Re: writing a compiler...

Tommy wrote:
> some advice, some links, some trivial compilers to look at, some
> books, some exercises and so on...


> I am proficient in C and C++ so these are
> the languages I prefer to use to write code. However, I understand and
> I am able to "use" Pascal


I've been looking at a copy of "Writing Compilers and Interpreters: An
applied approach using C++ (2nd edition)" by Ronald Mak.


It walks through the implementation of a Pascal interpreter and x86
compiler in C++. Along the way, it includes small projects like a
pretty printer, and whatever.


It's a bit frustrating, I find it a bit slow, but I wish I had had it
when I was sixteen.


> I would like to write a Pascal compiler because Pascal is "formally
> defined"


Mmph. In a round about, fudge it a bit here, kind of way....


IIRC it's Pascal that allows something like:
if f(a) and g(b) then ...
to evaluate f() and g() in either order.


But if f() and g() have side-effects such that the behaviour of the
program is determined by which executes first, then the program is
wrong. I don't think that's something that can be checked by a
compiler on an arbitrary program?


Incidently, I've seen a formal semantics of Java, by David von Oheimb
(maybe with Nipkow as well?) Oh, hang on...
http://www4.in.tum.de/~oheimb/papers/ and seen LNCS Vol 1523: Formal
Syntax and Semantics of Java.


I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but there's a copy round here
somewhere....


Martin

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