Tcl/Tk alpha channel bug on OSX Mavericks is fixeded, but how/when can I use the fix?

[Kevin Walzer]

On 8/3/14, 1:24 PM, Peter Tomcsanyi wrote:

>
> I think that it is because of this problem in Mavericks:
> http://core.tcl.tk/tk/tktview?name=99b84e49ff
>
> The above link says that it has been solved in Tcl/Tk.
> But: what does it mean for me - a Python user?
> Can anyone say when a version containing the above bug fix will be
> available in a form of an installable package that I can use with Python
> on a Mac?
> How can I know that such a package is avaibale?
> Or can anyone point me to some instructions how could I compile Tcl/Tk
> for myslef and (more importanty) how to install the result of that
> compilation so that Python 3.4 recognizes that it should use that
> package (and not three other installations of Tcl/Tk in my computer)?
>

New releases of Tcl/Tk 8.5 and 8.6 are due out soon; right now they are 
undergoing final testing as betas/release candidates.

If you are using the standard Python installer from Python.org, then you 
can wait for ActiveTcl to be updated (not sure of their release 
schedule) or you can download the source tarballs for Tcl and Tk when 
they are released, untar them to a specific directory, cd to the 
directory, and run these commands:

make -C $insert_tcl_dirname_here/macosx
make -C $insert_tk_dirname_here/macosx

and then

sudo make -C $insert_tcl_dirname_here/macosx install
sudo make -C $insert_tk_dirname_here/macosx install

This will install the updated version of Tcl and Tk in 
/Library/Frameworks, and Python should pick them up.

These instructions assume you have Apple's developer tools installed and 
are at least minimally comfortable using the command line.

If you have installed Python via some other process, cf. MacPorts or 
Homebrew, you'll have to wait until they pick up the new versions of Tcl 
and Tk and follow their instructions for upgrading.

Hope this helps,
Kevin

-- 
Kevin Walzer
Code by Kevin/Mobile Code by Kevin
http://www.codebykevin.com
http://www.wtmobilesoftware.com