TAWK Dll (Was: GUI Awk)

In article <w8OdnW_bj7XFQwLanZ2dnUVZ_qiinZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
rex <rex@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
....
>Kenny
>Picking up your comment on using the Tawk.dll, I have always been curious
on 
>how to use this Tawk feature.
>I have Tawk and use it constantly at work for really big mine model 
>files --- i.e pre & post-processing millions of lines in mining block
files
>made by expensive software.
>I look at the Tawk documentation and can't get any traction on how to
uses 
>it as a DLL.  I've always thought that it would be really
>cool use in that way. Any hints would be appreciated.
>Regards,
>Rex

"How" is relatively straightforward - you just have to slog through the
documentation (which is in the "ERRATA" file) and figure it out.  You
(obviously) have to be familiar with the underlying C idioms and all.
Note that there is (at least) one error in their "C" example; I had to
work with it a bit to get that example to work.  You also have to be
familiar with the basic architecture of how TAWK works - in particular,
that you have to compile your AWK script to the ".ae" format (with -xa),
then use the ".ae" file with the DLL.

"Why" is the much more interesting question.  For me, the times that
I've done this (and there's only been a few actual apps where I've done
it), it has always taken the form of having developed a prototype of
what I want to do in AWK, using AWK to do what it does best, which is
massage strings and files - then wanting to wrap some kind of GUI around
the prototype.  For that sort of thing, I use WinBatch, which is a very
nice language, but weak in string and file handling.  So, I can then
write the main program in WB, and call my AWK program as a subroutine.

As I say, the primary motivation has been in the form of having
developed the idea in AWK, and then not wanting to re-write it in some
other language.

HTH.  I'm certainly willing to discuss further, if you have specific
questions.