# TIP 293: Argument Expansion with Leading {*}
	State:		Final
	Type:		Project
	Tcl-Version:	8.5
	Vote:		Done
	Post-History:	
	Author:		Miguel Sofer <msofer@users.sourceforge.net>
	Created:	02-Nov-2006
	Obsoletes:	157
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# Abstract

Tcl shall use **\{\*\}** to denote argument expansion, replacing the current
**\{expand\}**.

# Rationale

There seems to be a consensus that the functionality of **\{expand\}** is
exactly what was needed, but the syntax could be nicer. The problem, both back
in 2003 and today, is that there is no general agreement on which is the best
one. However, the issue of ugliness is regularly revived in the mailing lists
so it is not going away soon. Moreover, an alpha release in a popular
distribution allows the use of **\{\}** instead of **\{expand\}**.

A compromise solution, **\{\*\}**, is less verbose and "ugly" than
**\{expand\}**, and less prone to typographical errors than plain **\{\}**.
It is inspired using the mnemonic that the character "\*" is already used to
denote "all items" in other contexts.

# Detailed Proposal

After two years experience with **\{expand\}**, this TIP proposes the
following amendment to [[157]](157.md):

 1. The officially sanctioned expansion syntax will henceforth be **\{\*\}**,
    in replacement of the previous **\{expand\}**.

 2. The usage of both **\{expand\}** and **\{\}** will be deprecated.

 3. This is a syntax-only change.

# Compatibility

Note that this TIP removes **\{expand\}** and **\{\}** as prefix-syntax, which
will break code that users might already have in production based off earlier
alpha release of 8.5.

# Copyright

This document has been placed in the public domain.

