#1655 [namespace which -var] fails for ary(i)

[Bruce Hartweg]

[namespace which -variable ary(i)] returns a null
string even when ary(i) exists! This is a major pain
when trying to get fully scoped variable names to give
to widgets. Here is a script snippet that shows the
eror:

[Bruce Hartweg]

Logged In: YES
user_id=338658

Got submitted to quick...
namespace eval a {
variable ary
set ary(i) v
puts "1 - [namespace which -variable ary]"
set x ary
set y ary(i)
puts "2 - [namespace which -variable $x]"
puts "3 - [namespace which -variable $y]"
}

[miguel sofer]

Logged In: YES
user_id=148712

(1) Sorry, this bug somehow flew under my horizon :(

(2) It's not so clear to me what the correct fix would be:
what should happen if the array itself exists, but the array
element does not? In your script, what is the expected
result of adding a line
puts "4 - [namespace which -variable ary(k)]"
According to the man page, the return should be "" - is this
what you're expecting?

(3) Depending on the answer to (2), a workaround involving
[info exists] may be the solution for now.

[miguel sofer]

Logged In: YES
user_id=148712

This cannot be fixed at reasonable cost without changing the
Var struct: an array element does not know it's containing
array, even though it knows its hashtable.

This will probably not happen until Tcl9. Leaving the bug
open to fix at that time.