Programming language syntax design (was Re: ... typedef problem)

      [On the other hand, some of us would put "easy to parse using yacc" fairly
      low on our list of criteria for good language design. -John]


Maybe that's why there are so many (syntactically) badly designed
languages :-)


IMHO by definition the "syntax" should be parsable by a context free
grammar. As I said previously if you don't design it like this you should
have a good reason. I have nothing against languages that deviate from
the rule as long as there is some real benefit from it. The Ada example I
gave is one example of this. I'm at a loss to think of another one.


Also, I don't consider "yacc" to be the last word in syntax analysis.
Like C it's old and past it's prime. There are better tools freely
available (e.g. GMD toolbox), if only people would use them.


Stephen J. Bevan bevan@cs.man.ac.uk
--

Return to the comp.compilers page.
Search the comp.compilers archives again.