Outline of a Bison Grammar
* Prologue:: Syntax and usage of the prologue.
+* Prologue Alternatives:: Syntax and usage of alternatives to the prologue.
* Bison Declarations:: Syntax and usage of the Bison declarations section.
* Grammar Rules:: Syntax and usage of the grammar rules section.
* Epilogue:: Syntax and usage of the epilogue.
@menu
* Prologue:: Syntax and usage of the prologue.
+* Prologue Alternatives:: Syntax and usage of alternatives to the prologue.
* Bison Declarations:: Syntax and usage of the Bison declarations section.
* Grammar Rules:: Syntax and usage of the grammar rules section.
* Epilogue:: Syntax and usage of the epilogue.
feature test macros can affect the behavior of Bison-generated
@code{#include} directives.
-@findex %before-header
-@findex %start-header
-@findex %after-header
-If you've instructed Bison to generate a header file (@pxref{Table of Symbols,
-,%defines}), you probably want @code{#include "ptypes.h"} to appear
-in that header file as well.
-In that case, use @code{%before-header}, @code{%start-header}, and
-@code{%after-header} instead of @var{Prologue} sections
-(@pxref{Table of Symbols, ,%start-header}):
+@node Prologue Alternatives
+@subsection Prologue Alternatives
+@cindex Prologue Alternatives
+
+@findex %code
+@findex %requires
+@findex %provides
+@findex %code-top
+The functionality of @var{Prologue} sections can often be subtle and
+inflexible.
+As an alternative, Bison provides a set of more explicit directives:
+@code{%code-top}, @code{%requires}, @code{%provides}, and @code{%code}.
+@xref{Table of Symbols}.
+
+Look again at the example of the previous section:
+
+@smallexample
+%@{
+ #define _GNU_SOURCE
+ #include <stdio.h>
+ #include "ptypes.h"
+%@}
+
+%union @{
+ long int n;
+ tree t; /* @r{@code{tree} is defined in @file{ptypes.h}.} */
+@}
+
+%@{
+ static void print_token_value (FILE *, int, YYSTYPE);
+ #define YYPRINT(F, N, L) print_token_value (F, N, L)
+%@}
+
+@dots{}
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+Notice that there are two @var{Prologue} sections here, but there's a subtle
+distinction between their functionality.
+For example, if you decide to override Bison's default definition for
+@code{YYLTYPE}, in which @var{Prologue} section should you write your new
+definition?
+You should write it in the first since Bison will insert that code into the
+parser code file @emph{before} the default @code{YYLTYPE} definition.
+In which @var{Prologue} section should you prototype an internal function,
+@code{trace_token}, that accepts @code{YYLTYPE} and @code{yytokentype} as
+arguments?
+You should prototype it in the second since Bison will insert that code
+@emph{after} the @code{YYLTYPE} and @code{yytokentype} definitions.
+
+This distinction in functionality between the two @var{Prologue} sections is
+established by the appearance of the @code{%union} between them.
+This behavior raises several questions.
+First, why should the position of a @code{%union} affect definitions related to
+@code{YYLTYPE} and @code{yytokentype}?
+Second, what if there is no @code{%union}?
+In that case, the second kind of @var{Prologue} section is not available.
+This behavior is not intuitive.
+
+To avoid this subtle @code{%union} dependency, rewrite the example using
+@code{%code-top} and @code{%code}.
+Let's go ahead and add the new @code{YYLTYPE} definition and the
+@code{trace_token} prototype at the same time:
+
+@smallexample
+%code-top @{
+ #define _GNU_SOURCE
+ #include <stdio.h>
+ /* The following code really belongs in a %requires; see below. */
+ #include "ptypes.h"
+ #define YYLTYPE YYLTYPE
+ typedef struct YYLTYPE
+ @{
+ int first_line;
+ int first_column;
+ int last_line;
+ int last_column;
+ char *filename;
+ @} YYLTYPE;
+@}
+
+%union @{
+ long int n;
+ tree t; /* @r{@code{tree} is defined in @file{ptypes.h}.} */
+@}
+
+%code @{
+ static void print_token_value (FILE *, int, YYSTYPE);
+ #define YYPRINT(F, N, L) print_token_value (F, N, L)
+ static void trace_token (enum yytokentype token, YYLTYPE loc);
+@}
+
+@dots{}
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+In this way, @code{%code-top} and @code{%code} achieve the same functionality
+as the two kinds of @var{Prologue} sections, but it's always explicit which
+kind you intend.
