Critcl

Critcl Logo

Critcl , or Compiled Runtime In Tcl, is a Tcl package that provides on-the-fly compilation and execution of C code.

Attributes

website
https://andreas-kupries.github.io/critcl
website (previous)
http://www.equi4.com/starkit/critcl.html
download
https://github.com/andreas-kupries/critcl/releases
current release
3.1.18.1
release time
2020-02-19

Documentation

Installation

To create a starkit from critcl.vfs:

$ ln -s critcl critcl.vfs
$ sdx wrap critcl.kit

Development

previous repository : svn co svn://svn.equi4.com/critcl/trunk critcl.vfs

See also

Critcl builds C extensions on-the-fly
Critcl Examples
Extending Tcl
The main entry point for information on extending Tcl.
Scripted Code Generation
Cameron Laird's personal notes on how to use C with Tcl
dated material
Critcl does C++
photo image equality in Critcl
How to speed up Tcl code 1200 times :^)
tcltcc
Partially emulates the Critcl API.
C.tcl
"A simplified modularized reduced variant of Critcl".

Tools

critlib
A rather dated set of tools that includes an older version of Critcl.

References

Tcl 2016 Critcl - Developments of the past decade (Paper)

Tcl 2016 Critcl - Developments of the past decade (Slides)

Critcl Manual (Old) : A first cut at trying to pull a manual together.

CriTcl - Beyond Stubs and Compilers (html slides ), Steve Landers and Jean-Claude Wippler, Ninth Annual Tcl/Tk Conference 2002
And the slides ) from JCW's presentation.
How to Use Tcl and C Together (alternates 1 (dead) ), Cameron Laird, 2002
Presents Critcl Critcl as a profoundly important innovation.
Server clinic: Xmingwin for cross-generating apps , Cameron Laird, 2003-01-30
Critcl makes a brief appearance in this article about XMingwin

News

Oct 14, 2017: Critcl 3.1.17 released.

tjk 2011-10-20 : Critcl3 released.

Description

Critcl requires an external compiler, but could also support tcc. Prior to using Critcl, verify that you have a working C compiler environment.

Jean-Claude was aware of Perl's Inline [...] but not (?) of Python's Weave [...] in his design of Critcl.

Example: Basic

#! /bin/env tclsh

lappend auto_path .
package require critcl
critcl::cproc triple {int i} int {
    return i * 3;    /* this is C code */
}
puts "three times 123 is [triple 123]"

Example: args

Since Critcl 3.1.16 critcl::cproc can take default and args-style arguments:

Arbitrary mixing of required and optional (default) arguments:

critcl::cproc optional_middle {double a double {b 1} double {c 2} double d} void {
        printf  ("M|%f|%f|%f|%f|\n",a,b,c,d);
        fflush(stdout);
}

# notice the missing 'b' and 'c' values
optional_middle 1.23 4.56

# -> M|1.230000|1.000000|2.000000|4.560000|

Args-style argument:

critcl::cproc math {double args} double {
    double sum = 0;
    args.c --;
    while (args.c >= 0) {
        sum += args.v[args.c];
        args.c --;
    }
    return sum;
}

Example: Package Generation

The following example uses a tclkit to create a share-library extension. Create a test script called "four.tcl" with the following contents:

package provide four 1.0
package require critcl
critcl::cproc quadruple {int i} int {
    return i * 4;    /* this is C code */
}

you can get on-line help by doing "tclkit critcl"

Turn it into a shared-library extension:

$ cd /path/where/four.tcl/lives/
$ tclkit /path/to/critcl -pkg four.tcl
Source: four.tcl 
Library: four.so
Package: /path/to/lib/four/

Test it:

#! /bin/env tclsh
lappend auto_path lib
package require four
puts "four times 123 is [quadruple 123]"

The "four" extension is TIP 55 -compliant and can be used with any stub-enabled release of Tcl

Generate TEA package

Critcl version 3 accepts an option -tea which generates a TEA-like directory hierarchy and contents:

critcl -tea test.tcl

Example: Import Functions From Other Packages

ycl chan exports a C function called filter() that makes it easy to code up an accelerated version of any command that reads from one channel and writes to another:

::critcl::api header clib.h
::critcl::api function void filter {
    Tcl_Interp *interp Tcl_Channel inchan Tcl_Channel
    outchan ycl_chan_process process
}
::critcl::load

For example, ycl parser xml imports filter() in order to provide an accelerated version of encodeInvalidCharacters:

package require {ycl chan clib}
package require critcl
::critcl::api import ycl_chan_clib 0.1

Cross compiling using Xmingwin

Critcl supports cross-compiling libraries and packages for Windows on Linux/Unix using the Xmingwin cross-compiler (based on mingw ).

Install Xmingwin, and $PATH to include the Xmingwin bin directory. One convenient way of doing this is to create a script called cross (in /usr/local/bin or ~/bin).

