Tcl - global, upvar and uplevel.

In Tcl, variables are "scoped" to the procedure in which they're used. That's a sensible default, since you want to be able to write main applications without the risk of interfering with variables within your procs.

on a tcl/tk course

A global command in a proc allows you to refer to a variable in the main code from within a proc. (No need to declare it global at the top level too)

An upvar command allows you to reference a variable in your calling code from within your proc, and is commonly used for "pass by name" requirements where you're writing a proc that must alter an incoming variable.

The uplevel command allows you to run a piece of code as if it was in the namespace of your calling code and not in your proc - and you can even specify a number of levels of code up or an absolute level number.

Suggestion. Use upvar whenever you need to call by name. Use global sparingly. And think very carefully before you ever use uplevel!

Example:

proc demo {what where} {

        global counter

        upvar $where hereitis

        uplevel incr dc

        append hereitis ", UK"

        incr counter

        puts "Demo run"

        return "$what $hereitis"

        }

#

set dc 0

set counter 0

set place Melksham

set rz [demo "eat in" place]

puts "function returns: $rz"

puts "place will have UK on the end: $place"

puts "counter is number of calls to demo: $counter"

puts "variable dc has become: $dc"

Runs as

Dorothy:~/oct07 grahamellis$ tclsh uld

Demo run

function returns: eat in Melksham, UK

place will have UK on the end: Melksham, UK

counter is number of calls to demo: 1

variable dc has become: 1

Dorothy:~/oct07 grahamellis$

(written 2007-10-24, updated 2011-03-01)

Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles

T207 - Tcl/Tk - Procedures and Variable Scope
  [3629] Sharing lots of values in Tcl without having lots of global declarations - (2012-02-28)
  [3414] Passing back multiple results in Tcl - upvar and uplevel - (2011-09-01)
  [3192] Tcl - Some example of HOW TO in handling data files and formats - (2011-03-04)
  [2929] Passing a variable number of parameters in to a function / method - (2010-08-20)
  [2520] Global and Enable - two misused words! - (2009-11-30)
  [2476] Tcl - uplevel to run code at calling level - (2009-10-24)
  [2466] Tcl - passing arrays and strings in and back out of procs - (2009-10-22)
  [1782] Calling procs in Tcl and how it compares to Perl - (2008-09-02)
  [1163] A better alternative to cutting and pasting code - (2007-04-26)
  [775] Do not duplicate your code - (2006-06-23)
  [409] Functions and commands with dangerous names - (2005-08-11)
  [308] Call by name v call by value - (2005-05-11)
  [122] Passing arrays to procs in Tcl - (2004-11-18)
  [96] Variable Scope - (2004-10-22)

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