Builds a Tcl 8.6.18 windows runtime from core-8-6-branch sources with the
pinned zig 0.16.0 toolchain only (no MS toolchain), forked from suite_tcl90
(duplication-with-a-note posture). Products (stock threaded-release naming -
rules.vc keeps the 't' SUFX on 8.6):
bin/tcl86t.dll + tcl86t.lib shared core (static zlib compiled in; no zlib1.dll)
bin/tclsh86ts.exe static shell (kit-class; dde/registry static)
bin/tclsh86t.exe dynamic shell against the dll
lib/libtclstub86.a stub lib for extensions
lib/tcl8.6/... script library tree (dde/reg dlls inside)
lib/tcl8/{8.5,8.6}/... tm modules; lib/thread2.8.13, lib/vfs1.4.2
Companions: thread 2.8.13 (thread2813t.dll, TEA installed shape from the
checkout's own pkgIndex.tcl.in) and tclvfs 1.4.2 (vfs142t.dll) build and load;
registry 1.3.5 / dde 1.4.6. No zipfs in 8.6 - exe+dll+on-disk lib tree only,
resolved hermetically (exe/dll-relative, TCLLIBPATH/TCL_LIBRARY unset in all
child runs).
Recipe: build86.zig + build_common.zig + build_zlib86/build_tclthread86/
build_tclvfs86 helpers; tools/ and src/main.zig copied verbatim (suite-agnostic).
Two load-bearing 8.6 findings recorded in the README DERIVATION and recipe
comments: MP_FIXED_CUTOFFS (the in-core libtommath ships no bn_cutoffs.c) and
TCL_BROKEN_MAINARGS + console subsystem for the gcc-class main() entry.
Test gates (suite.tcl test -> zig build test-gate/test-libraries) parse all.tcl
totals (exit codes untrusted) and gate against tracked dispositioned baselines.
First census + two-consecutive-run deterministic PASS (machine SuperBee):
core 46525 run / 2 failed (filename-16.12/16.13 admin-share self-globbing)
thread 142 run / 0 failed (empty baseline)
tclvfs 51 run / 2 failed (vfsUrl-1.2/2.1 external ftp.tcl.tk dependency)
Goal flipped to achieved 2026-07-26 and archived; reference sweep updated G-005,
G-100 (now unblocked), G-101 and ARCHITECTURE.md. No project-version bump
(arm's-length build tooling, not shipped shell behaviour).
Assisted-by: harness=claude; primary-model=claude-fable-5; api-location=anthropic.com
Activation gated on the G-112 rename core + G-104 contract (both achieved
today); score re-run recorded. First increment:
- suite_tcl86/: sources.config (source + self-description records - lists and
describes itself via 'make.tcl buildsuite list/info' with no make.tcl
edits), suite.tcl fork (folder-derived naming, {tcl tclthread tclvfs}
requireds, build86.zig recipe file), build86.zig pending-derivation skeleton
(staging succeeds, recipe fails with a clear message), build.zig.zon with
real zig-fetch hashes, README with the DERIVATION record.
- Thread 2.8 selection: thread-2-8-branch @ e14fa771ae (tagged thread-2-8-13,
2.8.13); configure.ac TCL_MAJOR_VERSION==8 guard confirms the pairing.
- 8.6 source records in BOTH flows: dev refs (core-8-6-branch -> tcl86,
thread-2-8-branch, tclvfs trunk 1.4.2-era) + zon per-checkin pins
(tcl 1d1d5cbd91 = 8.6.18 era).
- First staging run through 'make.tcl buildsuite build suite_tcl86' (a real
driver run through the G-104 surface): checkouts staged from the shared
hermetic store, TCL_PATCH_LEVEL 8.6.18 read from the tree.
- makefile.vc derivation findings recorded incl. two Context corrections:
8.6.18 DOES generate tclUuid.h; zlib is prebuilt-import in stock nmake
(zig-only recipe will compile compat/zlib statically).
Core-test census + baseline deliberately pending until a built tclsh86 exists
(recorded in Progress).
Assisted-by: harness=claude; primary-model=claude-fable-5; api-location=anthropic.com
Julian Noble