FLEX++

Section: COMMANDS (1)
Updated: 3/3/93
Index Return to Main Contents
 

NAME

flex++ - generate a scanner in c or c++..  

SYNOPSIS

scanner++ [-bcFfdIiLpsTtv?] [-C[e][m|f|F]] [-atmp-directory] [-ooutfile] [-ginclude-pathname] [-h[headerfile]] [-Sskeleton] [-Hheader-skeleton] grammar-file...  

DESCRIPTION

Generate a scanner. Based on flex version 2.3.7. See flex(1) and flexdoc(1) for details of main functionality. Only changes are reported here.

You now generate a C++ class if you are compiling with a C++ compiler. A generated header can be generated, and is made from a skeleton-header. The code skeleton is also more adaptable. It permit you to modify much things only by changing the two skeletons.

In plain C, the flex++ is compatible with standard flex.

If no header is generated, it is in fact merged, instead of included.  

OPTIONS

-a tmp-directory
Set directory of temp files .
-Sskeleton
Set filename of code skeleton. Default is flexskel.cc.
-Hheader-skeleton
Set filename of header skeleton. Default is flexskel.h.
-h[header]
Set filename of header skeleton. Default is lex.yy.h, or c_basename.h if -ois used and there is no header name, .c, .cc, .C, .cpp, .cxx... options for output files are replaced by .h to generate the header name.
-gincludefilename
change the filename that flex++ put in the #include inside the code, when a separate header is generated. Useful when the parameter name of the header contain pathname information that may change.
 

DECLARATIONS

These are new declarations to put in the declaration section :
%name scanner_name
Declare the name of this scanner. User for C++ class name, and to render many names unique. default is lex. Must be given before %define, or never.
%define define_name \fIcontent\.\.\.\fP
Declare a macro symbol in header and code. The name of the symbol is YY_'scanner_name'_'define_name'. The content if given after, as with #define. Newline can be escaped as with #define. Many symbols are proposed for customisation.
%header{
Like %{, but include this text in the header. End with %}. When put in declaration section, the text is added before the definitions. It can be put at the begin of the second section so that the text is added after all definition in the header.
 

DECLARATION DEFINE SYMBOLS

These are the symbols you can define with %define in declaration section, or that are already defined. Remind that they are replaced by a preprocessor #define YY_'scanner_name'_'name.
FLEX_SCANNER
Automaticaly defined in the code. used for conditioanl code. it is effectively defined at the point of the %name directive, or at the point of the %% between section 1 and 2.
CHAR
Automaticaly defined in the code. Define the type of char used depending of the 8-bits flag (unsigned char if 8-bit, char if 7-bit). it is effectively defined at the point of the %name directive, or at the point of the %% between section 1 and 2. You cannot use it before.
FLEX_DEBUG
Automaticaly defined in the code if debug option -d set. Define the type of char used depending of the 8-bits flag (unsigned char if 8-bit, char if 7-bit). it is effectively defined at the point of the %name directive, or at the point of the %% between section 1 and 2. You cannot use it before.
DEBUG_FLAG
The runtime debug flag name. Default is yy_flex_debug. See yy_flex_debug in flex. Used only in debug mode.
DEBUG_INIT
The runtime debug flag initial value. Default is 1. See yy_flex_debug in flex.
TEXT
The scanned text string. default yytext. See yytext in flex.
LENG
The scanned text length. default yyleng. See yyleng in flex.
IN
The input file pointer. default yyin. See yyin in flex.
OUT
The input file pointer. default yyout. See yyout in flex.
LEX
The scanner function name. default yylex. See yylex in flex. Replace #define YYDECL.
LEX_RETURN
The scanner function return type. default int. See yylex in flex. Replace #define YYDECL.
LEX_PARAM
The scanner function parameter list. default void, or empty un old-C. See yylex in flex. Replace #define YYDECL.
LEX_PARAM_DEF
The scanner function parameter declaration for old-C. Defined and used only in old-C. Default empty . See yylex in flex. Replace #define YYDECL. For example to pass an int, named x, LEX_PARAM

is set to x, and LEX_PARAM_DEF to int x ;.

RESTART
The restart function name. default yyrestart. See yyrestart in flex.
SWITCH_TO_BUFFER
LOAD_BUFFER_STATE
CREATE_BUFFER
DELETE_BUFFER
INIT_BUFFER
The buffer control functions names. defaults are yy_switch_to_buffer, yy_load_buffer_state, yy_create_buffer, yy_delete_buffer, yy_init_buffer. See this functions in flex.
CURRENT_BUFFER
The name of the pointeur to the current buffer. Without class, it is yy_current_buffer, and the old macro YY_CURRENT_BUFFER is defined to it's value. With class, the default value is YY_CURRENT_BUFFER, and there is no macro YY_CURRENT_BUFFER.

