New to Tcl - how to get started ?

[johndamone]

I'm trying to learn Tcl/Tk on my own. I don't have much programming experience, or formal education. I have two books, one by Clif Flynt and one by Brent B. Welch. They're both very good. I'm also running Tcl Tudor, and I'm executing the example code as I go along. My problem is I don't know how much I'm actually learning, just by reading and typing example code. It would be nice if there was quizzes and assignments in the books, so I can test myself.
Does anyone know where I can find something where I can test myself, that includes the answers also ? (another book maybe ?)


thanks, John

 

[AviaTraining]

The best way to determine whether or not you're "getting it" is to just try it out. Come up with some ideas for a few simple programs, and then try to implement them in Tcl. (Probably best not to try to implement a Web server for your first assignment. But you can create a basic web server in Tcl in less than 150 lines of code!) Yes, you'll make lots of mistakes, but trust me, you'll learn a lot from all of those mistakes. Although I started by taking a class in Tcl programming (and it helped me avoid a lot of the common newbie Tcl mistakes), I've learned the most just by diving in and trying things out.

It's a lot easier with Tcl than with languages like C or Java. Because Tcl is an interpreted language, you can fire up a tclsh or wish, and then start typing in commands and see what happens. It's a great way to get your hands dirty with a language.

As for another book, I'd suggest Teach yourself Tcl/Tk in 24 Hours by Venkat V.S.S. Sastry and Lakshmi Sastry (ISBN 0-672-31749-4). It's divided up into several modules, with quizes and assignments at the end of each module.

And, in an entirely self-serving note, if you're working for an organization willing to come up with some training budget, I happen to teach several Tcl/Tk courses. Just check out the web site given below for more information... ;-) - Ken Jones, President
Avia Training and Consulting

http://www.avia-training.com

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