Tk::TextList (version 3.51) 

Tk::TextList is a ROText widget-based implementation of
Tk::Listbox. It is not a replacement, but an alternative
to the Listbox widget. Since it is based on ROTExt, there
there are several more alternatives, such as justifying elements,
or applying different styles to individual list elements which
weren't possible before.

This version (3.51) is a major overhaul of the same widget
created by Greg London, who was the original Author. Greg
asked me if I wanted to maintain it, after I told him that
I'd fixed several bugs.

I decided to avoid adding major new functionality, and 
instead, I ended up removing several methods - at least 
temporarily, so I can gauge the reaction of the community
and see if they are missed. It was my goal to reduce the
code base and focus on core functionality, and to ensure
all Listbox methods functioned as advertised before adding
more methods.

Here is a list of methods which I have deprecated. Please
realize that these are not necessarily gone for good.
I've removed them because I consider them 'unusual use' 
methods, and functionality which can be obtained by
using base class methods of the Text widget.

tagNextRange
tagNextRangeChar
tagPrevRange
tagPrevRangeChar
markSet
markSetChar
markNext
markNextChar
markPrevious
markPreviousChar

It seemed to me that these methods seemed to be
taking the widget further and further away from
being a Listbox widget, and more and more like a
Text widget with Listbox indices. This was just
my opinion. I'd welcome others.

To install, type
 
        $ perl Makefile.PL
        $ make
        $ make test
        $ make install
 
I haven't finished the Pod docs, yet, but I 
have finished the html documentation. How is that 
possible? I was not well enough versed with
pod markup. I'll finish the pod docs as time
allows.

I'd like to thank Greg London, for creating
this widget, and allow me to continue with
what he started thereby allowing me to get my
foot in the door, and start to contribute to
'open source' in some way. I'd also like to thank
Hans J. Helgesen (creator of MListbox) who also
worked on a version of this. He also is allowing
my to play with one of his toys (MListbox), my
next undertaking, and also thanks to anyone in
advance who breaks TextList and tells me about
it so I can fix it and try to make it better.

Send bug reports, comments and suggestions to 
RobSeegel@aol.com or better yet, post them to the 
ptk mailing list. That's the best place so that others 
can be aware of possible problems, too.

Cheers!

Rob Seegel
15 Oct 2000


