SYNOPSIS

lset varName ?index...? newValue

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DESCRIPTION

The lset command accepts a parameter, varName, which it interprets as the name of a variable containing a Tcl list. It also accepts zero or more indices into the list. The indices may be presented either consecutively on the command line, or grouped in a Tcl list and presented as a single argument. Finally, it accepts a new value for an element of varName.

If no indices are presented, the command takes the form:

lset varName newValue

or

lset varName {} newValue

In this case, newValue replaces the old value of the variable varName.

When presented with a single index, the lset command treats the content of the varName variable as a Tcl list. It addresses the index'th element in it (0 refers to the first element of the list). When interpreting the list, lset observes the same rules concerning braces and quotes and backslashes as the Tcl command interpreter; however, variable substitution and command substitution do not occur. The command constructs a new list in which the designated element is replaced with newValue. This new list is stored in the variable varName, and is also the return value from the lset command.

If index is negative or greater than or equal to the number of elements in $varName, then an error occurs.

If index has the value end, it refers to the last element in the list, and end-integer refers to the last element in the list minus the specified integer offset.

If additional index arguments are supplied, then each argument is used in turn to address an element within a sublist designated by the previous indexing operation, allowing the script to alter elements in sublists. The command,

lset a 1 2 newValue

or

lset a {1 2} newValue

replaces element 2 of sublist 1 with newValue.

The integer appearing in each index argument must be greater than or equal to zero. The integer appearing in each index argument must be strictly less than the length of the corresponding list. In other words, the lset command cannot change the size of a list. If an index is outside the permitted range, an error is reported.

EXAMPLES

In each of these examples, the initial value of x is:

set x [list [list a b c] [list d e f] [list g h i]]
  => {a b c} {d e f} {g h i}

The indicated return value also becomes the new value of x (except in the last case, which is an error which leaves the value of x unchanged.)

lset x {j k l} => j k l
lset x {} {j k l} => j k l
lset x 0 j => j {d e f} {g h i}
lset x 2 j => {a b c} {d e f} j
lset x end j => {a b c} {d e f} j
lset x end-1 j => {a b c} j {g h i}
lset x 2 1 j => {a b c} {d e f} {g j i}
lset x {2 1} j => {a b c} {d e f} {g j i}
lset x {2 3} j => list index out of range

In the following examples, the initial value of x is:

set x [list [list [list a b] [list c d]] \
            [list [list e f] [list g h]]]
 => {{a b} {c d}} {{e f} {g h}}

The indicated return value also becomes the new value of x.

lset x 1 1 0 j => {{a b} {c d}} {{e f} {j h}}
lset x {1 1 0} j => {{a b} {c d}} {{e f} {j h}}

KEYWORDS

element, index, list, replace, set