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pt_import_api(3tcl) Parser Tools pt_import_api(3tcl)
 


NAME

pt_import_api - Parser Tools Import API

SYNOPSIS

package require Tcl 8.5


CONVERTER convert text


IncludeFile currentfile path


::import text





 


DESCRIPTION

Are you lost ? Do you have trouble understanding this document ? In that case
  please read the overview provided by the Introduction to Parser Tools.
  This document is the entrypoint to the whole system the current package is a
  part of.


This document describes two APIs. First the API shared by all packages for the
  conversion of some other format into Parsing Expression Grammars , and then
  the API shared by the packages which implement the import plugins sitting on
  top of the conversion packages.


Its intended audience are people who wish to create their own converter for some
  type of input, and/or an import plugin for their or some other converter.


It resides in the Import section of the Core Layer of Parser Tools.


IMAGE: arch_core_import

CONVERTER API

Any (grammar) import converter has to follow the rules set out below:


  
[1]

  
A converter is a package. Its name is arbitrary, however it is recommended
      to put it under the ::pt::peg::from namespace.





  
[2]

  
The package provides either a single Tcl command following the API
      outlined below, or a class command whose instances follow the same API.
      The commands which follow the API are called converter
    commands.





  
[3]

  
A converter command has to provide the following single method with the
      given signature and semantic. Converter commands are allowed to provide
      more methods of their own, but not less, and they may not provide
      different semantics for the standardized method.







  
CONVERTER convert text

  
This method has to accept some text, a parsing expression grammar
      in some format. The result of the method has to be the canonical
      serialization of a parsing expression grammar, as specified in section
      PEG serialization format, the result of reading and converting the
      input text.






PLUGIN API

Any (grammar) import plugin has to follow the rules set out below:


  
[1]

  
A plugin is a package.





  
[2]

  
The name of a plugin package has the form pt::peg::import:: FOO,
      where FOO is the name of the format the plugin will accept input
      for.





  
[3]

  
The plugin can expect that the package pt::peg::import::plugin is
      present, as indicator that it was invoked from a genuine plugin manager.
    

    It is recommended that a plugin does check for the presence of this
    package.





  
[4]

  
The plugin can expect that a command named IncludeFile is present,
      with the signature







  
IncludeFile currentfile path

  
This command has to be invoked by the plugin when it has to process an
      included file, if the format has the concept of such.
    

    The plugin has to supply the following arguments







  
string currentfile

  
The path of the file it is currently processing. This may be the empty
      string if no such is known.





  
string path

  
The path of the include file as specified in the include directive being
      processed.







  

  
The result of the command will be a 5-element list containing







  
[1]

  
A boolean flag indicating the success (True) or failure (
      False) of the operation.





  
[2]

  
In case of success the contents of the included file, and the empty string
      otherwise.





  
[3]

  
The resolved, i.e. absolute path of the included file, if possible, or the
      unchanged path argument. This is for display in an error message,
      or as the currentfile argument of another call to
      IncludeFile should this file contain more files.





  
[4]

  
In case of success an empty string, and for failure a code indicating the
      reason for it, one of







  
notfound

  
The specified file could not be found.





  
notread

  
The specified file was found, but not be read into memory.







  
[5]

  
An empty string in case of success of a notfound failure, and an
      additional error message describing the reason for a notread error
      in more detail.









  
[5]

  
A plugin has to provide a single command, in the global namespace, with
      the signature shown below. Plugins are allowed to provide more commands of
      their own, but not less, and they may not provide different semantics for
      the standardized command.







  
::import text

  
This command has to accept the a text containing a parsing expression
      grammar in some format. The result of the command has to be the result of
      the converter invoked by the plugin for the input grammar, the canonical
      serialization of the parsing expression grammar contained in the
    input.







  
string text

  
This argument will contain the parsing expression grammar for which to
      generate the serialization. The specification of what a canonical
      serialization is can be found in the section PEG serialization
      format.









  
[6]

  
A single usage cycle of a plugin consists of an invokation of the command
      import. This call has to leave the plugin in a state where another
      usage cycle can be run without problems.




USAGE

To use a converter do






    # Get the converter (single command here, not class)
    package require the-converter-package


    # Perform the conversion
    set serial [theconverter convert $thegrammartext]


    ... process the result ...






To use a plugin FOO do






    # Get an import plugin manager
    package require pt::peg::import
    pt::peg::import I


    # Run the plugin, and the converter inside.
    set serial [I import serial $thegrammartext FOO]


    ... process the result ...







