lset(n) Tcl Built-In Commands lset(n)
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NAME
lset - Change an element in a list
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 contain-ing containing
ing 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 argu-ment. argument.
ment. 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}}
SEE ALSO
list(n), lappend(n), lindex(n), linsert(n), llength(n), lsearch(n), lsort(n), lrange(n), lreplace(n)
KEYWORDS
element, index, list, replace, set
Tcl 8.4 lset(n)
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