[antlr-interest] Compiler design workflow - any suggestions?

[Mark Lentczner]

> In the regular programming domain I would use JUnit and automated test
> cases to make sure new things don't break old things.

Indeed, I use our own C++ unit testing framework to do the same, 
testing at each phase of the translation: 	lexer (text --> tokens)
	parser (tokens --> AST)
	compiler (AST --> instructions)
	method-builder (instructions --> bytecodes)
The first three are Antlr grammars.

A more detailed description of how this is done, with pointers to the 
actual code and unit tests can be found at:
	http://www.wheatfarm.org/wiki/CompilerImplementation

Briefly, the unit tests for the lexer and parser are done by writing 
the resulting token stream or AST to a simple string form and the 
comparing strings.  The compiler is tested by comparing against hand 
compiled code, byte for byte.

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions about this sort of 
testing you might have.

	- Mark

Mark Lentczner
markl at wheatfarm.org
http://www.wheatfarm.org/



 
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