PEG SERIALIZATION FORMAT

Here we specify the format used by the Parser Tools to serialize Parsing
  Expression Grammars as immutable values for transport, comparison, etc.


We distinguish between regular and canonical serializations. While
  a PEG may have more than one regular serialization only exactly one of them
  will be canonical.


  
regular serialization

  







  
[1]

  
The serialization of any PEG is a nested Tcl dictionary.





  
[2]

  
This dictionary holds a single key, pt::grammar::peg, and its
      value. This value holds the contents of the grammar.





  
[3]

  
The contents of the grammar are a Tcl dictionary holding the set of
      nonterminal symbols and the starting expression. The relevant keys and
      their values are







  
rules

  
The value is a Tcl dictionary whose keys are the names of the nonterminal
      symbols known to the grammar.







  
[1]

  
Each nonterminal symbol may occur only once.





  
[2]

  
The empty string is not a legal nonterminal symbol.





  
[3]

  
The value for each symbol is a Tcl dictionary itself. The relevant keys
      and their values in this dictionary are







  
is

  
The value is the serialization of the parsing expression describing the
      symbols sentennial structure, as specified in the section PE
      serialization format.





  
mode

  
The value can be one of three values specifying how a parser should handle
      the semantic value produced by the symbol.







  
value

  
The semantic value of the nonterminal symbol is an abstract syntax tree
      consisting of a single node node for the nonterminal itself, which has the
      ASTs of the symbol's right hand side as its children.





  
leaf

  
The semantic value of the nonterminal symbol is an abstract syntax tree
      consisting of a single node node for the nonterminal, without any
      children. Any ASTs generated by the symbol's right hand side are
      discarded.





  
void

  
The nonterminal has no semantic value. Any ASTs generated by the symbol's
      right hand side are discarded (as well).











  
start

  
The value is the serialization of the start parsing expression of the
      grammar, as specified in the section PE serialization format.







  
[4]

  
The terminal symbols of the grammar are specified implicitly as the set of
      all terminal symbols used in the start expression and on the RHS of the
      grammar rules.







  
canonical serialization

  
The canonical serialization of a grammar has the format as specified in
      the previous item, and then additionally satisfies the constraints below,
      which make it unique among all the possible serializations of this
      grammar.







  
[1]

  
The keys found in all the nested Tcl dictionaries are sorted in ascending
      dictionary order, as generated by Tcl's builtin command lsort
      -increasing -dict.





  
[2]

  
The string representation of the value is the canonical representation of
      a Tcl dictionary. I.e. it does not contain superfluous whitespace.






EXAMPLE

Assuming the following PEG for simple mathematical expressions








PEG calculator (Expression)
    Digit      <- '0'/'1'/'2'/'3'/'4'/'5'/'6'/'7'/'8'/'9'       ;
    Sign       <- '-' / '+'                                     ;
    Number     <- Sign? Digit+                                  ;
    Expression <- Term (AddOp Term)*                            ;
    MulOp      <- '*' / '/'                                     ;
    Term       <- Factor (MulOp Factor)*                        ;
    AddOp      <- '+'/'-'                                       ;
    Factor     <- '(' Expression ')' / Number                   ;
END;








then its canonical serialization (except for whitespace) is








pt::grammar::peg {
    rules {
        AddOp      {is {/ {t -} {t +}}                                                                mode value}
        Digit      {is {/ {t 0} {t 1} {t 2} {t 3} {t 4} {t 5} {t 6} {t 7} {t 8} {t 9}}                mode value}
        Expression {is {x {n Term} {* {x {n AddOp} {n Term}}}}                                        mode value}
        Factor     {is {/ {x {t (} {n Expression} {t )}} {n Number}}                                  mode value}
        MulOp      {is {/ {t *} {t /}}                                                                mode value}
        Number     {is {x {? {n Sign}} {+ {n Digit}}}                                                 mode value}
        Sign       {is {/ {t -} {t +}}                                                                mode value}
        Term       {is {x {n Factor} {* {x {n MulOp} {n Factor}}}}                                    mode value}
    }
    start {n Expression}
}







PE SERIALIZATION FORMAT

Here we specify the format used by the Parser Tools to serialize Parsing
  Expressions as immutable values for transport, comparison, etc.


