Tcl Source Code

This on my system. Your auto_paths may vary.

$ echo 'puts $::auto_path' | tclsh8.6
/usr/local/lib/tcl/tcl8.6 /usr/local/lib/tcl

$ echo 'puts $::auto_path' | tclsh9.0
/usr/local/lib/tcl/tcl9.0 /usr/local/lib/tcl

$ echo '' > init.tcl

$ echo 'puts $::auto_path' | tclsh8.6
/usr/local/lib/tcl/tcl8.6 /usr/local/lib/tcl

$ echo 'puts $::auto_path' | tclsh9.0
can't read "::auto_path": no such variable


Wish provides a different error message for the same problem:

$ wish9.0
application-specific initialization failed: invalid command name "tcl_findLibrary"


And for fun:

$ echo 'puts "I like fish!"' > init.tcl

$ echo 'puts $::auto_path' | tclsh9.0
I like fish!
can't read "::auto_path": no such variable

@sebres, if you like to "merge --cherrypick" this fix to the core-8-5-branch, just go ahead. (I'm not interested in this branch any more)

Problem in testcase fixed [837f2fa878f7d776|here]. Unfortunately, it caused a broken macOS build on Github actions.

This is exactly why I am advocating fixing bugs firt on trunk, and only cherrypick to lower branches after trunk builds are successful.

Well, Sergey finished the work, updating all branches with a fix. Even 8.5/8.6, because the same could happen there if $pkgPath contains {} as list element.

Thanks!

You're pretty quick, Jan!

Yes it is only with a --disable-zipfs build.

I just did some digging and ran some tests after getting the hint from Harald and arrived at the thought that the path might be "".
Didn't investigate further as I came here to add the note about --disable-zipfs.

The fix you provided looks good but I don't know enough about that area of the code to evaluate if it's the best/right fix. Probably is. :)

My guess: You used a --disable-zipfs build (which you didn't mention in the bug-report). In that case, "::tcl::zipfs::tcl_library_init", which should return the tcl_library directory in the zipfs might return the empty string.

If $tcl_library is the empty string, then [file join $tcl_library init.tcl] (tclInterp.c:449) will point to init.tcl in the current directory.

If my guess is right, [465d4546e2|this] should solve the problem.

Trying to reproduce it:

$ echo '' > init.tcl

$ echo 'puts $::auto_path' | tclsh8.6
/usr/lib/tcl8.6 /usr/lib

$ echo 'puts $::auto_path' | tclsh9.0
//zipfs:/lib/tcl/tcl_library //zipfs:/lib/tcl /usr/lib

That looks fine to me.

Did you set any environment variables, like TCL_LIBRARY or TCLPKGPATH?

What platform?

Stuart, thank you for the example. I fear, it works as expected.

The default init.tcl is in library\init.tcl

You may look into generic\tclInterp.c, function "Tcl_Init" how an alternate init script may be specified.

I also see this as a security hole.

Thank you, Harald