These are only used if class is generated.

CLASS
The class name. default is the scanner name.
INHERIT
The inheritance list. Don't forget the : before, if not empty list.
MEMBERS
List of members to add to the class definition, before ending it.
ECHO
The scanner echo member function boby. Default to yy_echo. this function is called by the macro ECHO. See ECHO on flex.
INPUT
The block input member function . This function is called inside the macro YY_INPUT. It read a block of text to be scanned. Default is to read yyin. See YY_INPUT.
FATAL_ERROR
The error message member function . This function is called inside the macro YY_FATAL_ERROR. Default is to write the message to stderr and exit . See YY_FATAL_ERROR.
WRAP
The wrap member function . This function is called inside the macro yywrap(). Default is to return 1 . See yywrap() in flex.
ECHO_PURE
INPUT_PURE
FATAL_ERROR_PURE
WRAP_PURE
Indicate that the corresponding member function is to be pure. It implys automatically the function_NOCODE symbol
ECHO_NOCODE
INPUT_NOCODE
FATAL_ERROR_NOCODE
WRAP_NOCODE
Indicate that the corresponding member function is not to be defined in the generated code, but outside by yourself. Activated automaticaly by the function_PURE symbols.
ECHO_CODE
INPUT_CODE
FATAL_ERROR_CODE
WRAP_CODE
Give the body code of the corresponding member function. default is to implement standard behaviour. Ignored if function_PURE or function_NOCODE are defined.
CONSTRUCTOR_PARAM
List of parameters of the constructor. Dont allows default value.
CONSTRUCTOR_INIT
List of initialisation befor constructor call. If not empty dont't forget the : before list of initialisation.
CONSTRUCTOR_CODE
Code added after internal initialisations in constructor.
DESTRUCTOR_CODE
Code added before internal cleanup in destructor.
IOSTREAM
If defined, this flag make flex use the iostream library. The behaviour is much the same, but instead of FILE *, yyin and yyout are istream * and ostream *. they point to cin and cout by default. Debug message and fatal error are printed on cerr. BUFFER refers to istream * instead of FILE *. These values are default, but like with stdio you can change them with the same %define. iostream.h is also included.
IFILE
Type of the structure that represent IN file (yyin). Normally FILE, or istream if IOSTREAM is defined. BUFFER function use also pointer to this type.
IFILE_DEFAULT
Initial value of IN (yyin). Normally stdin, or &cin if IOSTREAM is defined.
OFILE
Type of the structure that represent OUT file (yyout). Normally FILE, or ostream if IOSTREAM is defined.
OFILE_DEFAULT
Initial value of OUT (yyout). Normally stdout, or &cout if IOSTREAM is defined.
ERRFILE
File handle used to output debug message, and also fatal errors. Default is stderr or cerr if IOSTREAM is defined.
 

OBSOLETED FUNCTIONS

yyinput()
In C++, the member function yyinput() is equivalent to input() that read one char. It is kept for compatibility with old flex behaviour, that replaced in C++ ,the function input() with yyinput() not to colide with stream library. Don't mismatch it with yy_input(char *buf, int &result, int max_size) which read a bloc to be buffered.
 

OBSOLETED PREPROCESSOR SYMBOLS

if you use new features, the folowing symbols should not be used, though they are proposed. Incoherence may arise if they are defined simultaneously with the new symbol.
YYDECL
In C only. Prefer %define LEX, %define LEX_RETURN, %define LEX_PARAM, %define LEX_PARAM_DEF. Totaly ignored with classes, or if you %define one of these symbols, or the symbol LEX_DEFINED, since it mean you use the new ways to redefine yylex declaration. Never use it if header are generated, since the declared function would be wrong.
yy_new_buffer
In C only. Prefer %define CREATE_BUFFER.
YY_CHAR
like with old flex. You should better use the %define'ed symbol CHAR, or not use this yourself, since you know if you are 8 or 7-bit. Not defined in separate header.
FLEX_DEBUG
Like with old flex. activate trace. prefer the automaticaly added %define DEBUG . Defined if debug option -d set.
FLEX_SCANNER
like with old flex. defined in the scanner itself .
YY_END_TOK
Like with old flex. Indicate the value returned at end by yylex. Don't redefine it, since it is only informative. Value is 0.
 

