[Haskell] ANNOUNCE: ghc-src version 0.2.0

[Arthur Baars]

Daan is right, I wrote a parser for GHC using Doaitse Swierstra's  
parsing combinator library
(http://www.cs.uu.nl/groups/ST/Software/UU_Parsing/index.html).
I needed a drop-in replacement for GHC's Happy parser, to make a  
prototype for syntax macros. Syntax Macros allow a programmer to extend  
a language with new syntax. Combinator based parsers parsers can be  
dynamically extended, making them suitable for implementing syntax  
macros.  Unfortunately, I never had time to really finish the syntax  
macro implementation.

But I did finish the combinator based parser for GHC. I tested it by  
having GHC( with combinator parser) compile itself and all the  
libraries. This took about 10% longer than with the original GHC, so in  
practice its speed is acceptable. The parser is really a drop-in  
replacement for GHC 6.2.1. You only need to replace Parser.hs, add a  
line to Lexer.x and to a Makefile.  I do not have time to maintain a  
combinator based parser for GHC. So if you like, I can send you the  
code.

Arthur


On 30-aug-05, at 5:13, Daan Leijen wrote:

> Brian Smith wrote:
>> I heard that there is some combinator-based Haskell parser that also  
>> is equivalent to GHC's Happy-based one, and is within 10% of its  
>> performance. I had thought that I read that GHC might even start  
>> using it. Does anybody know if the combinator-based one is available?
>
> This work has been done Arthur Baars -- he actually replaced the ghc
> parser by his combinator parser and build Ghc + standard libraries
> with it which took 10% longer than using the Happy parser. You should
> probably contact him to get more information. One interesting thing is
> that the combinator parser can use syntax macros and thus extend the
> syntax of Haskell at compile time in a type-safe way.
>
> All the best,
> -- Daan Leijen.
>
> ps. When you check out Arthur's webpage, be sure to read the
> "Typing dynamic typing" article -- it is a great paper!
>
>
>> Thanks,
>> Brian
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
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