Re: scripting/extension language for Ada (was : Re: tagged types extensions)

[Ehud Lamm <mslamm@mscc.huji.ac.il>]

The topic of scripting languages themselves and esp. with connection to
Ada is a subject to which I gave much thought.
My feeling is in accordance with those who think that scripting languages
have a very different philosphy than Ada - like type safety issues, weaker
emphesize (to say the least!)  on readablity etc.
So I wouldn't go in the direction of an Ada or Ada-like scripiting
language, but rather in one or both of these directions:
- packages that supply functionality useflu for scripting jobs.
- embeddable little languages that can be used from inside Ada systems. 

Some idea of what I mean (but in a different context and hence not
developed in full) can be found in my work on frameworks (URL below). 
1. An Awk-alike frameowrk which allow Awk style processing to be done
easily inside Ada systems (including the parsing to fields, records,
implicit conversions etc. - but all done as subroutine invocation in Ada)

2. SEPI - the Simple Embeddable Parser and Interpeter (far from being
ready for daylight...) which should allow you to put an interperter for a
simple lagnuage inside you code.

This topic is quite interesting, but since i don't have the time right now
to write it up, I suggest those interested in some of my ideas on this
look at:
http://purl.oclc.org/NET/ehud-site/ada/frameworks.html



Ehud Lamm mslamm@mscc.huji.ac.il
http://purl.oclc.org/NET/ehudlamm <== My home on the web 
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