Compilers and Compiler Generators

An Introduction With C++

P.D. Terry (home page)

Department of Computer Science
Rhodes University
GRAHAMSTOWN (MAKHANDA) 6140, South Africa

p.terry@ru.ac.za

Published by International Thomson Computer Press © 1997

Written to support a practically oriented course in programming language translation, this book combines theory, practical applications and the use of compiler writing tools to give students a solid introduction to the subject.

Key features of the book:

• Highly accessible in approach, it provides a sufficient level of theory without overwhelming the reader with too much mathematical detail
• Extensive case studies of translators are interspersed throughout, allowing the reader to view the theory in practice
• C++ is used for the illustrations in the text, whilst source code for all of them is provided on the accompanying disk in C++, Modula-2 and Pascal.
• Stressing the importance of compiler tools in modern practice, the book describes the use of a powerful tool (also provided on the disk) for generating recursive descent compilers in C++, Modula-2 or Pascal. The compiler generator Coco/R is used as this is simple, fast and clean and very understandable for this level of student.
• Recognising both the importance and complexity of object-oriented programming at this level of instruction, the author has made a careful choice of limited OOP features
• A comprehensive set of exercises allows the reader to develop the material further at many different levels

Table of Contents:

1 Introduction
2 Translator Classification and Structure
3 Compiler Construction and Bootstrapping
4 Machine Emulation
5 Language Specification
6 Simple Assemblers
7 Advanced Assembler Features
8 Grammars and their Classification
9 Deterministic Top Down Parsing
10 Parser and Scanner Construction
11 Syntax Directed Translation
12 Using Coco/R - Overview
13 Using Coco/R - Case studies
14 A Simple Compiler - the Front End
15 A Simple Compiler - the Back End
16 Simple Block Structure
17 Parameters and Functions
18 Concurrent Programming

Resource Kit:

Visit the "Resource Kit" for the book - a web site that contains the text of the final draft, additional material that does not appear in the published book, the source code for all the case studies, distributions of early versions of Coco/R for C# Pascal and Modula-2, and instructions for downloading and installing the components of the Resource Kit on a reader's own computer.