          internal representation is set to zero.

     TK_OPTION_RELIEF
          The value must be standard relief such as raised.   The
          internal  form  is  an  integer  relief  value  such as
          TK_RELIEF_RAISED.   This  option  type   supports   the
          TK_OPTION_NULL_OK  flag;  if the empty string is speci-
          fied as the value for the option,  the  integer  relief
          value is set to TK_RELIEF_NULL.

     TK_OPTION_STRING
          The value may be any string.  The internal  form  is  a
          (char *) pointer that points to a dynamically allocated
          copy of the  value.   This  option  type  supports  the
          TK_OPTION_NULL_OK flag.

     TK_OPTION_STRING_TABLE
          For this type, clientData is a pointer to an  array  of
          strings  suitable  for  passing to Tcl_GetIndexFromObj.
          The value must be one of the strings in the table, or a
          unique  abbreviation of one of the strings.  The inter-
          nal form is an integer giving the index into the  table
          of  the  matching  string,  like  the return value from
          Tcl_GetStringFromObj.

     TK_OPTION_SYNONYM
          This type is used to provide alternative names  for  an
          option (for example, -bg is often used as a synonym for
          -background).  The clientData field is  a  string  that
          gives  the  name  of  another option in the same table.
          Whenever the synonym option is  used,  the  information
          from the other option will be used instead.

     TK_OPTION_WINDOW
          The value must be a window  path  name.   The  internal
          form  is a Tk_Window token for the window.  This option

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                       11

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

          type requires tkwin to be supplied to  procedures  such
          as  Tk_SetOptions  (in  order  to identify the applica-
          tion), and it supports the TK_OPTION_NULL_OK flag.


STORAGE MANAGEMENT ISSUES

     If a field of a widget record has its offset stored  in  the
     objOffset  or internalOffset field of a Tk_OptionSpec struc-
     ture then the procedures described here will handle  all  of
     the  storage allocation and resource management issues asso-
     ciated with the field.  When  the  value  of  an  option  is
     changed,   Tk_SetOptions   (or   Tk_FreeSavedOptions)   will
     automatically free any resources  associated  with  the  old
     value, such as Tk_Fonts for TK_OPTION_FONT options or dynam-
     ically allocated memory for TK_OPTION_STRING  options.   For
     an option stored as an object using the objOffset field of a
     Tk_OptionSpec, the widget record shares the  object  pointed
     to  by  the  objv value from the call to Tk_SetOptions.  The
     reference count  for  this  object  is  incremented  when  a
     pointer to it is stored in the widget record and decremented
     when the option is modified.  When  the  widget  is  deleted
     Tk_FreeConfigOptions  should  be  invoked;  it will free the
     resources associated with all options and  decrement  refer-
     ence counts for any objects.

     However, the widget code is responsible for storing NULL  or
     None  in  all  pointer  and  token  fields  before  invoking
     Tk_InitOptions.  This is needed to allow proper  cleanup  in
     the rare case where an error occurs in Tk_InitOptions.


OBJOFFSET VS. INTERNALOFFSET

     In most cases it is simplest to use the internalOffset field
     of  a  Tk_OptionSpec  structure and not the objOffset field.
     This makes the internal form of the value immediately avail-
     able  to  the  widget  code so the value does not have to be
     extracted from an object each time  it  is  used.   However,
     there  are  two  cases  where the objOffset field is useful.
     The first case is for  TK_OPTION_PIXELS  options.   In  this
     case,  the  internal  form is an integer pixel value that is
     valid only for a particular screen.  If  the  value  of  the
     option is retrieved, it will be returned as a simple number.
     For example, after the command .b configure -borderwidth 2m,
     the  command .b configure -borderwidth might return 7, which
     is the integer pixel  value  corresponding  to  2m.   Unfor-
     tunately,  this loses the original screen-independent value.
     Thus for TK_OPTION_PIXELS options it is better  to  use  the
     objOffset  field.   In  this  case the original value of the
     option is retained in the object and can  be  returned  when
     the  option is retrieved.  In most cases it is convenient to
     use the internalOffset field as well, so  that  the  integer
     value  is  immediately  available for use in the widget code
     (alternatively, Tk_GetPixelsFromObj can be used  to  extract
     the  integer  value  from the object whenever it is needed).

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                       12

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

     Note: the problem of losing information on retrievals exists
     only for TK_OPTION_PIXELS options.

     The second reason to use the objOffset field is in order  to
     implement  new  types of options not supported by these pro-
     cedures.  To implement a new type of  option,  you  can  use
     TK_OPTION_STRING  as the type in the Tk_OptionSpec structure
     and set the  objOffset  field  but  not  the  internalOffset
     field.   Then,  after  calling  Tk_SetOptions,  convert  the
     object to internal form yourself.


