Re: The making of compilers

[nickroberts@ukf.net (Nick Roberts)]

On Tue, 26 Feb 2002 15:16:50 +0000 (UTC), "tony gair"
<tonygair@nespamtome.btinternet.com> strongly typed:

>...
>When I heard this method I was fascinated by the elegance of it. I was
>also very interested to hear the responses of M Criley and 99% of R 
>Dewar's who both gave interesting examples of constructing their own
>compilers.
>
>I did not know where the question was leading but I was seeking to
>validate the approach I heard was used, which was after all, a long time
>ago. And if I dare say it, hear of ways other people have made their
>compilers.

Well, as a member of AdaOS, Tony, you will know I'm writing an Ada
compiler.

The method I'm using couldn't be more different: I'm writing a 'hardened'
Prolog-like interpreter (CGL); the compiler will then be programmed in this
language, as a large set of declarations which, in essence, successively
transform structures (until we get to machine code).

Of course, whether this approach is any good or not is another question
entirely. ;-)

However, your interest is interesting to me! I will be seeking assistance
with the compiler, once I've got the CGL interpreter working (probably late
this year).

Assistants will need to be familiar with (or willing to learn): the
nitty-gritty of Ada 95; assembly programming and the 32-bit Intel
Architecture; the basics of compilation; practical declarative programming
(preferably Prolog). Offers most welcome!

-- 
Nick Roberts