$ cat /usr/local/bin/cross
PATH=/usr/local/Xmingwin/i386-mingw32msvc/bin:$PATH
export PATH
exec $@
  • Then, you can compile using the usual Critcl package (or library) building commansd
$ cross critcl -pkg four.tcl
Cross compiling for Windows using Xmingwin  
Source: four.tcl
Library: four.dll
Package: /path/to/four/lib/four
 Critcl recognizes a cross compile environment, it manipulates the tcl_platform array so that it matches that found on Windows 2000. Specifically, the following values are set
tcl_platform(byteOrder) = littleEndian
tcl_platform(machine)   = intel
tcl_platform(os)        = Windows NT
tcl_platform(osVersion) = 5.0
tcl_platform(platform)  = windows
tcl_platform(wordSize)  = 4

Critcl provides the critcl::sharedlibext, which returns the shared library extension for the target platform. If you plan on cross-compiling you should use this variable in your Critcl scripts instead of `info sharedlibextension (although overlaying info sharedlibextension will probably happen at some stage).

  • Intermediate files are stored in ~/.critcl/Windows-x86
  • irrespective of the platform on which cross compiling occurs

For an example, download critex , unload and change to the ex2 directory, which contains a blowfish extension for Tcl. To build on Linux/Unix, run

$ critcl -pkg blowfish
Source: blowfish.tcl
Library: blowfish.so
Package: /path/to/ex2/lib/blowfish

Then, to cross compile (via the above cross script) run

$ cross critcl -pkg blowfish
Cross compiling for Windows using Xmingwin
Source: blowfish.tcl
Library: blowfish.dll
Package: /path/to/ex2/lib/blowfish

The contents of ex2/lib/blowfish are

lib/blowfish
lib/blowfish/critcl.tcl
lib/blowfish/pkgIndex.tcl
lib/blowfish/Windows-x86
lib/blowfish/Windows-x86/critcl.tcl
lib/blowfish/Windows-x86/blowfish.dll
lib/blowfish/Linux-x86
lib/blowfish/Linux-x86/critcl.tcl
lib/blowfish/Linux-x86/blowfish.so

The pkgIndex.tcl will autoload the correct binary for a particular platform.

critcl::cdefines

stevel 2005-12-17

critcl::cdefines allows C #defines and enums to be mapped from C into a Tcl namespace.

For example, Cryptkit uses the following to map Cryptlib symbols (i.e. #defines and enums) into the cryptkit namespace

# map Cryptlib #defines and enums into the current namespace
critcl::cdefines CRYPT_* [namespace current]

# other defines
critcl::cdefines {
    NULL
    TRUE
    FALSE
    TCL_OK
    TCL_ERROR
} [namespace current]

namespaces

PYK 2017-09-29: When critcl::cproc is used to create a command, Critcl registers the the fully-qualified name of the command without the initial colon characters using auto_index. To ensure that the command is loaded, do this:

::critcl::load

or this:

auto_load [string trimleft ::path::to::some::command :]

Misc

This discussion was migrated from Scripted Compiler.

AM: Because of Critcl I am working on a package that abstracts the concept of a compiler and a linker away from the platform-dependencies. This way Critcl will be able to support "any" compiler/linker without the user (or the Critcl programmer) having to jump through hoops.

Vince: That sounds great!

Victor: Without linker ?? How then I use gcc produced *.o or archives ? That is Critcl libs should take this place. Are they encrypted ? And it is still a long way to have it accepted by many people.

NEM: There is Babel, by Paul Duffin. However, like Feather, it may take a while to get hold of any code from Paul.


UKo: How can I inject code into the package initialization section? This is necessary to build new canvas commands or new sound subcommands for Snack.

AM: There is a command cinit that allows you to do this.

UKo: It isn't in the critcl wikit, is it? Where can I find an up-to-date reference? Or do I have to RTSL (Read the source Luke!)

AM: I can send you the (informal) documentation I wrote ... just drop me a mail


jcs 2003-04-29: Here's a trick to make a file work both as Tcl script and as C source:

#undef _ /* this is mixed-mode C and Tcl source code
package provide mypkg 1
package require critcl
critcl::ccode { /* C code follows: */

    #ifndef _TCL
    #include <stdio.h> /* etc ... */
    #endif

    /* C code here ... */

    #ifndef _TCL
    int main(int argc, char** argv) {
        /* standalone code here ... */
    }
    #endif

#define _ };#/* Tcl code follows:

critcl::cproc proc1 {int v} int {
    return cdef1(v);
}     
critcl::cproc proc2 {char* s} int {
    return cdef2(s);
}     

# vim: set ft=c: */

That last line also makes the "vi" editor colorize the file as C code, which is presumably the bulk.

The idea is that you can embed large chunks of C in Tcl, with some trivial cproc definitions at the end calling that code, while keeping the file in a form which can also be used in non-Tcl environments, e.g. building code as Tcl extension *and* as a plain C application.

