Parser Delegation - An Object-Oriented Approach to Parsing
| Document type: | Researchreports |
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| Full text: | |
| Author(s): | Jan Bosch |
| Title: | Parser Delegation - An Object-Oriented Approach to Parsing |
| Series: | Research Report |
| Year: | 1994 |
| Issue: | 7 |
| ISSN: | 1103-1581 |
| Organization: | Blekinge Institute of Technology |
| Department: | Dept. of Computer Science and Business Administration (Institutionen för datavetenskap och ekonomi) Dept. of Computer Science and Business Administration S-372 25 Ronneby +46 455 780 00 http://www.ide.hk-r.se/ |
| Authors e-mail: | Jan.Bosch@ide.hk-r.se |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Conventional grammar specification and parsing is generally done in a monolithic manner, i.e. the syntax and semantics of a grammar are specified in one large specification. Although this might be sufficient in static environments, a modular approach is required in situations where the syntax or semantics of a grammar specification are subject to frequent changes. The problems with monolithic grammars are related to (1) dealing with the complexity, (2) extensibility and (3) reusability. We propose the concept of {\em parser delegation} as a solution to these problems. Parser delegation allows one to modularise and reuse grammar specifications. To achieve this, the notion of a production rule is specialised into (1) overriding, (2) extending and (3) delegating production rule types. To experiment with parser delegation, we have developed D-yacc, a graphical tool for defining grammars. Parser delegation has been applied for constructing a translator for an experimental language and is currently applied in other domains. |
| Subject: | Computer Science\General Software Engineering\General |
| URN: | urn:nbn:se:bth-00004 |
