An Experience on Language Implementation Using Attribute Grammars

摘要

The report describes an implementation of a subset of the programming language Euclid. The implementation was carried out using the compiler writing system HLP whose semantic part is based on attribute grammars. The one-pass design principles of the attribute grammar are explained, and some typical fragments of the grammar are examined in detail. An overview of code generation is given. An assessment of the attribute grammar shows that the conventional compiler oriented view adopted by the grammar designer leads to a specification that has very little descriptive value. A design discipline that emphasizes nonterminals rather than productions is suggested and its usefulness is demonstrated with a small case study.