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Introduction to YACC

Wei Zhu
wxz094120@utdallas.edu

LEX and YACC

• LEX
– Split the source file into tokens
• YACC
– Find the hierarchical structure of the program

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LEX and YACC

Architecture

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YACC Specifications
• Similar structure to LEX
– Declaration Section
– Translation Rules
– Supporting C/C++ code

Declaration
%%
Translation rules
%%
Supporting C/C++ code

YACC Declaration
• Declaration Section
– C/C++ Code

%{
……..
………….
%}

– YACC definition
• %token
• %start
• Others

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YACC Specifications
• Similar structure to LEX
– Declaration Section
– Translation Rules
– Supporting C/C++ code

Declaration
%%
Translation rules
%%
Supporting C/C++ code

YACC Rules
• The rules section represents a grammar. The
left-hand side of a production is followed by
a colon.
• Actions associated with a rule are entered in
braces.

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YACC Rules
• Prog -> SS
%%
programs:
statements
;

• SS -> S SS | ε
statements: /*empty*/
| statement
statements
;

Actions
• Actions: associated with a rule are entered in
braces.
• Similar with the LEX
statements:
| statement statements
{
printf(" statements
founded”);
}
;

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Symbol Values
• $1, $2….$n can be refer to the values associated with
symbols
• $$ refer to the value of the left
• Every symbol have a value associated with it
(including token and non-terminals)

Symbol Values and Action

• Default action:
– $$ = $1
statement:
identifier '+' identifier
{
$$ = $1 + $3;
}
| identifier '-' identifier
{
$$ = $1 - $3;
}
;

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Actions
• Inherited Attributes
– { fn id PP }
– How to transfer the value of fn and id to PP?
• $0
• $-1

Symbol Types
• Declaring Symbol Types

%union {
int dval;
char *sval;
}%
……………………………
%token <dval> NUMBER
%token <sval> IDENTIFIER
%type <dval> statement

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YACC Specifications
• Similar structure to LEX
– Declaration Section
– Translation Rules
– Supporting C/C++ code
Declaration
%%
Translation rules
%%
Supporting C/C++ code

C/C++ Codes
• Supporting C/C++ code
• Token
– In the Lex: return (TOKEN)
– In the Parser:
» %token TOKEN
» // then TOKEN can be used in your yacc code

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Feedback
• Feed Information back to the LEX
– YACC
%{
int top_layer = 1;
}%
……………………………
%%
Program:
statement
{
top_layer = 0;
}
;

Feedback
• LEX

%{
extern int top_layer;
}%
……………………………

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Make
• Make file
– yacc –d FP.yacc # create y.tab.h, y.tab.c
– lex FP.lex # create lex.yy.c
– cc lex.yy.c y.tab.c –o FP # compile/link

How to Debug
• Add the following into your YACC file
%%
extern int yy_flex_debug;

int main(void) {
yy_flex_debug = 1;
yyparse();
}

• Add –-debug into your makefile

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How to Debug

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