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

[Brian Rogoff <bpr@shell5.ba.best.com>]

On Sat, 12 Feb 2000 blaak@infomatch.com wrote:
> In article <881hft$9ac1@news.cis.okstate.edu>,
>   dstarner98@aasaa.ofe.org wrote:
> > Given SML-NJ, what would it take for a ML shell besides some shell
> > functions that could be written in ML? I.e. would just a ML library
> > turn SML-NJ into what you're looking for?
> 
> I don't know. I suppose I would have to learn ML properly.

I would suggest learning OCaml rather than SML-NJ since the implementation
has properties you want if you're looking for a scripting-like tool. 

> Most lisps have decent macro systems with which one can write embedded
> languages fairly easily, allowing one to use, for example, a nice
> process invocation syntax. Can ML do this sort of thing?

There is a program called CamlP4 at http://caml.inria.fr/camlp4/index.html
I quote:

  Camlp4 is a Pre-Processor-Pretty-Printer for Objective Caml. It offers
  tools for syntax (grammars) and the ability to modify the concrete
  syntax of the language (quotations, syntax extensions). 

I haven't used it, but you could try that. I believe that this kind of
stuff is cutting edge research in statically typed FP, but old hat for 
Lispers (who don't worry about static typing). 

-- Brian