[antlr-interest] Java Grammar and how to use it to create a script language to my app

[Randall R Schulz]

On Sunday 02 November 2008 15:40, me tk82c wrote:
> Hello Randal!
>
>    I agree with you, but my problem is because this "new language"
> must run on our windows mobile and java micro edition apps.
>
>    ...
>
>    ANTLR is a good way? There is any solution out of box that i can
> just get and use it to improve later without have to learn all about
> ANTLR?

Probably.

However, it's important to realize that ANTLR "only" helps create 
syntactic recognizers. There is much more to  writing language 
interpreters than merely performing syntax analysis. I've only resorted 
to YACC, Bison, JavaCC, ANTLR, etc. when I didn't dictate the language 
I had to accept. When I do, I've preferred to use S-Expressions. I 
wrote a Common Lisp reader for Java (complete with programmable reader 
macros and other CL fluff), and I generally use it as the starting 
point when I want an extension language.

From the philosophical perspective, it's just that the creation of 
entirely new languages should be viewed as something that demands a 
specific justification. The world (i.e., users; i.e., humans) do _not_ 
require more languages! They want to use the ones they already know!


> Get a already implemented grammar will help and save the day? If
> so could you give the way to use it?

How is that possible? We know nothing about your application's domain! 
Nothing about what you need to accomplish with a scripting / extension 
language. There are no generic solutions. (Except, of course, for 
S-Expressions...)

Languages are all about what you want to allow its "speakers" to be able 
to say and what you want to make succinct.


> Thanks!
>
> tk


Randall Schulz