monic part 5: writing C programs on the calculator

[F-73P]

(01-01-2021 11:20 AM)grsbanks Wrote:  You can't do "n--" if n is a floating point number.

"n--" compiles without errors for n of type double on the compilers I tried (and gives n-1.0), so I assume it's supported by the standard they are using. However it's not good programming style, as "n--" could be mistaken for the predecessor of the floating-point number, which in general is not equal to n-1.0, so your suggestion is better.

(01-05-2021 03:50 AM)robve Wrote:  I wrote a small C compiler that produces JVM class files from "mini C" source code.

Great work! I also like the manual, comprehensive and very professional.

I wrote the code before I read anything about compilers. The front end consists of (what I now know is called) a lexical analyser and the parser is just Dijkstra's shunting yard algorithm.

I'm now wondering whether I should:

a) Continue with my ad hoc approach. This is the easiest option but there is no syntax or semantic checking, so it will never be a complete programming environment.

b) Learn about grammars, abstract syntax trees and top-down parsing and write the parser by hand. This sounds very difficult.

c) Find an open source compiler and try to port it across.

My preference is for option b), despite the difficulties. In that case I think I should choose a programming language with a simpler grammar than C as the source language.