+Moreover, both kinds are always available even in the absence of @code{%union}.
+
+The first @var{Prologue} section above now logically contains two parts.
+The first two lines need to appear in the parser code file.
+The fourth line is required by @code{YYSTYPE} and thus also needs to appear in
+the parser code file.
+However, if you've instructed Bison to generate a parser header file
+(@pxref{Table of Symbols, ,%defines}), you probably want the third line to
+appear before the @code{YYSTYPE} definition in that header file as well.
+Also, the @code{YYLTYPE} definition should appear in the parser header file to
+override the default @code{YYLTYPE} definition there.
+
+In other words, in the first @var{Prologue} section, all but the first two
+lines are dependency code for externally exposed definitions (@code{YYSTYPE}
+and @code{YYLTYPE}) required by Bison.
+Thus, they belong in one or more @code{%requires}:
+
+@smallexample
+%code-top @{
+ #define _GNU_SOURCE
+ #include <stdio.h>
+@}
+
+%requires @{
+ #include "ptypes.h"
+@}
+%union @{
+ long int n;
+ tree t; /* @r{@code{tree} is defined in @file{ptypes.h}.} */
+@}
+
+%requires @{
+ #define YYLTYPE YYLTYPE
+ typedef struct YYLTYPE
+ @{
+ int first_line;
+ int first_column;
+ int last_line;
+ int last_column;
+ char *filename;
+ @} YYLTYPE;
+@}
+
+%code @{
+ static void print_token_value (FILE *, int, YYSTYPE);
+ #define YYPRINT(F, N, L) print_token_value (F, N, L)
+ static void trace_token (enum yytokentype token, YYLTYPE loc);
+@}
+
+@dots{}
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+Now Bison will insert @code{#include "ptypes.h"} and the new @code{YYLTYPE}
+definition before the Bison-generated @code{YYSTYPE} and @code{YYLTYPE}
+definitions in both the parser code file and the parser header file.
+(By the same reasoning, @code{%requires} would also be the appropriate place to
+write your own definition for @code{YYSTYPE}.)
+
+At some point while developing your parser, you might decide to provide
+@code{trace_token} to modules that are external to your parser.
+Thus, you might wish for Bison to insert the prototype into both the parser
+header file and the parser code file.
+Since this function is not a dependency of any Bison-required definition (such
+as @code{YYSTYPE}), it doesn't make sense to move its prototype to a
+@code{%requires}.
+More importantly, since it depends upon @code{YYLTYPE} and @code{yytokentype},
+@code{%requires} is not sufficient.
+Instead, move its prototype from the @code{%code} to a @code{%provides}:
@smallexample
-%before-header @{
+%code-top @{
+ #define _GNU_SOURCE
#include <stdio.h>
@}
-%start-header @{
+%requires @{
#include "ptypes.h"
@}
%union @{
tree t; /* @r{@code{tree} is defined in @file{ptypes.h}.} */
@}
-%after-header @{
+%requires @{
+ #define YYLTYPE YYLTYPE
+ typedef struct YYLTYPE
+ @{
+ int first_line;
+ int first_column;
+ int last_line;
+ int last_column;
+ char *filename;
+ @} YYLTYPE;
+@}
+
+%provides @{
+ void trace_token (enum yytokentype token, YYLTYPE loc);
+@}
+
+%code @{
static void print_token_value (FILE *, int, YYSTYPE);
#define YYPRINT(F, N, L) print_token_value (F, N, L)
@}
@dots{}
@end smallexample
+@noindent
+Bison will insert the @code{trace_token} prototype into both the parser header
+file and the parser code file after the definitions for @code{yytokentype},
+@code{YYLTYPE}, and @code{YYSTYPE}.
