[Opencxx-users] Re: [opencxx] Let's break OpenC++ up

[James M. D. <mdu...@ya...>]

Yes this is a good idea. 
there is an open task for Stefan and I to modularize openc++.

To be honest, this has not been done. If someone want to take that
over, that would be fine.

The only issue that I see is the replacing of constants like "4" with
things like OPEN_CXX_PARAMETER_NAME so that the code is more reable.

mike

--- Grzegorz Jakacki <ja...@he...> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> In his e-mail Stefan Reuther offered several patches to OpenC++
> parser.
> Those patches are welcome, however I think we again hit recurring
> problem:
> 
> Conceptually OpenC++ consists of three sybsystems:
> 
>     Frontend --- reads preprocessed sources, makes parse tree
>         out of them; possibly OpenC++ static analyzer also belongs
>         in this subsystem
> 
>     Translator --- traverses syntax tree and transforms it
>         according to rules described by metaclasses
> 
>     Driver --- runs preprocessor, Frontend, Translator,
>         native compiler and linker.
> 
> As I understand Michael and Stefan work with Frontend and are not
> interested
> in the rest of the system. I believe, that this is the most
> frequently
> reused part of OpenC++ and I know of at least three more projects
> that
> reuse just this part.
> 
> Thus I suggest that we take it out and make it a separate library.
> Otherwise I can see serious problems with testing.
> 
> As you now, out present methodology is regression testing, e.g. we
> run
> 'make test' each time we modify anything.
> 
> This is very important, as this allows somebody who is not a guru to
> come
> and commit some fixes without fear that he/she breaks some distant
> parts
> of the package. Our testsuite is pathetically small at the moment,
> but
> it already helps and I believe that it can grow.
> 
> But now comes the problem: when we just extend Frontend itself,
> without
> proper support in Translator (e.g. your patches will make 'if ({...})
> '
> parse, but Translator will choke on it), we do not have way to add
> tests
> that make sure the new Frontend functionality works.
> 
> With separate Frontend library, we can test the library on its own,
> and
> this is what we need at the moment, because we somehow have to add
> tests
> for the new features implemented by patches from Fiasco project.
> 
> BTW: Over a year ago there was a resolution on this forum to factor
> out the
> Driver subsystem and make it a shell script (for easier maintenance
> and to make underlying compiler/preproc/linker settable with
> Autoconf).
> 
> Let me know what you think.
> 
> Best regards
> Grzegorz
> 
> ##################################################################
> # Grzegorz Jakacki                       Huada Electronic Design #
> # Senior Engineer, CAD Dept.              1 Gaojiayuan, Chaoyang #
> # tel. +86-10-64365577 x2074               Beijing 100015, China #
> # Copyright (C) 2002 Grzegorz Jakacki, HED. All Rights Reserved. #
> ##################################################################
> 


=====
James Michael DuPont
http://introspector.sourceforge.net/

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