ASF+SDF versus lex and yacc

[koorn@fwi.uva.nl (Wilco Koorn)]

Hi Richard (and others),

Subject: ASF+SDF versus lex and yacc


In a previous article, Kuang-Hsu (Richard) Lin writes:

>Dear Sir,
>
>       If a language syntax is not in LALR(1), then the way to specify it in
>Metal is to change the syntax into LALR(1). How about in ASF+SDF? Does ASF+SDF
>also translates the syntax into lex and yacc?

No. ASF+SDF, or rather SDF, uses its own parser generator. This generator
accepts any context-free grammar and is incremental as well.

SDF generated parsers use an adapted version of the Tomita parse algorithm.

See the PhD thesis of Jan Rekers for details, or the SDF reference manual.
You can obtain these by ftp:
	site:	ftp.cwi.nl
	dir:	pub/gipe
	files:	Rek92.ps.Z	(PhD thesis of Jan Rekers)
		SDFManual.ps.Z	(SDF reference manual)


Regards, Wilco.