The implementation of syntax analysis using ALGOL, and some mathematical applications

When the Department of Mathematics at the University of Nottingham initiated a postgraduate course in computing, it was felt that teaching the principles of compiling could be done more satisfactorily if a "Compiler Compiler" program of the type implemented on Atlas by R. A. Brooker (1963) was available. Since this University's computing service was transferred from a data link with Manchester University's Atlas to its own English Electric KDF9, no such program was available. It was therefore decided to attempt an ALGOL program to demonstrate some of the main principles. Any program of this type consists of two main parts, one to perform syntax analysis on the source program, and the other to use the results of the analysis to perform compilation. The development of a syntax analysis procedure is described below. However, during the development of this part of the program, many applications other than compilation became apparent, and this paper describes a selection of applications, only touching briefly on compilation. It is hoped to produce a further paper giving fuller details of compilation.