HTML documentation generator and cross reference
Aaron Gray
angray at beeb.net
Sun Dec 5 17:51:35 UTC 2004
> I thought that you're referring to Compiler and friends in the
> 'System-Compiler' system category... If so, it does involve the parse
> tree, because the Compiler here is the translator from the code you
> type to the objects and the sequence of Squeak bytecode. Also,
> CCodeGenerator is similar kind; which translates the parse tree to
> equivalent C code.
You are right I will need knowledge of the AST. Is it documented anywhere
other than in the code ?
> You could just take a look at the InterpreterSimulator, but it will
> give you a hard time if you don't know the Squeak object types, etc.,
> etc.
Right.
> On the other hand, the C-compiled VM can be seen as a stack machine
> and 256-way switch surrounded by "while (true) {}". Reading the Back
> to the Future paper, nuBlue book, the VM's generated C code, and
> corresponding Squeak code has all important info about the stack
> organization, object format, etc. etc.
The VM C source was the first thing I looked at followed by 'interp' and the
CCodeGenerator. Nice set of mechanisms I am very impressed with Squeak. I
still do not really fully understand the VM and Compiler levels yet, but hay
I've only been looking at SmallTalk for four days so far :) Have to look at
the Literal Frame next and get to understand that.
Many thanks for you time,
Aaron
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