[antlr-interest] Concept for new book [WAS: Re: new article on ANTLR]

[Terence Parr]

Hi Andy,

Sure. The book is rapidly evolving as I write material. I also decided  
not to write a textbook after this book, which means I can put some of  
that material into this one. That said, the publisher has asked me to  
do a short 250 page book; shorter than the current book.

It's focus will be on language implementation problem solving. I am  
trying to identify a language application taxonomy as well as most  
common language implementation patterns.

I'm going to show how to build interpreters, translators, generators,  
and so on. Almost like a cookbook but it is more of a problem solving  
book rather than trying to replace existing interpreters, for example.  
it will talk about how things work.

I'm currently writing a really interesting section, in my view, on how  
to precisely establish boundaries between implementation patterns and  
the words compiler and interpreter. :) This will allow me to make a  
precise taxonomy and list of their implementation patterns. For  
example, many programmers cannot answer the question "Is Java compiled  
or interpreted?" with any sort of precision (it's both of course, but  
when does everything happen?)

I will have an extensive section on symbol tables; what they are, why  
we need them, and how to implement them. Also, how to use them during  
semantic analysis.

Presumably, another book to follow that would have more advanced  
patterns.

Ter
On Jun 3, 2008, at 8:25 AM, Andy Tripp wrote:

> Terence Parr wrote:
>
>>>> Hi Charlie, can you identify where I need to improve?  I'm in  
>>>> middle of next book.
>
> Terence,
> Can you give us any more info on this new book?
> Andy