Question about extensible HLL syntax

Michael Conrad conradme@email.uc.edu
Tue Feb 4 21:17:02 2003


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I had some questions about the HLL.  On the HLL Principles page =
(tunes.org/HLL/principles.html) you mention that the language syntax =
that the programmer is typing will be extensible to possibly encompass =
all other programming syntaxes, and automatically rewritten to work with =
the system, or something like that.

For reflection, would you be able to reflectively look all the way up to =
the syntax, or only examine as far as the HLL representation?  I guess =
the real question is whether the syntax extensions are really *added* to =
the HLL, or whether you would just have a syntax interpreter that would =
convert your code into accepted HLL that could be used by the system.

Also, when the code is being automatically transported from system to =
system, what format will it be transmitted in?  If the original language =
were used, then the recipient would need the same syntax extensions to =
interpret it.  If the auto-written official HLL were sent, then what if =
someone wanted to modify the source code?  Wouldn't some of the =
ideas/intentions of the original programmer be lost after the rewrite?  =
This might be a moot point, since if the second user were interested in =
modifying the code they could just ask the first person for the original =
source code and then install the syntax extensions themselves.  Mostly I =
am wondering if there would be any incompatibility between systems with =
different syntax extensions.

I'm just trying to get a handle on how the whole system would function.  =
Sorry if the questions sound silly.
-Michael Conrad
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I had some questions about the =
HLL.&nbsp; On the=20
HLL Principles page (<A=20
href=3D"http://tunes.org/HLL/principles.html">tunes.org/HLL/principles.ht=
ml</A>)=20
you mention that the language syntax that the programmer is typing will =
be=20
extensible to possibly encompass all other programming syntaxes, and=20
automatically rewritten to work with the system, or something like=20
that.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>For reflection, would you be able to =
reflectively=20
look all the way up to the syntax, or only examine as far as the HLL=20
representation?&nbsp; I guess the real question is whether the syntax =
extensions=20
are really *added* to the HLL, or whether you would just&nbsp;have a =
syntax=20
interpreter that would convert your code into accepted HLL that could be =
used by=20
the system.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Also, when the code is being automatically transported from system =
to=20
system, what format will it be transmitted in?&nbsp; If the</FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2> original language were used, then the recipient =
would need=20
the same syntax extensions to interpret it.&nbsp; If&nbsp;the =
auto-written=20
official HLL were sent, then what if someone wanted to modify the source =

code?&nbsp; Wouldn't some of the ideas/intentions of the original =
programmer be=20
lost after the rewrite?&nbsp; This might be a moot point, since if the =
second=20
user were interested in modifying the code they could just ask the first =
person=20
for the original source code and then install the syntax extensions=20
themselves.&nbsp; Mostly I am wondering if there would be any =
incompatibility=20
between systems with different syntax extensions.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'm just trying to get a handle on how =
the=20
whole&nbsp;system would function.&nbsp; Sorry if the questions sound=20
silly.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>-Michael =
Conrad</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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