chewie54 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >Hello,
>As an electronics engineer I use some very expensive EDA CAD tool >programs that are scriptable using Tcl. I was wondering why these >companies have choose to use Tcl instead of Python. Some of these >are: > Mentor Graphics ModelTech VHDL and Verilog simulator > Synopsys Design Compiler and Primetime Static Timing Analyzer > Actel FPGA tools. >Tcl seems to very popular in my business as the scripting language of >choice. >I'm in the process of deciding to use Tcl or Python for a CAD tool >program that I have been working on. Most of the core of the >program, the database, will be done is C as an extension to either >Tcl or Python, but I intend to use Tk or wxPthon for the GUI. I do >need publishing quality outputs from drawings done on a graphics >device that are scaled to standard printer paper sizes. >I would prefer to use Python but can't deny how popular Tcl is, as >mentioned above, so my question is why wasn't Python selected by >these companies as the choice of scripting languages for their >product? Having abandoned TCL for Python years ago, my thought is: If you expect your users to write (and maintain) large scripts - have mercy on them and don't give them TCL. For larger programs/scripts having proper data structures, readable syntax, etc. is a very significant factor. (Of course TCL may have improved beyond all recognition since I last used it). Try putting together some sample scripts in both languages and see how easily others can understand them (and yourself in a few months). When I want something nimbler than Python I use Lua. Eddie -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