+
+The above examples are careful to write directives in an order that reflects
+the layout of the generated parser code and header files:
+@code{%code-top}, @code{%requires}, @code{%provides}, and then @code{%code}.
+While your grammar files will generally be easier to read if you also follow
+this order, Bison does not require it.
+Instead, Bison lets you choose an organization that makes sense to you.
+
+Any of these directives may be declared multiple times in the grammar file.
+In that case, Bison concatenates the contained code in declaration order.
+This is the only way in which the position of one of these directives within
+the grammar file affects its functionality.
+
+The result of the previous two properties is greater flexibility in how you may
+organize your grammar file.
+For example, you may organize semantic-type-related directives by semantic
+type:
+
+@smallexample
+%requires @{ #include "type1.h" @}
+%union @{ type1 field1; @}
+%destructor @{ type1_free ($$); @} <field1>
+%printer @{ type1_print ($$); @} <field1>
+
+%requires @{ #include "type2.h" @}
+%union @{ type2 field2; @}
+%destructor @{ type2_free ($$); @} <field2>
+%printer @{ type2_print ($$); @} <field2>
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+You could even place each of the above directive groups in the rules section of
+the grammar file next to the set of rules that uses the associated semantic
+type.
+And you don't have to worry that some directive (like a @code{%union}) in the
+definitions section is going to adversely affect their functionality in some
+counter-intuitive manner just because it comes first.
+Such an organization is not possible using @var{Prologue} sections.
+
@node Bison Declarations
@subsection The Bison Declarations Section
@cindex Bison declarations (introduction)
and to the token type codes. @xref{Token Values, ,Semantic Values of
Tokens}.
-@findex %start-header
-@findex %end-header
-If you have declared @code{%start-header} or @code{%end-header}, the output
+@findex %requires
+@findex %provides
+If you have declared @code{%requires} or @code{%provides}, the output
header also contains their code.
-@xref{Table of Symbols, ,%start-header}.
+@xref{Table of Symbols, ,%requires}.
@end deffn
@deffn {Directive} %destructor
Bison parsers are @dfn{shift/reduce automata}. In some cases (much more
frequent than one would hope), looking at this automaton is required to
tune or simply fix a parser. Bison provides two different
-representation of it, either textually or graphically (as a @acronym{VCG}
-file).
+representation of it, either textually or graphically (as a DOT file).
The textual file is generated when the options @option{--report} or
@option{--verbose} are specified, see @xref{Invocation, , Invoking
described under the @samp{-v} and @samp{-d} options.
@item -g
-Output a @acronym{VCG} definition of the @acronym{LALR}(1) grammar
-automaton computed by Bison. If the grammar file is @file{foo.y}, the
-@acronym{VCG} output file will
-be @file{foo.vcg}.
+Output a graphical representation of the @acronym{LALR}(1) grammar
+automaton computed by Bison, in @uref{http://www.graphviz.org/, Graphviz}
+@uref{http://www.graphviz.org/doc/info/lang.html, @acronym{DOT}} format.
+If the grammar file is @file{foo.y}, the output file will
+be @file{foo.dot}.
@item --graph=@var{graph-file}
The behavior of @var{--graph} is the same than @samp{-g}. The only
@end example
@noindent
-@findex %start-header
+@findex %requires
Then come the declarations/inclusions needed to define the
@code{%union}. Because the parser uses the parsing driver and
reciprocally, both cannot include the header of the other. Because the
driver's header needs detailed knowledge about the parser class (in
particular its inner types), it is the parser's header which will simply
use a forward declaration of the driver.
-@xref{Table of Symbols, ,%start-header}.
+@xref{Table of Symbols, ,%requires}.
