java parsing problem

shirleytemple@my-deja.com
19 Oct 2000 14:38:21 -0400

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From: shirleytemple@my-deja.com
Newsgroups: comp.compilers
Date: 19 Oct 2000 14:38:21 -0400
Organization: Deja.com - Before you buy.
Keywords: Java, parse, question

I am hand-writing a recursive-descent parser for a subset of java. I
decided to follow the standard BNF provided in the JLS (java language
specification).


I am having difficulty with the following part of the specification:


Primary:
    PrimaryNoNewArray
    ArrayCreationExpression


PrimaryNoNewArray
    ...
    FieldAccess
    ...


FieldAccess
    Primary . Identifier
    ...


Assuming the simple approach of writing each right hand side as a
method, i would have something (in pseudocode) like:


parsePrimary(scanner) {
      exp = parsePrimaryNoNewArray(scanner);
      if (exp != null) return exp;
// try arrayCreationExpression
}


parsePrimaryNoNewArray(scanner) {
// other rules
    exp = parseFieldAccess(scanner);
    if (exp != null) return exp;
    ...
}
parseFieldAccess(scanner) {
    p = parsePrimary(scanner);
// look for . Identifier etc
}


Obviously this is a loop. I dont really know what I'm talking about
here, but is this because the BNF is LR and I am using an LL approach?
Is this left-recursion?


For that matter what about specifications such as:


AndExpression:
    EqualityExpression
    AndExpression & EqualityExpression


This has the same problem and what I usually do is to mentally rewrite
it as:


AndExpression:
    EqualityExpression (& EqualityExpression)*


where ()* = 0 or more of.


I'd appreciate any help. What would be the correct way to change the
above example to handle the recursion on Primary?


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