The other way to do this is to use critcl::csources somefile.c and then to store all C code there, but this stops Critcl from auto-detecting source changes made to such an external file, so its automatic recompile won't kick in. With the above approach, you can edit at will and Critcl will compile (only) when needed, while you get Tcl's context, say for running test suites. The end result can then be used in non-Tcl contexts.


wcf3: Can someone provide an example for using critcl on a MacOSX system as described in Building an extension for general use above? I have the AquaBI runtime installed and it appears to only find critcl 0.0 instead of version 0.33 that is part of the critcl.kit. The error message I get is that command critcl::crosscheck is not found (it's part of version 0.33, not 0.0 :-)

More info: The AquaBI install included a set of example critcl files called critlib that required critcl 0.30 and forced the loading of the older version 0.0. By removing the critlib stuff from /Library/Tcl I am now able to get the proper critcl 0.33 loaded. The problem now is the include files used by critcl' are for X windows and not Aqua...duh, I should have seen that one coming. Any ideas?

CMcC: Critcl needs to allow you to specify arbitrary compiler arguments, which would enable you to use the -I command to select your preferred inclusion places. At the moment, this is not possible.

About the only thing I can suggest is using the critcl::cheaders command to specify, individually, the files you want to include (and the files *they* want to include, in some cases) in the correct order.

It's quite annoying.

stevel I regularly do things like

critcl::cheaders -I[pwd]
critcl::cheaders -L[pwd] -lmylib

Lars H 2006-02-08: Some info on the Critcl/Aqua issue can be found in Re: [MACTCL Using critcl to build a Tk extension for Aqua], mactcl mailing list, 2004-08-12. The important part for simple uses appears to be the command

critcl::cheaders -DMAC_OSX_TK -I/Library/Frameworks/Tk.framework/Headers

(The -I option can probably be changed so that one doesn't have to specify an explicit path to the Tk framework, but I haven't tried that yet.)


RLH: 2009-04-11: Is Critcl going to be in teapot (for OSX)? I remember there being a problem with that platform. I think...

AK: Critcl is not in the teapot, for no platform. Are you possibly confusing critcl with tcllibc ? That is a shared library created from a number of critcl based code found Tcllib and accelerating a few packages of it.

stevel: further to that, Critcl works just fine on OSX - it even generates universal binaries by default.

AK: whereas some of the critcl code in Tcllib indeed fails on OS X, for ... I do not remember the reason. Possibly header trouble.

RLH Maybe my old brain is failing me. :-)



CMcC - 2010-05-05 20:13:12

I have sought to modularize and simplify critcl, and have denuded of features in a work in progress I call C.tcl

In part, this is an attempt to open critcl up to critical appraisal by simplifying it and making it more transparent.

AMG: I look forward to the completion of this project.


AMG: Critcl has an interesting gotcha that will bite you when you divide your code into multiple Tcl scripts that are sourced into the same program. Critcl uses info script to determine which cprocs, etc. to compile in the same translation unit (compiler invocation). If you have cprocs across multiple scripts that depend on being compiled together (e.g. they share a common ccode definition), you will have to use [info script $filename] to force Critcl to think all cprocs are in the same script. Alternately, instead of using source, put your cprocs in files external to your Tcl code, and read them to get the arguments to cproc. This has the dubious advantage of letting you separately specify a C syntax highlighting mode for your cproc files and a Tcl syntax highlighting mode for your Tcl files. You can also implement a custom preprocessor this way.

AK: There are actually two more gotchas in critcl. The first is about the differences between the dynamic and pre-compiled modes (my names, not official) of critcl. For context, critcl can be used in two ways. For one you load your Tcl code with the embedded C as usual, this internally runs the compiler and loads the object files into the system. This is the dynamic mode. The other way is to run the Tcl with embedded C through the critcl application, this generates a shared library for the C commands, which can be loaded later. This is pre-compiled. The difference is in the Tcl code between the embedded C sections. The dynamic mode runs them as usual. The shared library which is the result of the pre-compile step does not have them. If these commands just initialize the namespace the C commands will end up in we are fine. Anything beyond that however meas that the result of the pre-compile step behaves differently than the code run dynamically, with essential/expected setup missing.

The other gotcha is again in the interaction of pre-compiled results with the regular critcl package handling dynamic execution. First, pre-compiled results define a rudimentary critcl package which has all the commands empty. That isn't so bad. Load the actual package and it will overwrite the empty pieces with the proper definitions. Except that you are not able to load your proper package. Because the rudimentary package actually also runs 'package provide critcl 0', and this code is run when the pkgIndex.tcl file is read, i.e. this fake critcl package gets defined just by loading any other package forcing a search. At this point a 'package require critcl' either throws an error (version conflict, want X, have 0), or does nothing (no specific version was requested, the fake satisfies the request). If you now want to run some critcl code dynamically you will get an error about missing commands, because the critcl support commands like cproc/ccommand which we expected to define them were of the fake and did nothing at all.

Looking at the fake critcl package I have no idea why it was made in the first place. Well, partially to handle the package load, but for that we do not have to declare the relevant commands to be a package. Just having them is good enough. I was certainly able to fix my trouble by commenting out all the 'package provide critcl 0' commands in all the tcllibc versions I had around. Tcllibc still loaded, and now the real critcl package was accessible too.