@comment file: calc++-parser.yy
@example
-%start-header @{
+%requires @{
# include <string>
class calcxx_driver;
@}
@end example
@noindent
-@findex %after-header
-The code between @samp{%after-header @{} and @samp{@}} is output in the
+@findex %code
+The code between @samp{%code @{} and @samp{@}} is output in the
@file{*.cc} file; it needs detailed knowledge about the driver.
@comment file: calc++-parser.yy
@example
-%after-header @{
+%code @{
# include "calc++-driver.hh"
@}
@end example
Start-Symbol}. It cannot be used in the grammar.
@end deffn
-@deffn {Directive} %after-header @{@var{code}@}
-Specifies code to be inserted into the code file after the contents of the
-header file.
-@xref{Table of Symbols, ,%start-header}.
-@end deffn
-
-@deffn {Directive} %before-header @{@var{code}@}
-Specifies code to be inserted into the code file before the contents of the
-header file.
-@xref{Table of Symbols, ,%start-header}.
-@end deffn
-
-@deffn {Directive} %end-header @{@var{code}@}
-Specifies code to be inserted both into the header file (if generated;
-@pxref{Table of Symbols, ,%defines}) and into the code file after any
-Bison-generated definitions.
-@xref{Table of Symbols, ,%start-header}.
-@end deffn
-
-@deffn {Directive} %start-header @{@var{code}@}
-Specifies code to be inserted both into the header file (if generated;
-@pxref{Table of Symbols, ,%defines}) and into the code file before any
-Bison-generated definitions.
+@deffn {Directive} %code @{@var{code}@}
+Other than semantic actions, this is probably the most common place you should
+write verbatim code for the parser implementation.
+For C/C++, it replaces the traditional Yacc prologue,
+@code{%@{@var{code}%@}}, for most purposes.
+For Java, it inserts code into the parser class.
@cindex Prologue
-@findex %before-header
@findex %union
-@findex %end-header
-@findex %after-header
-For example, the following declaration order in the grammar file reflects the
-order in which Bison will output these code blocks. However, you are free to
-declare these code blocks in your grammar file in whatever order is most
-convenient for you:
+Compare with @code{%@{@var{code}%@}} (@pxref{Prologue, ,The Prologue})
+appearing after the first @code{%union @{@var{code}@}} in a C/C++ based grammar
+file.
+While Bison will continue to support @code{%@{@var{code}%@}} for backward
+compatibility, @code{%code @{@var{code}@}} is cleaner as its functionality does
+not depend on its position in the grammar file relative to any
+@code{%union @{@var{code}@}}.
+Specifically, @code{%code @{@var{code}@}} always inserts your @var{code} into
+the parser code file after the usual contents of the parser header file.
+
+@xref{Prologue Alternatives}.
+@end deffn
+
+@deffn {Directive} %code-top @{@var{code}@}
+Occasionally for C/C++ it is desirable to insert code near the top of the
+parser code file.
+For example:
@smallexample
-%before-header @{
- /* Bison treats this block like a pre-prologue block: it inserts it
- * into the code file before the contents of the header file. It
- * does *not* insert it into the header file. This is a good place
- * to put #include's that you want at the top of your code file. A
- * common example is `#include "system.h"'. */
-@}
-%start-header @{
- /* Bison inserts this block into both the header file and the code
- * file. In both files, the point of insertion is before any
- * Bison-generated token, semantic type, location type, and class
- * definitions. This is a good place to define %union
- * dependencies, for example. */
-@}
-%union @{
- /* Unlike the traditional Yacc prologue blocks, the output order
- * for the %*-header blocks is not affected by their declaration
- * position relative to any %union in the grammar file. */
-@}
-%end-header @{
- /* Bison inserts this block into both the header file and the code
- * file. In both files, the point of insertion is after the
- * Bison-generated definitions. This is a good place to declare or
- * define public functions or data structures that depend on the
- * Bison-generated definitions. */
-@}
-%after-header @{
- /* Bison treats this block like a post-prologue block: it inserts
- * it into the code file after the contents of the header file. It
- * does *not* insert it into the header file. This is a good place
- * to declare or define internal functions or data structures that
- * depend on the Bison-generated definitions. */
+%code-top @{
+ #define _GNU_SOURCE
+ #include <stdio.h>
@}
@end smallexample
-If you have multiple occurrences of any one of the above declarations, Bison
-will concatenate the contents in declaration order.