CONSERVED PREPROCESSOR SYMBOLS

These symbols are kept, and cannot be defined elsewhere, since they control private parameters of the generated parser, or are actually unused. You can #define them to the value you need, or indirectly to the name of a %define generated symbol if you want to be clean.
YY_READ_BUF_SIZE
Size of read buffer (8192). You must undefine it to redefine it after, like like with old flex.
YY_BUF_SIZE
Total size of read buffer ( YY_READ_BUF_SIZE *2 ). You must undefine it to redefine it after, except if defined by cpp , like with old flex.
yyterminate()
like with old flex. default return YY_NULL, that is 0.
YY_BREAK
Like with old flex. Don't use it, it is supported but dangerous.
YY_NEW_FILE
Action to continue scanning with the repopened file in yyin. like with old flex. Normally nor to be changed.

These are used only without classes, and you should redefine corresponding virtual function with classes, instead of the macros themselves.

ECHO
like with old flex. With classes it is mapped to the virtual function yy_echo(), and you should not modify the macro itself. This name can be changed with %define ECHO.
YY_INPUT
like with old flex. With classes it use the virtual function yy_input(), and you should not modify the macro itself. This name can be changed with %define INPUT.
YY_FATAL_ERROR
like with old flex. With classes it is mapped to the virtual function yy_fatal_error(), and you should not modify the macro itself. This name can be changed with %define FATAL_ERROR.
yywrap
like with old flex. With classes it is mapped to the virtual function yy_wrap(), and you should not modify the macro itself. This name can be changed with %define WRAP.
 

OTHER ADDED PREPROCESSOR SYMBOLS

YY_USE_CLASS
indicate that class will be produced. Default if C++.
 

C++ CLASS GENERATED

To simplify the notation, we note %SYMBOLNAME the preprocessor symbol generated with a %define of this name. In fact see the use of %define for it's real name.

Note that there is sometime symbols that differ from only an underscore _, like yywrap and yy_wrap. They are much different. In this case yy_wrap() is a virtual member function, and yywrap() is a macro.  

General Class declaration

// Here is the declaration made in the header

class %CLASS %INHERIT

{

private:/* data */

// Secret, don't use.

private: /* functions */

void yy_initialize();

int input();

int yyinput() {return input();};

void yyunput( %CHAR c, %CHAR *buf_ptr );

// Others are secret, don't use.

protected:/* non virtual */

YY_BUFFER_STATE %CURRENT_BUFFER;

void %RESTART ( FILE *input_file );

void %SWITCH_TO_BUFFER( YY_BUFFER_STATE new_buffer );

void %LOAD_BUFFER_STATE( void );

YY_BUFFER_STATE %CREATE_BUFFER( FILE *file, int size );

void %DELETE_BUFFER( YY_BUFFER_STATE b );

void %INIT_BUFFER( YY_BUFFER_STATE b, FILE *file );

protected: /* virtual */

// these 4 virtual function may be declared PURE (=0), with the symbols like %ECHO_PURE,...

// these 4 virtual function may not be defined in the generated code, with the symbol like %ECHO_NOCODE,...

// these 4 virtual function may be defined with another code, with the symbol like ECHO_CODE,...

virtual void %ECHO();

virtual int %INPUT(char *buf,int &result,int max_size);

virtual void %FATAL_ERROR(char *msg);

virtual int %WRAP();

public:

%CHAR *%TEXT;

int %LENG;

FILE *%IN, *%OUT;

%LEX_RETURN %LEX ( %LEX_PARAM);

%CLASS(%CONSTRUCTOR_PARAM) ;

~%CLASS() ;

#if %DEBUG != 0

int %DEBUG_FLAG;

#endif

public: /* added members */

%MEMBERS

};

// this is the code for the virtual function

// may be disabled with symbol like ECHO_PURE or ECHO_NOCODE

void %CLASS::%ECHO() // echo the current token

{%ECHO_CODE}

int %CLASS::%INPUT(char * buffer,int &result,int max_size) // read a bloc of text

{%INPUT_CODE}

void %CLASS::%FATAL_ERROR(char *msg) // print a fatal error

{%FATAL_ERROR_CODE}

int %CLASS::%WRAP() // decide if we must stop input, or continue

{%WRAP_CODE}  

Default Class declaration

// Here is the default declaration made in the header when you %define nothing

class lexer

{

private:/* data */

// Secret, don't use.

private: /* functions */

void yy_initialize();

int input();

int yyinput() {return input();};

void yyunput( unsigned char c, unsigned char *buf_ptr );

