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Optimal-time incremental semantic analysis for syntax-directed editors

Thomas Reps

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Abstract

Attribute grammars permit the specification of static semantics in an applicative and modular fashion, and thus are a good basis for syntax-directed editors. Such editors represent programs as attributed trees, which are modified by operations such as subtree pruning and grafting. After each modification, a subset of attributes, AFFECTED, requires new values. Membership in AFFECTED is not known a priori; this paper presents an algorithm that identifies attributes in AFFECTED and computes their new values. The algorithm is time-optimal, its cost is proportional to the size of AFFECTED.

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Attribute grammars permit the specification of static semantics in an applicative and modular fashion, and thus are a good basis for syntax-directed editors. Such editors represent programs as attributed trees, which are modified by operations such as subtree pruning and grafting. After each modification, a subset of attributes, AFFECTED, requires new values. Membership in AFFECTED is not known a priori; this paper presents an algorithm that identifies attributes in AFFECTED and computes their new values. The algorithm is time-optimal, its cost is proportional to the size of AFFECTED.

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Available abstract

Attribute grammars permit the specification of static semantics in an applicative and modular fashion, and thus are a good basis for syntax-directed editors. Such editors represent programs as attributed trees, which are modified by operations such as subtree pruning and grafting. After each modification, a subset of attributes, AFFECTED, requires new values. Membership in AFFECTED is not known a priori; this paper presents an algorithm that identifies attributes in AFFECTED and computes their new values. The algorithm is time-optimal, its cost is proportional to the size of AFFECTED.

Key concepts: Computer science, Syntax, Semantics (computer science), Pruning, Rule-based machine translation, Modular design, Programming language, A priori and a posteriori

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