NAME

       pt_introduction - Introduction to Parser Tools

SYNOPSIS

       package require Tcl  8.5

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DESCRIPTION

       Welcome  to  the  Parser  Tools,  a  system for the creation and manipulation of parsers and the grammars
       driving them.

       What are your goals which drove you here ?

       [1]    Do you simply wish to create a parser for some language ?

              In that case have a look at our parser generator  application,  pt,  or,  for  a  slightly  deeper
              access, the package underneath it, pt::pgen.

       [2]    Do you wish to know more about the architecture of the system ?

              This is described in the section Parser Tools Architecture, below

       [3]    Is your interest in the theoretical background upon which the packages and tools are build ?

              See the Introduction to Parsing Expression Grammars.

PARSER TOOLS ARCHITECTURE

       The system can be split into roughly three layers, as seen in the figure below

       IMAGE: architecture

       These layers are, from high to low:

       [1]    At  the  top  we  have  the  application and the packages using the packages of the layer below to
              implement common usecases. One example is the aforementioned  pt::pgen  which  provides  a  parser
              generator.

              The list of packages belonging to this layer can be found in section User Packages

       [2]    In  this  layer  we  have  the  packages which provide the core of the functionality for the whole
              system. They are, in essence, a set of blocks which can be combined  in  myriad  ways,  like  Lego
              (tm).  The packages in the previous level are 'just' pre-fabricated combinations to cover the most
              important use cases.

              The list of packages belonging to this layer can be found in section Core Packages

       [3]    Last, but not least is the layer containing support packages providing generic functionality which
              not necessarily belong into the module.

              The list of packages belonging to this layer can be found in section Support Packages

   USER PACKAGES
       pt::pgen

   CORE PACKAGES
       This  layer  is further split into six sections handling the storage, import, export, transformation, and
       execution of grammars, plus grammar specific support packages.

       Storage

              pt::peg::container

       Export

              pt::peg::export

              pt::peg::export::container

              pt::peg::export::json

              pt::peg::export::peg

              pt::peg::to::container

              pt::peg::to::json

              pt::peg::to::peg

              pt::peg::to::param

              pt::peg::to::tclparam

              pt::peg::to::cparam

       Import

              pt::peg::import

              pt::peg::import::container

              pt::peg::import::json

              pt::peg::import::peg

              pt::peg::from::container

              pt::peg::from::json

              pt::peg::from::peg

       Transformation

       Execution

              pt::peg::interp

              pt::rde

       Support

              pt::tclparam::configuration::snit

              pt::tclparam::configuration::tcloo

              pt::cparam::configuration::critcl

              pt::ast

              pt::pe

              pt::peg

   SUPPORT PACKAGES
       pt::peg::container::peg

       text::write

       configuration

       paths

       char

BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK

       This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and  other  problems.   Please
       report  such  in  the  category pt of the Tcllib Trackers [http://core.tcl.tk/tcllib/reportlist].  Please
       also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

       When proposing code changes, please provide unified diffs, i.e the output of diff -u.

       Note further that attachments are strongly preferred over inlined patches. Attachments  can  be  made  by
       going  to the Edit form of the ticket immediately after its creation, and then using the left-most button
       in the secondary navigation bar.

KEYWORDS

       EBNF,  LL(k),  PEG,  TDPL,  context-free  languages,  expression,  grammar,  matching,  parser,   parsing
       expression,  parsing  expression grammar, push down automaton, recursive descent, state, top-down parsing
       languages, transducer

CATEGORY

       Parsing and Grammars

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (c) 2009 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>