AoPL - Aspects of Programming Languages (Spring 2002)

Macro Languages

Paper: "Growing Languages with Metamorphic Syntax Macros"

Language Transformation: The metafront Tool

• While:
  • While.l | Uminus.l | Uminus2While.x
  • While.l | Do.l | Do2While.x
  • While.l | Pendant.l | Pendant2While.x
• Lambda:
  • Lambda.l | LambdaN.l | LambdaB.l
  • LambdaN2Lambda.x | LambdaB2Lambda.x
• Java:
  • Java.l | Reserve.l | Reserve2Java.x

Exercises (any 3 out of 4 ; groups of 1-3)

1. Extend Java with a maybe construction:
   1. Write Maybe.l extending Java.l
   2. Write Maybe2Java.x
2. Extend Java with a foreach construction:
   1. Write Foreach.l extending Java.l
   2. Write Foreach2Java.x
3. Extend While with a switch construction:
   1. Write Switch.l extending Java.l
   2. Write Switch2Java.x
4. Extend Java with any construction of your own choice:
   1. Write <any>.l extending Java.l
   2. Write <any>2Java.x

The metafront Tool:

• aopl.tar.gz (includes metafront v.0.73b)