The Unicode Tools Of Rexx (TUTOR)

The TUTOR package is hosted on:

• https://rexx.epbcn.com/TUTOR/ (daily builds and releases).
• https://github.com/JosepMariaBlasco/TUTOR/ (releases only).

The copy at https://rexx.epbcn.com/TUTOR/ uses the Rexx Highlighter to display Rexx programs, while the copy at https://github.com/JosepMariaBlasco/TUTOR/ uses the (more limited) highlighting provided by GitHub.

TUTOR is also distributed as part of net-oo-rexx, a software bundle curated by Rony Flatscher. The net-oo-rexx package can be downloaded at https://wi.wu.ac.at/rgf/rexx/tmp/net-oo-rexx-packages/.

Version 0.6a, 20250325, 20260228 refresh.

NOTE: This version needs ooRexx version 5.2.0 beta release r13038 or higher to run, as it makes use of the new ::OPTIONS NUMERIC INHERIT directive.

/******************************************************************************
 * This file is part of The Unicode Tools Of Rexx (TUTOR)                     *
 * See https://rexx.epbcn.com/TUTOR/                                          *
 *     and https://github.com/JosepMariaBlasco/TUTOR                          *
 * Copyright © 2023-2025 Josep Maria Blasco <josep.maria.blasco@epbcn.com>    *
 * License: Apache License 2.0 (https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)  *
 ******************************************************************************/

/******************************************************************************
 * => TUTOR is a prototype, not a finished product. Use at your own risk. <═  *
 *                                                                            *
 *      Interfaces and specifications are proposals to be discussed,          *
 *       and can be changed at any moment without previous notice.            *
 ******************************************************************************/

Quick installation notes

Download Tutor.zip, unzip it in some directory of your choice, and run setenv to set the path (for Linux users: use . ./setenv.sh, not ./setenv.sh, or your path will not be set).

If you intend to use RXU, the Rexx Preprocessor for Unicode, you will need to download and install the Rexx Parser (available at https://rexx.epbcn.com/rexx-parser/ and https://github.com/JosepMariaBlasco/rexx-parser/) and also run setenv in the parser installation directory.

You may prefer to use the net-oo-rexx bundle, available at https://wi.wu.ac.at/rgf/rexx/tmp/net-oo-rexx-packages/, which includes a copy of both TUTOR and the Rexx Package. In that case, please follow the installation instructions present in that package. You will then be able to use TUTOR from a terminal shell, or by using ooRexxShell a powerful, Swiss army knife shell developed by Jean Louis Faucher; ooRexxShell includes integrated support for TUTOR and for the Rexx parser.

You can then navigate to the samples directory and try the samples by using [rexx] rxu filename, or experiment interactively with the rxutry utility, or with ooRexxShell.

Documentation

• For The Unicode Tools Of Rexx (TUTOR, this file).
• For RXU, the Rexx Preprocessor for Unicode
  • New types of strings
  • Revised built-in functions
    • Stream functions for Unicode
    • The encoding/decoding model
  • New built-in functions
    • The properties model
      • The Unicode.Normalization class.
  • New classes
  • New values for the OPTIONS instruction
  • Utility packages
    • The MultiStageTable class
    • The PersistentStringTable class
• Using TUTOR from Classic Rexx

Publications

• Unicode and Rexx. A brief introduction to TUTOR (20250504; see also as a web page). Presented to the 36th International Rexx Language Symposium -- Vienna, Austria and online.
• The Unicode Tools of Rexx (TUTOR) (20240304). Presented to the 35th International Rexx Language Symposium -- Brisbane, Australia and online.

Release notes for version 0.6a, 20250215

Version 0.6a includes some small changes to allow running RXU, the Rexx Preprocessor for Unicode, under Jean Louis Faucher's ooRexxShell (thanks to Jean Louis for suggesting the changes).

Components of TUTOR which can be used independently

• The UTF8 routine can be used independently of TUTOR. UTF8 detects whether Unicode.cls has been loaded (by looking for the existence of a .Bytes class that subclasses .String), and returns .Bytes strings or standard ooRexx strings as appropriate.

[Cumulative change log since release 0.6a]

• 20251025 - Completely fix the rxutry utility thanks to the new ::OPTIONS NUMERIC INHERIT instruction.
• 20251023 - Improve the REPL loop of the rxutry utility so that it is more accurate (but see https://github.com/JosepMariaBlasco/TUTOR/issues/7 and https://github.com/jlfaucher/executor/blob/master/sandbox/jlf/_changes.md#6numeric-digits-propagate.
• 20250512 - Add "publications" to Documentation page too, restructure publications directory.
• 20250510 - Add a "publications" section to the main readme.md page.
• 20250405 - Add references to net-oo-rexx and to ooRexxShell in the appropriate places.

Release notes for version 0.6a, 20250323
Release notes for version 0.6, 20250215
Release notes for version 0.5, 20240307
Release notes for version 0.4a, 20231002
Release notes for version 0.4, 20230901
Release notes for version 0.3b, 20230817
Release notes for version 0.3, 20230811
Release notes for version 0.2, 20230726
Release notes for version 0.1d, 20230719
Release notes for version 0.1, 20230716
A toy ooRexx implementation of the General_Category Unicode property (20230711)