// Others are secret, don't use.

protected:/* non virtual */

YY_BUFFER_STATE YY_CURRENT_BUFFER;

void yyrestart ( FILE *input_file );

void yy_switch_to_buffer( YY_BUFFER_STATE new_buffer );

void yy_load_buffer_state( void );

YY_BUFFER_STATE yy_create_buffer( FILE *file, int size );

void yy_delete_buffer( YY_BUFFER_STATE b );

void yy_init_buffer( YY_BUFFER_STATE b, FILE *file );

protected: /* virtual */

virtual void yy_echo();

virtual int yy_input(char *buf,int &result,int max_size);

virtual void yy_fatal_error(char *msg);

virtual int yy_wrap();

public:

unsigned char *yytext;

int yyleng;

FILE *yyin, *yyout;

int yylex ( void);

lexer() ;

~lexer() ;

#if YY_lexer_DEBUG != 0

int yy_flex_debug;

#endif

public: /* added members */

};

// this is the code for the virtual function

void lexer::yy_echo() // echo the current token

{fwrite( (char *) yytext, yyleng, 1, yyout );}

int lexer::yy_input(char * buffer,int &result,int max_size) // read a bloc of text

{return result= fread( buffer, 1,max_size, yyin );}

void lexer::yy_fatal_error(char *msg) // print a fatal error

{fputs( msg, stderr );putc( 'n', stderr );exit( 1 );}

int lexer::yy_wrap() // decide if we must stop input, or continue

{return 1;}  

USAGE

Should replace flex, because it generate a far more customisable parser, with header, still beeing compatible.

You should always use the header facility.

Use it with bison++ (same author).  

EXEMPLES

flex++ use itself to generate it's scanner. It is full compatible with classic flex.

This man page has been produced through a parser made in C++ with this version of flex++ and our version of bison++ (same author).  

FILES

\fBflexskel\.cc\fP
main skeleton.
\fBflexskel\.h\fP
header skeleton.
 

ENVIRONNEMENT

 

DIAGNOSTICS

 

SEE ALSO

flex(1),flexdoc(1),bison++(1).  

DOCUMENTATION

 

BUGS

Tell us more !

Because flex++ put a #include of the generated header in the generated code, the header is necessary, and must be reachable by cpp. use the -g option to change the pathname of this file. Problems arise when the header is generated in another directory, or is moved.

Parameters are richer than before, and nothing is removed. POSIX compliance can be enforced by not using extensions. If you want to forbide them, there is a good job for you.

The grammar file scanner now support any EndOfLine sequence (CR, LF, CRLF), event inside the same file. So dont worry if it accept files from MSDOS, MacIntosh, and UNIX, with neither any message nor any problem. This is not a bug.

The automatic %define symbols FLEX_DEBUG, FLEX_SCANNER and CHAR, are added only after the %name directive, or at the %% between section 1 and 2. You cannot use them before, neither in %header{, nor %{. A good practice is to always give a name, and to give it at first. The old #define symbols are still defined at top for backward compatibility.  

FUTUR WORKS

tell us !

POSIX compliance. is'nt it good now ?

compatibility with flex 2.4 ? possible ?  

INSTALLATION

With this install the executable is named flex++. rename it flex if you want, because it could replace flex. Another good name, could ne flex_pp like Dos version use.  

TESTS

 

AUTHORS

Alain Coetmeur (coetmeur@icdc.fr), R&D department (RDT) , Informatique-CDC, France.  

RESTRICTIONS

The words 'we', and 'us' mean the author and colleages, not GNU. We don't have contacted GNU about this, nowaday. If you're in GNU, we are ready to propose it to you, and you may tell us what you think about.

Based on GNU version 2.3.8 of flex. Modified by the author.


 

Index

NAME
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
OPTIONS
DECLARATIONS
DECLARATION DEFINE SYMBOLS
OBSOLETED FUNCTIONS
OBSOLETED PREPROCESSOR SYMBOLS
CONSERVED PREPROCESSOR SYMBOLS
OTHER ADDED PREPROCESSOR SYMBOLS
C++ CLASS GENERATED
General Class declaration
Default Class declaration
USAGE
EXEMPLES
FILES
ENVIRONNEMENT
DIAGNOSTICS
SEE ALSO
DOCUMENTATION
BUGS
FUTUR WORKS
INSTALLATION
TESTS
AUTHORS
RESTRICTIONS

This document was created by man2html, using the manual pages.
Time: GMT, April 13, 2002