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From: vlb@magic.aux.apple.com (Vicki Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: Awk to C translator
Message-ID: <9449@goofy.Apple.COM>
Date: 26 Jul 90 22:51:22 GMT
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Reply-To: vlb@apple.COM (Vicki Brown)
Organization: Apple Computer
Lines: 23
Sender:

(Lost the orignal posting...sorry):
>>and I was hoping there was a free or inexpensive way to translate
>>my AWK source into compilable C code.  Does anyone know of such a
>>beast?

The AT&T ToolChest sells awkcc, an awk-to-C translator.  It's relatively
inexpensive (< $200 (source) as I recall).  It's quite well documented.

This isn't necessarily a recommendation.  I tried it over a year
ago, and it didn't handle some things I did in new awk, and the C it
produces is really weird - maybe a good candidate for the Obfuscated C
contest!  So I decided my awk code was fast enough.

However, it is out there, and it may have been improved.  Also, it probably
works well on simpler scripts (mine rarely are :-).  

The author of awkcc does make the following comment: Unless running a
program is expensive, one should not compile it... High-level programs
cannot be improved much by compilation.

You can browse the Unix System ToolChest by dialling +1 (201) 522-6900
and logging in.  The login is guest.