return(1T) Tcl Built-In Commands return(1T)
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NAME
return - Return from a procedure
SYNOPSIS
return ?-code code? ?-errorinfo info? ?-errorcode code? ?string?
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DESCRIPTION
Return immediately from the current procedure (or top-level command or source command), with string as the return value. If string is not
specified then an empty string will be returned as result.
EXCEPTIONAL RETURN CODES
In addition to the result of a procedure, the return code of a procedure may also be set by return through use of the -code option. In the
usual case where the -code option isn't specified the procedure will return normally. However, the -code option may be used to generate an
exceptional return from the procedure. Code may have any of the following values:
ok (or 0) Normal return: same as if the option is omitted. The return code of the procedure is 0 (TCL_OK).
error(1) Error return: the return code of the procedure is 1 (TCL_ERROR). The procedure command behaves in its calling context as if
it were the command error result. See below for additional options.
return(2) The return code of the procedure is 2 (TCL_RETURN). The procedure command behaves in its calling context as if it were the
command return (with no arguments).
break(3TCL) The return code of the procedure is 3 (TCL_BREAK). The procedure command behaves in its calling context as if it were the
command break.
continue(4) The return code of the procedure is 4 (TCL_CONTINUE). The procedure command behaves in its calling context as if it were the
command continue.
value Value must be an integer; it will be returned as the return code for the current procedure.
The -code option is rarely used. It is provided so that procedures that implement new control structures can reflect exceptional condi-
tions back to their callers.
Two additional options, -errorinfo and -errorcode, may be used to provide additional information during error returns. These options are
ignored unless code is error.
The -errorinfo option specifies an initial stack trace for the errorInfo variable; if it is not specified then the stack trace left in
errorInfo will include the call to the procedure and higher levels on the stack but it will not include any information about the context
of the error within the procedure. Typically the info value is supplied from the value left in errorInfo after a catch command trapped an
error within the procedure.
If the -errorcode option is specified then code provides a value for the errorCode variable. If the option is not specified then errorCode
will default to NONE.
EXAMPLES
First, a simple example of using return to return from a procedure, interrupting the procedure body.
proc printOneLine {} {
puts "line 1" ;# This line will be printed.
return
puts "line 2" ;# This line will not be printed.
}
Next, an example of using return to set the value returned by the procedure.
proc returnX {} {return X}
puts [returnX] ;# prints "X"
Next, a more complete example, using return -code error to report invalid arguments.
proc factorial {n} {
if {![string is integer $n] || ($n < 0)} {
return -code error
"expected non-negative integer,
but got "$n""
}
if {$n < 2} {
return 1
}
set m [expr {$n - 1}]
set code [catch {factorial $m} factor]
if {$code != 0} {
return -code $code $factor
}
set product [expr {$n * $factor}]
if {$product < 0} {
return -code error
"overflow computing factorial of $n"
}
return $product
}
Next, a procedure replacement for break.
proc myBreak {} {
return -code break
}
SEE ALSO
break(1T), catch(1T), continue(1T), error(1T), proc(1T), source(1T), tclvars(1T)
KEYWORDS
break, catch, continue, error, procedure, return
ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:
+--------------------+-----------------+
| ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
+--------------------+-----------------+
|Availability | SUNWTcl |
+--------------------+-----------------+
|Interface Stability | Uncommitted |
+--------------------+-----------------+
NOTES
Source for Tcl is available on http://opensolaris.org.
Tcl 7.0 return(1T)