tk4.2 C API - InternAtom






NAME

     Tk_InternAtom, Tk_GetAtomName - manage cache of X atoms


SYNOPSIS

     #include <tk.h>

     Atom
     Tk_InternAtom(tkwin, name)

     char *
     Tk_GetAtomName(tkwin, atom)


ARGUMENTS

     Tk_Window   tkwin    (in)      Token for  window.   Used  to
                                    map  atom or name relative to
                                    a particular display.

     char        *name    (in)      String name for which atom is
                                    desired.

     Atom        atom     (in)      Atom for which  corresponding
                                    string name is desired.





DESCRIPTION

     These procedures are similar to the Xlib procedures  XInter-
     nAtom  and  XGetAtomName.   Tk_InternAtom  returns  the atom
     identifier associated with string given by name;   the  atom
     identifier  is  only  valid  for the display associated with
     tkwin.  Tk_GetAtomName returns the  string  associated  with
     atom   on   tkwin's   display.    The   string  returned  by
     Tk_GetAtomName is in Tk's storage:  the caller need not free
     this  space  when  finished  with the string, and the caller
     should not modify the contents of the returned  string.   If
     there   is   no   atom   atom   on   tkwin's  display,  then
     Tk_GetAtomName returns the string ``?bad atom?''.

     Tk caches the  information  returned  by  Tk_InternAtom  and
     Tk_GetAtomName so that future calls for the same information
     can be  serviced  from  the  cache  without  contacting  the
     server.  Thus Tk_InternAtom and Tk_GetAtomName are generally
     much faster than their Xlib counterparts, and they should be
     used in place of the Xlib procedures.



KEYWORDS

     atom, cache, display