The TkECLiPSe Development Tools

# Chapter 4 The TkECLiPSe Development Tools

TkECLiPSe is a graphical user interface to ECLiPSe. It is an alternative to the traditional textual line-based user interface, providing multiple windows, menus and buttons to assist the user in interacting with ECLiPSe. It consists of two major components:

- A graphical top-level.
- A suite of development tools for aiding the development of ECLiPSe code.

TkECLiPSe is implemented in the Tcl/Tk scripting language/graphical toolkit [12], using the new ECLiPSe Tcl/Tk interface [11]. The development tools are designed to be independent of the top-level, so the user can develop their own applications with a graphical front end written in Tcl/Tk, replacing the TkECLiPSe top-level, but still using the development tools.
Chapter 3 gave an introduction to using TkECLiPSe from a user's point of view. This chapter focuses on how to use the tools from a programmer's point of view (i.e. how to include them in a program). In particular it discusses in detail the display matrix tool, which can be invoked in user's ECLiPSe code; and also how to use the development tools in the user's own applications.

- Display Matrix
  - Invoking display matrix tool interactively
- Using the development tools in applications
  - Using the Development tools in the Tcl/Tk Embedding Interface
  - Using the Remote Development Tools

1
  The display matrix tools is similar to the variable display of Grace. The main differences are: it can display all attributes, not just the finite domain attribute; the attributes can only be observed, not changed; and the labelling strategy cannot be changed.
2
  Unless it is attached to the remote development tools, in which case the display matrix is invoked.