We distinguish between regular and canonical serializations. While
  a parsing expression may have more than one regular serialization only exactly
  one of them will be canonical.


  
Regular serialization

  







  
Atomic Parsing Expressions

  







  
[1]

  
The string epsilon is an atomic parsing expression. It matches the
      empty string.





  
[2]

  
The string dot is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      character.





  
[3]

  
The string alnum is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode alphabet or digit character. This is a custom extension of PEs
      based on Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[4]

  
The string alpha is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode alphabet character. This is a custom extension of PEs based on
      Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[5]

  
The string ascii is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode character below U0080. This is a custom extension of PEs based on
      Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[6]

  
The string control is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode control character. This is a custom extension of PEs based on
      Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[7]

  
The string digit is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode digit character. Note that this includes characters outside of the
      [0..9] range. This is a custom extension of PEs based on Tcl's builtin
      command string is.





  
[8]

  
The string graph is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode printing character, except for space. This is a custom extension
      of PEs based on Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[9]

  
The string lower is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode lower-case alphabet character. This is a custom extension of PEs
      based on Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[10]

  
The string print is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode printing character, including space. This is a custom extension of
      PEs based on Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[11]

  
The string punct is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode punctuation character. This is a custom extension of PEs based on
      Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[12]

  
The string space is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode space character. This is a custom extension of PEs based on Tcl's
      builtin command string is.





  
[13]

  
The string upper is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode upper-case alphabet character. This is a custom extension of PEs
      based on Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[14]

  
The string wordchar is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      Unicode word character. This is any alphanumeric character (see alnum),
      and any connector punctuation characters (e.g. underscore). This is a
      custom extension of PEs based on Tcl's builtin command string
    is.





  
[15]

  
The string xdigit is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      hexadecimal digit character. This is a custom extension of PEs based on
      Tcl's builtin command string is.





  
[16]

  
The string ddigit is an atomic parsing expression. It matches any
      decimal digit character. This is a custom extension of PEs based on Tcl's
      builtin command regexp.





  
[17]

  
The expression [list t x] is an atomic parsing expression. It
      matches the terminal string x.





  
[18]

  
The expression [list n A] is an atomic parsing expression. It
      matches the nonterminal A.







  
Combined Parsing Expressions

  







  
[1]

  
For parsing expressions e1, e2, ... the result of [list /
      e1 e2 ... ] is a parsing expression as well. This is the
      ordered choice, aka prioritized choice.





  
[2]

  
For parsing expressions e1, e2, ... the result of [list x
      e1 e2 ... ] is a parsing expression as well. This is the
      sequence.





  
[3]

  
For a parsing expression e the result of [list * e] is a
      parsing expression as well. This is the kleene closure, describing
      zero or more repetitions.





  
[4]

  
For a parsing expression e the result of [list + e] is a
      parsing expression as well. This is the positive kleene closure,
      describing one or more repetitions.





  
[5]

  
For a parsing expression e the result of [list & e] is a
      parsing expression as well. This is the and lookahead
    predicate.





  
[6]

  
For a parsing expression e the result of [list ! e] is a
      parsing expression as well. This is the not lookahead
    predicate.





  
[7]

  
For a parsing expression e the result of [list ? e] is a
      parsing expression as well. This is the optional input.









  
Canonical serialization

  
The canonical serialization of a parsing expression has the format as
      specified in the previous item, and then additionally satisfies the
      constraints below, which make it unique among all the possible
      serializations of this parsing expression.







  
[1]

  
The string representation of the value is the canonical representation of
      a pure Tcl list. I.e. it does not contain superfluous whitespace.





  
[2]

  
Terminals are not encoded as ranges (where start and end of the
      range are identical).






EXAMPLE

Assuming the parsing expression shown on the right-hand side of the rule








    Expression <- Term (AddOp Term)*








then its canonical serialization (except for whitespace) is








    {x {n Term} {* {x {n AddOp} {n Term}}}}







BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK

This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and
  other problems. Please report such in the category pt of the Tcllib
  Trackers [http://core.tcl.tk/tcllib/reportlist]. Please also report any
  ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

KEYWORDS

EBNF, LL(k), PEG, TDPL, context-free languages, expression, grammar, matching,
  parser, parsing expression, parsing expression grammar, push down automaton,
  recursive descent, state, top-down parsing languages, transducer

CATEGORY

Parsing and Grammars

COPYRIGHT


Copyright (c) 2009 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>








  

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