Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!barmar
From: barmar@think.com (Barry Margolin)
Subject: Re: repost on compiler-compilers
Message-ID: <1991Apr17.195646.11429@Think.COM>
Sender: news@Think.COM
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
References: <1995@umvlsi.ecs.umass.edu>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 91 19:56:46 GMT

In article <1995@umvlsi.ecs.umass.edu> jog@umvlsi.ecs.umass.edu (Ashwini ) writes:
>Whats the difference between yacc and Bison, I know "Bison generates C++
>compatible code" is this the parser thats produced? 

Yes, it's referring to the generated parser.  I don't actually see any
references to C++ in the Bison manual; however, it does generate ANSI C
compatible code, and I strongly doubt it generates any code that depends on
the few features of ANSI C that are not included in C++.

>						     Actually I've got 
>very confused after reading a couple of books. Are'nt parser generators
>supposed to handle any language? .ie Can I write a program in Yacc to 
>translate a simple English-like language to C++ code?(of course with
>me supplying the routines)

The parser that is generated handles the language it was designed to parse.
For instance, you can use Yacc or Bison to write a Pascal compiler.

The input to Yacc or Bison is a text file containing a mixture of grammar
specifications and C or C++ source code that define the actions of the
parser when a particular piece of the language is recognized.  Yacc and
Bison read this file and write a C source file.  When this C file is
compiled, the result is a parser that recognizes the grammar and performs
the specified actions.

Bison comes with a 90-page manual that includes introductory information on
the concepts of parser generators.  I suggest you read this for more
details.

--
Barry Margolin, Thinking Machines Corp.

barmar@think.com
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