CUSTOM OPTION TYPES

     Applications can extend  the  built-in  configuration  types
     with additional configuration types by writing procedures to
     parse, print, free, and restore saved copies of the type and
     creating a structure pointing to those procedures:
          typedef struct Tk_ObjCustomOption {
              char *name;
              Tk_CustomOptionSetProc *setProc;
              Tk_CustomOptionGetProc *getProc;
              Tk_CustomOptionRestoreProc *restoreProc;
              Tk_CustomOptionFreeProc *freeProc;
              ClientData clientData;
          } Tk_ObjCustomOption;

          typedef int Tk_CustomOptionSetProc(
              ClientData clientData,
              Tcl_Interp *interp,
              Tk_Window tkwin,
              Tcl_Obj **valuePtr,
              char *recordPtr,
              int internalOffset,
              char *saveInternalPtr,
              int flags);

          typedef Tcl_Obj *Tk_CustomOptionGetProc(
              ClientData clientData,
              Tk_Window tkwin,
              char *recordPtr,
              int internalOffset);

          typedef void Tk_CustomOptionRestoreProc(
              ClientData clientData,
              Tk_Window tkwin,
              char *internalPtr,
              char *saveInternalPtr);

          typedef void Tk_CustomOptionFreeProc(
              ClientData clientData,
              Tk_Window tkwin,
              char *internalPtr);

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                       13

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

     The Tk_ObjCustomOption structure contains six fields: a name
     for the custom option type; pointers to the four procedures;
     and a clientData value to be passed to those procedures when
     they  are invoked.  The clientData value typically points to
     a structure containing information that  is  needed  by  the
     procedures when they are parsing and printing options.  Res-
     toreProc and freeProc may be NULL, indicating that no  func-
     tion should be called for those operations.

     The setProc procedure is invoked by Tk_SetOptions to convert
     a  Tcl_Obj  into  an  internal  representation and store the
     resulting value in the widget record.  The arguments are:

          clientData
               A  copy   of   the   clientData   field   in   the
               Tk_ObjCustomOption structure.

          interp
               A pointer to a Tcl  interpreter,  used  for  error
               reporting.

          Tkwin
               A copy of the tkwin argument to Tk_SetOptions

          valuePtr
               A pointer to a reference to a  Tcl_Obj  describing
               the  new  value for the option; it could have been
               specified explicitly in the call to  Tk_SetOptions
               or  it  could  come  from the option database or a
               default.  If the objOffset for the option is  non-
               negative (the option value is stored as a (Tcl_Obj
               *) in the  widget  record),  the  Tcl_Obj  pointer
               referenced by valuePtr is the pointer that will be
               stored at the objOffset for the  option.   SetProc
               may  modify  the  value if necessary; for example,
               setProc may change the value to  NULL  to  support
               the TK_OPTION_NULL_OK flag.

          recordPtr
               A pointer to the start of  the  widget  record  to
               modify.

          internalOffset
               Offset in bytes  from  the  start  of  the  widget
               record   to   the   location  where  the  internal
               representation  of  the  option  value  is  to  be
               placed.

          saveInternalPtr
               A   pointer   to   storage    allocated    in    a
               Tk_SavedOptions   structure   for   the   internal
               representation  of  the  original  option   value.

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                       14

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)

               Before  setting  the option to its new value, set-
               Proc should set the value referenced by saveInter-
               nalPtr  to  the  original  value  of the option in
               order to support Tk_RestoreSavedOptions.

          flags
               A copy of the flags  field  in  the  Tk_OptionSpec
               structure for the option

     SetProc returns a standard Tcl result:  TCL_OK  to  indicate
     successful processing, or TCL_ERROR to indicate a failure of
     any kind.  An error message may be left in  the  Tcl  inter-
     preter given by interp in the case of an error.

     The getProc procedure is invoked  by  Tk_GetOptionValue  and
     Tk_GetOptionInfo to retrieve a Tcl_Obj representation of the
     internal representation of an option.  The clientData  argu-
     ment   is   a   copy   of   the   clientData  field  in  the
     Tk_ObjCustomOption structure.  Tkwin is a copy of the  tkwin
     argument    to    Tk_GetOptionValue   or   Tk_GetOptionInfo.
     RecordPtr is a pointer to the beginning of the widget record
     to  query.   InternalOffset  is the offset in bytes from the
     beginning of the widget record to  the  location  where  the
     internal representation of the option value is stored.  Get-
     Proc must return a pointer to  a  Tcl_Obj  representing  the
     value of the option.

     The     restoreProc     procedure     is     invoked      by
     Tk_RestoreSavedOptions  to restore a previously saved inter-
     nal representation of a custom option value.  The clientData
     argument   is   a  copy  of  the  clientData  field  in  the
     Tk_ObjCustomOption structure.  Tkwin is a copy of the  tkwin
     argument  to  Tk_GetOptionValue or Tk_GetOptionInfo.  Inter-
     nalPtr is a pointer to the location where internal represen-
     tation  of the option value is stored.  SaveInternalPtr is a
     pointer to the saved value.  RestoreProc must copy the value
     from  saveInternalPtr  to  internalPtr to restore the value.
     RestoreProc need not free any memory associated with  either
     internalPtr  or saveInternalPtr; freeProc will be invoked to
     free that memory if necessary.  RestoreProc  has  no  return
     value.

     The freeProc  procedure  is  invoked  by  Tk_SetOptions  and
     Tk_FreeSavedOptions  to  free  any storage allocated for the
     internal representation of a custom option.  The  clientData
     argument   is   a  copy  of  the  clientData  field  in  the
     Tk_ObjCustomOption structure.  Tkwin is a copy of the  tkwin
     argument  to  Tk_GetOptionValue or Tk_GetOptionInfo.  Inter-
     nalPtr is a pointer  to  the  location  where  the  internal
     representation  of the option value is stored.  The freeProc
     must free any storage associated with the option.   FreeProc
     has no return value.

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                       15

Tk_SetOptions(3)      Tk Library Procedures      Tk_SetOptions(3)


KEYWORDS

     anchor,  bitmap,  boolean,  border,   color,   configuration
     option,  cursor,  double,  font,  integer,  justify, pixels,
     relief, screen distance, synonym

Tk                      Last change: 8.1                       16


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