Editing/storing syntax trees

preston@tera.com (Preston Briggs)
Sun, 28 May 1995 22:50:54 GMT

          From comp.compilers

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Newsgroups: comp.compilers
From: preston@tera.com (Preston Briggs)
Keywords: design, syntax
Organization: Tera Computer Company, Seattle, WA
References: 95-04-013 95-05-104
Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 22:50:54 GMT

> ... Wouldn't it be so much easier to store your source as a syntax-tree ?
>
>In theory I agree, ...


I disagree. ASCII source is actually a fine representation, small and
convenient. Syntax trees, on disk, are bulky and inconvenient.


Separate your concerns. Use a single, good editor for all your
programming languages, and individual compilers for each language.
Otherwise, you get stuck using/writing a new editor for each new
language. You might be able to make them all feel the same, but it's
still a major multiplication of your programming effort.


If you want general access to a syntax tree, say for use by several
different tools, write a single scanner-parser combination that builds
a tree form from the source form; but please don't multiply your editors.


Preston Briggs
--


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