Re: Having trouble finding texts on compiler construction.

I have these:


"Compiler Construction", Niklaus Wirth, ISBN 0-201-40353-6. Written by the
creator of pascal, modula-2, oberon. Small book, 176 pages. There are a few
diagrams but you're not missing anything. Develops an minmal oberon
compiler. Like his languages Wirth's style is the master of concise
simplicity. Available for download here:
http://www-old.oberon.ethz.ch/WirthPubl/CBEAll.pdf. More oberon books here:
http://www.oberon.ethz.ch/bibliography/publications#Wir89.


"Writing Compilers & Interpreters" (1991), Ronald Mak, John Wiley & Sons
Inc. ISBN 0-471-50968-X. Develops a pascal compiler written in C. There are
the odd diagrams and pascal syntax diagrams (don't be put off) but most in
prose and source code. Develops ideas in steps with runnable programs in
each step. There are newer editions in C++ and java. The C++ edition is 2-3
times more pages and unless you are a sado-masochist or worship the devil
avoid C++ (definitely view before you but). I've not seen the java edition.


"A Retargetable C Compiler: Design and Implementation", Christopher Fraser,
David Hanson, Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-8053-1670-1. Text and source explains
how to write a c compiler. There few diagrams and formal mathematics (logic
formulae). Harder read than the previous. C is not the best language to
demonstrate compiler construction mainly because it was designed to be
easily implemented on resource restricted machines back in the 1960s. I
think C (and its mutations) compilers should be considered only after you've
got the understanding with a pascal/modula-2 compiler. It will be easier and
you'll learn good habits.


I've heard these are leaders in the field (more academic) but I don't
possess copies:
"Engineering a compiler", Keith Cooper, Linda Torczon, Morgan-Kaufmann. Not
seen.
"Modern Compiler Design", Dick Grune, Henri Bal, Ceriel Jacob ... John Wiley
& sons. This does have diagrams you complain of.
"Modern compiler implementation", Andrew Appel ... Cambridge University
Press. Not seen but the are C, Java, and ML versions.


Hope this is helpful,
Dean




"Ryan McCoskrie" <ryan.mccoskrie@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:09-04-015@comp.compilers...
> I'm trying to find some good text on compiler construction that don't
> explain things in terms of visual information (trees etcetera) and
> maths(which boils down to processing visual information).
>
>
> The reason to this is that I have a rare disability called NLD (Non-verbal
> Learning Disorder) which essentially means that the only parts of my brain
> that act as they should are the ones that deal with interpreting speech.
>
> Put it this way, Perl syntax makes sense but depth perception doesn't.
>
>
> I have tried reading the dragon book but most of it revolved around
> the diagrams. Does anyone know of a text that I could follow? I have
> found a couple of lex and yacc tutorials that have got me to some
> distance but not beyond making interpreters for calculators.
>
> --
> Quote of the login:
> "Nuclear war can ruin your whole compile." -- Karl Lehenbauer

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