+@noindent
+For Java, @code{%code-top @{@var{code}@}} is currently unused.
+
+@cindex Prologue
+@findex %union
+Compare with @code{%@{@var{code}%@}} appearing before the first
+@code{%union @{@var{code}@}} in a C/C++ based grammar file.
+@code{%code-top @{@var{code}@}} is cleaner as its functionality does not depend
+on its position in the grammar file relative to any
+@code{%union @{@var{code}@}}.
-@xref{Prologue, ,The Prologue}.
+@xref{Prologue Alternatives}.
@end deffn
@deffn {Directive} %debug
@xref{Contextual Precedence, ,Context-Dependent Precedence}.
@end deffn
+@deffn {Directive} %provides @{@var{code}@}
+This is the right place to write additional definitions you would like Bison to
+expose externally.
+For C/C++, this directive inserts your @var{code} both into the parser header
+file (if generated; @pxref{Table of Symbols, ,%defines}) and into the parser
+code file after Bison's required definitions.
+For Java, it inserts your @var{code} into the parser java file after the parser
+class.
+
+@xref{Prologue Alternatives}.
+@end deffn
+
@deffn {Directive} %pure-parser
Bison declaration to request a pure (reentrant) parser.
@xref{Pure Decl, ,A Pure (Reentrant) Parser}.
Require a Version of Bison}.
@end deffn
+@deffn {Directive} %requires @{@var{code}@}
+This is the right place to write dependency code for externally exposed
+definitions required by Bison.
+For C/C++, such exposed definitions are those usually appearing in the parser
+header file.
+Thus, this is the right place to define types referenced in
+@code{%union @{@var{code}@}} directives, and it is the right place to override
+Bison's default @code{YYSTYPE} and @code{YYLTYPE} definitions.
+For Java, this is the right place to write import directives.
+
+@cindex Prologue
+@findex %union
+Compare with @code{%@{@var{code}%@}} (@pxref{Prologue, ,The Prologue})
+appearing before the first @code{%union @{@var{code}@}} in a C/C++ based
+grammar file.
+Unlike @code{%@{@var{code}%@}}, @code{%requires @{@var{code}@}} inserts your
+@var{code} both into the parser code file and into the parser header file (if
+generated; @pxref{Table of Symbols, ,%defines}) since Bison's required
+definitions should depend on it in both places.
+
+@xref{Prologue Alternatives}.
+@end deffn
+
@deffn {Directive} %right
Bison declaration to assign right associativity to token(s).
@xref{Precedence Decl, ,Operator Precedence}.
@c LocalWords: strncmp intval tindex lvalp locp llocp typealt YYBACKUP
@c LocalWords: YYEMPTY YYEOF YYRECOVERING yyclearin GE def UMINUS maybeword
@c LocalWords: Johnstone Shamsa Sadaf Hussain Tomita TR uref YYMAXDEPTH
-@c LocalWords: YYINITDEPTH stmnts ref stmnt initdcl maybeasm VCG notype
+@c LocalWords: YYINITDEPTH stmnts ref stmnt initdcl maybeasm notype
@c LocalWords: hexflag STR exdent itemset asis DYYDEBUG YYFPRINTF args
-@c LocalWords: infile ypp yxx outfile itemx vcg tex leaderfill
+@c LocalWords: infile ypp yxx outfile itemx tex leaderfill
@c LocalWords: hbox hss hfill tt ly yyin fopen fclose ofirst gcc ll
@c LocalWords: yyrestart nbar yytext fst snd osplit ntwo strdup AST
@c LocalWords: YYSTACK DVI fdl printindex
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