Ann: Spirit V1.2 C++ Inline Parser Framework

    The Spirit Parser Framework
        [ http://spirit.sourceforge.net/ ]


Spirit is an object oriented recursive descent parser generator framework
implemented using template meta-programming techniques. Expression
templates allow us to approximate the syntax of Extended Backus Normal Form
(EBNF) completely in C++. Parser objects are composed through operator
overloading and the result is a backtracking LL(inf) parser that is capable
of parsing rather ambiguous grammars.


The Spirit framework enables a target grammar to be written exclusively in C++.
Inline EBNF grammar specifications can mix freely with other C++ code and,
thanks to the generative power of C++ templates, are immediately executable. In
retrospect, conventional compiler-compilers or parser-generators have to perform
an additional translation step from the source EBNF code to C or C++ code.


A simple EBNF grammar snippet:


        group ::= '(' expr ')'
        expr1 ::= integer | group
        expr2 ::= expr1 (('*' expr1) | ('/' expr1))*
        expr ::= expr2 (('+' expr2) | ('-' expr2))*


is approximated using Spirit's facilities as seen in this code snippet:


        group = '(' >> expr >> ')';
        expr1 = integer | group;
        expr2 = expr1 >> *(('*' >> expr1) | ('/' >> expr1));
        expr = expr2 >> *(('+' >> expr2) | ('-' >> expr2));


Through the magic of expression templates, this is perfectly valid and
executable C++ code. The production rule expr is in fact an object that has a
member function parse that does the work given a source code written in the
grammar that we have just declared.


The latest version of Spirit is v1.2. This version adds a TON of cool new
features such as (8/16/32) bit character sets and symbol tables, an STL-like
iterator interface, more examples (C, Pascal and XML parsers), debugging output,
numeric parsers, run-time parametric parsers and much more.


Version 1.2 of Spirit is 100% ISO/ANSI C++ compliant and has been tested on the
following compilers:


  * Borland C++ V5.5.1
  * GCC 3.0 / 2.95.2
  * Intel Compiler 5.01
  * Comeau 4.2.45.


Spirit is open source using the zlib/libpng license that permits use for any
purpose, including commercial applications. The complete package is available
for free download from http://spirit.sourceforge.net/.


        http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/spirit/spirit-1.2.1.tar.gz
        http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/spirit/spirit-1.2.1.zip


There is a Spirit users mailing list at source forge:
http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/spirit-general.




Regards,
Joel de Guzman

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