Doug Brown - lex & yacc

• The desktop calculator bc

• The tools eqn and pic , typesetting preprocessors for mathematical equations and complex pictures.

• PCC , the Portable C Compiler used with many UNIX systems, and GCC , the GNU C Compiler

• A menu compiler

• A SQL data base language syntax checker

• The lex program itself

We have made extensive revisions in this new second edition. Major changes include:

, gives an overview of how and why lex and yacc are used to create compilers and interpreters, and demonstrates some small lex and yacc applications. It also introduces basic terms we use throughout the book.

, describes how to use lex. It develops lex applications that count words in files, analyze program command switches and arguments, and compute statistics on C programs.

, gives a full example using lex and yacc to develop a fully functional desktop calculator.

, demonstrates how to use lex and yacc to develop a menu generator.

, develops a parser for the full SQL relational data base language. First we use the parser as a syntax checker, then extend it into a simple preprocessor for SQL embedded in C programs.

, provide detailed descriptions of the features and options available to the lex and yacc programmer. These chapters and the two that follow provide technical information for the now experienced lex and yacc programmer to use while developing new lex and yacc applications.

, explains yacc ambiguities and conflicts, which are problems that keep yacc from parsing a grammar correctly. It then develops methods that can be used to locate and correct such problems.

, discusses techniques that the compiler or interpreter designer can use to locate, recognize, and report errors in the compiler input.

, describes the command-line syntax of AT&T lex and the error messages it reports and suggests possible solutions.

, describes the command-line syntax of AT&T yacc and lists errors reported by yacc. It provides examples of code which can cause such errors and suggests possible solutions.

, describes the command-line syntax of Berkeley yacc, a widely used free version of yacc distributed with Berkeley UNIX, and lists errors reported by Berkeley yacc with suggested solutions.

, discusses differences found in bison, the Free Software Foundations implementation of yacc.

, discusses flex, a widely used free version of lex, lists differences from other versions, and lists errors reported by flex with suggested solutions.

, discusses the MS-DOS and OS/2 version of lex and yacc from Mortice Kern Systems.

, discusses PCYACC, the MS-DOS and OS/2 versions of lex and yacc from Abraxas Software.

, discusses the versions of lex and yacc defined by the IEEE POSIX 1003.2 standard.

.

.

The Glossary lists technical terms language and compiler theory.

The Bibliography lists other documentation on lex and yacc, as well as helpful books on compiler design.

We presume the reader is familiar with C, as most examples are in C, lex, or yacc, with the remainder being in the special purpose languages developed within the text.