# `Racc` Grammar `File` Reference¶ ↑

## Global Structure¶ ↑

## `Class` Block and User Code Block¶ ↑

There are two blocks on the toplevel. One is the 'class' block, the other is the 'user code' block. The 'user code' block MUST be placed after the 'class' block.

## Comments¶ ↑

You can insert comments about all places. Two styles of comments can be used, Ruby style '#.….' and C style '/*.…..*/'.

## `Class` Block¶ ↑

The class block is formed like this:

    class CLASS_NAME
      [precedence table]
      [token declarations]
      [expected number of S/R conflicts]
      [options]
      [semantic value conversion]
      [start rule]
    rule
      GRAMMARS

CLASS_NAME is a name of the parser class. This is the name of the generating parser class.

If CLASS_NAME includes '::', `Racc` outputs the module clause. For example, writing “class M::C” causes the code below to be created:

    module M
      class C
        :
        :
      end
    end

## Grammar Block¶ ↑

The grammar block describes grammar which is able to be understood by the parser. Syntax is:

    (token): (token) (token) (token).... (action)

    (token): (token) (token) (token).... (action)
           | (token) (token) (token).... (action)
           | (token) (token) (token).... (action)

(action) is an action which is executed when its (token)s are found. (action) is a ruby code block, which is surrounded by braces:

    { print val[0]
      puts val[1] }

Note that you cannot use '%' string, here document, '%r' regexp in action.

Actions can be omitted. When it is omitted, '' (empty string) is used.

A return value of action is a value of the left side value ($$). It is the value of the result, or the returned value by `return` statement.

Here is an example of the whole grammar block.

    rule
      goal: definition rules source { result = val }

      definition:    none      { result = [] }
        | definition startdesig  { result[0] = val[1] }
        | definition
                 precrule   # this line continues from upper line
          {
            result[1] = val[1]
          }

      startdesig: START TOKEN

You can use the following special local variables in action:

    result ($$)

The value of the left-hand side (lhs). A default value is val.

    val ($1,$2,$3...)

An array of value of the right-hand side (rhs).

    _values (...$-2,$-1,$0)

A stack of values. DO NOT MODIFY this stack unless you know what you are doing.

## Operator Precedence¶ ↑

This function is equal to '%prec' in yacc. To designate this block:

    prechigh
      nonassoc '++'
      left     '*' '/'
      left     '+' '-'
      right    '='
    preclow

`right` is yacc's %right, `left` is yacc's %left.

`=` + (symbol) means yacc's %prec:

    prechigh
      nonassoc UMINUS
      left '*' '/'
      left '+' '-'
    preclow

    rule
      exp: exp '*' exp
         | exp '-' exp
         | '-' exp       =UMINUS   # equals to "%prec UMINUS"
             :
             :

## expect¶ ↑

`Racc` has bison's “expect” directive.

    # Example

    class MyParser
    rule
      expect 3
        :
        :

This directive declares “expected” number of shift/reduce conflicts. If “expected” number is equal to real number of conflicts, `Racc` does not print conflict warning message.

## Declaring Tokens¶ ↑

By declaring tokens, you can avoid many meaningless bugs. If declared token does not exist or existing token does not decleared, `Racc` output warnings. Declaration syntax is:

    token TOKEN_NAME AND_IS_THIS
          ALSO_THIS_IS AGAIN_AND_AGAIN THIS_IS_LAST

## Options¶ ↑

You can write options for `Racc` command in your `Racc` file.

    options OPTION OPTION ...

Options are:

    omit_action_call

omits empty action call or not.

    result_var

uses local variable “result” or not.

You can use 'no_' prefix to invert their meanings.

## Converting Token `Symbol`¶ ↑

Token symbols are, as default,

    naked token string in Racc file (TOK, XFILE, this_is_token, ...)
    --> symbol (:TOK, :XFILE, :this_is_token, ...)
    quoted string (':', '.', '(', ...)
    --> same string (':', '.', '(', ...)

You can change this default by “convert” block. Here is an example:

    convert
      PLUS 'PlusClass'      # We use PlusClass for symbol of `PLUS'
      MIN  'MinusClass'     # We use MinusClass for symbol of `MIN'
    end

We can use almost all ruby value can be used by token symbol, except 'false' and 'nil'. These cause unexpected parse error.

If you want to use `String` as token symbol, special care is required. For example:

    convert
      class '"cls"'            # in code, "cls"
      PLUS '"plus\n"'          # in code, "plus\n"
      MIN  "\"minus#{val}\""   # in code, \"minus#{val}\"
    end

## Start Rule¶ ↑

'%start' in yacc. This changes start rule.

    start real_target

## User Code Block¶ ↑

“User Code Block” is a Ruby source code which is copied to output. There are three user code blocks, “header” “inner” and “footer”.

Format of user code is like this:

    ---- header
      ruby statement
      ruby statement
      ruby statement

    ---- inner
      ruby statement
         :
         :

If four '-' exist on the line head, `Racc` treats it as the beginning of the user code block. The name of the user code block must be one word.