[antlr-interest] C# Target Poll

[Johannes Luber]

> I didn't see a reply to my other message so...
> 
> 
> > While thinking about future improvements, I came across over 
> > the switch of the used collections from the .NET versions to 
> > the one supplied by C5 <http://www.itu.dk/research/c5/>.
> 
> What future impovements are these?

Planned are already to increase the .NET feeling and to switch to generics in both interfaces and internal files. Beyound that were only the mentioned addition of debug interfaces to the normal parser (to allow one driver program handle both kinds of generation without resorting to manual editing or preprocessor tricks, even if using the debug option for normal parsers is ignored - but no one commented on that yet) and using LINQ if I find places were this is sensible.

I had the inspiration that the only difference between .NET 2 and .NET 3.5 is that .NET 3.5 has some additional libraries and programs targetted for .NET 3.5 can work on .NET 2, if they ignore the additional capabilities. For ANTLR users this means only some more hard-drive requirements, but there are also the micro framework users. I'm not sure if micro includes already LINQ, in case some libraries are needed. Using Mono with the linker may be a possible solution there, but until further investigations I won't add LINQ yet.

Otherwise I have to take care of the build process which is broken on Linux at least, when using Nant. Further issues haven't cross my mind yet.

Johannes
> 
> -------------------------------
> 
> <aside>
> >>From your other messages, I got the sense that you feel C5 is a 'better'
> collection library. I won't disagree but, that is not a good enough reason
> IMO to switch from BCL to C5 for the ANTLR C# target:
> - ANTLR's needs can be (and is) met with the BCL (an ISet<T> abstraction
> is
> nice, not essential)
> - user familiarity with the BCL is very important for a
> *widely-distributed*
> tool such as ANTLR
> - there are many, many, more potential [future] contributors who know and
> use the BCL than C5
> - performance is better with the BCL than with C5 in general (in my
> experience in any case)
> 
> I do use C5 btw.
> </aside>
> 
> Micheal
> 
> -----------------------
> The best way to contact me is via the list/forum. My time is very limited.

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