The systematic design of file‐processing programs

摘要

AbstractThe theory of formal languages is applied to the systematic top‐down design of file processing programs. A methodology is described which leads to well structured programs for a large class of data processing problems. The method leads to more reliable programs because it is easier to check the method steps than an intuitive program. The method and its limitations are illustrated by the design process for some data processing programs. The limitations of the method are explained as the result of a theorem about formal language