Structure of a Compiler¶

1. What is a compiler?¶

1.1. Translator¶

Definition:

\[\begin{split}\begin{array}{cc|c|cc} \cline{3-3} program in & & & & program in \\ source language & \longrightarrow & translator & \longrightarrow & object (target) \\ X & & for X & & language Y \\ \cline{3-3} \end{array}\end{split}\]

Examples:

\[\begin{split}\begin{array} {c|c|c|c} \mbox{Source} & \mbox{Object} & \\ \mbox{Language} & \mbox{Language} & \mbox{Name} & \mbox{Example} \\ \hline \mbox{High Level} & \mbox{High Level} & \mbox{preprocessor} & \mbox{ratfor} \rightarrow \mbox{f77} \\ &&& \mbox{m4}, \mbox{cpp} \\ \hline \mbox{Assembly} & \mbox{Machine} & \mbox{assembler} & \mbox{as} \\ \hline \mbox{High Level} & \mbox{Machine} & \mbox{compiler} & \mbox{g++}, \mbox{javac} \\ \hline \mbox{Any} & \mbox{executes} & \mbox{interpretor} & \mbox{BASIC (often)} \\ & \mbox{immediately} & & \mbox{c shell} \\ & & & \mbox{apl}, \mbox{lisp}, \mbox{java} \\ \end{array}\end{split}\]

Preprocessor: If you have a language that has while statements but no for statements, construct a new language that allows for statements and use preprocessor to translate new language into old language:

for i=1 to n do
  (stmts)
end for

\(\downarrow\)

i = 1
while (i <= n) do
  (stmts)
  i = i + 1
end while

2. Language Processing System¶

\[\begin{split}\begin{array} {ccc} & skeletal source program \\ \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ \cline{2-2} & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{preprocessor} \\ \cline{2-2} \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ & source program \\ \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ \cline{2-2} & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{compiler} \\ \cline{2-2} \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ & target (object) assembly program \\ \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ \cline{2-2} & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{assembler} \\ \cline{2-2} \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ & relocatable machine code \\ \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ \cline{2-2} & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{loader/link-editor} \\ \cline{2-2} \\ & \downarrow \\ \\ & absolute machine code \\ \\ \end{array}\end{split}\]

Comments:

* Preprocessor - C preprocessor replaces #include statements with files.

* Preprocessor - macro preprocessor

Example: In LaTeX, define a macro

\newcommand\TODO[1]{{\color{red}[#1]}}

then use \TODO{} wherever you want.

NOTE: Today all these are transparent and are packaged into a "compiler".

2.1. Compiler¶

\[\begin{split}\begin{array}{cc|c|cc} \cline{3-3} program in & & & & program in \\ high level & \longrightarrow & compiler & \longrightarrow & machine \\ language X & & for X & & language Y \\ \cline{3-3} \end{array}\end{split}\]

3. Overview of General Compiler¶

lexical analysis - read the program character by character grouping into atomic units called tokens
syntax analysis - accepts tokens, checks if program is syntactically correct, generates a parse tree.
intermediate code generation - walk through parse tree producing simple assembly code
code optimization - transform intermediate code to "better" code (faster)
code generation - transform intermediate code to machine code (assembler)
symbol table
- lexical analysis: enter identifier into table,
- syntax analysis: - type of identifier and usage,
- code generation: storage locations bound to names at runtime
error handling - lex: lot of errors will pass thru (while is typed as wh ile)

4. Phases of Compilation¶

4.1. Lexical Analysis (Scanner)¶

Purpose: Read the same program character by character grouping them into atomic units called tokens.

Tokens:

depend on language and compiler writer
Examples:

reserved word: if, for

operators: +, -, <, =

constants: 0, 4.89

punctuation: (, }, [

identifiers: i, myNode
Treated as a pair: token.type and token.value
- token.type is a (mnemonic) integer
- some tokens have no token.value

Example 1

if (x <= 0) x = y + z

when put through lexical analyzer produces:

\[\begin{split}\begin{array}{cc|c|cc} & \mbox{token} & \mbox{type} & \mbox{value} \\ \hline & \mbox{if} & 25 \\ & ( & 28 \\ & \mbox{id} & 23 & ``x" \\ & <= & 27 \\ & \mbox{int constant} & 22 & 0 \\ & ) & 38 \\ & \mbox{id} & 23 & ``x" \\ & = \mbox{assgnment} & 4 \\ & \mbox{id} & 23 & ``y" \\ & + & 34 \\ & \mbox{id} & 23 & ``z" \\ \end{array}\end{split}\]

How does one build a scanner?

from scratch

lex

Preview of Lex

idea: tokens described by regular expressions

basic syntax:

regular expression, action

basic semantics:

if match regular expression, then do action.

Example:

\[\begin{split}\begin{array} {ll} \%\% \\ ``\mbox{if}" & \mbox{return}(25);\\ ``(" & \mbox{return}(28); \\ [0-9]+ & \mbox{return}(22); \\ \end{array}\end{split}\]

Besides returning token types and values, the lexical analyzer might

print error messages
insert identifiers in the symbol table

Difficult to differentiate sometimes: When does lexical analysis stop and parsing start? Example, consider keywords AND and OR. Are they tokens of type AND and OR, or are they RELOP tokens with values AND and OR?

4.2. Syntax Analysis (Parsing)¶

Purpose: Accepts the sequence of tokens generated by the lexical analyzer, checks whether the program is syntactically correct, and generates a parse tree.
Syntax: formally described by a context free grammar.
Parse Tree

if (x <= 0) x = y + z
How does one build a parser?
- from scratch
- using a parser generator such as yacc

4.3. 1.3.3 Intermediate Code Generator¶

Purpose: Traverse the parse tree, producing simple intermediate code.
Three-Address Code: Sequence of instructions, each has at most three operands. (like assembly in which each memory location can act like a register).

Instructions:

1. id := id op id

2. goto label

3. if condition goto label

Example 2

if (x <= 0) x = x + z

\(\downarrow\)

if (x <= 0) goto L1

goto L2

L1: x := y + z

L2:

Some compilers combine syntax analysis and intermediate code generation (i.e. no parse tree is generated)

4.4. 1.3.4 Intermediate Code Generation¶

Purpose: Transform the intermediate code into "better" code.

Examples:

Rearrangement of Code

    if (x <= 0) goto L1               if (x$>$0 goto L2
    goto L2                ==>        x = y $+$ z
L1: x = y + z                     L2:
L2:

Redundancy Elimination

a = w + x + y                         T1 = x + y
                           ==>        a = w + T1
b = x + y + z                         b = T1 + z

Strength Reduction

x^2                        ==>        x*x
expensive                  ==>        cheap
operator                              operator

Frequency Reduction

for (i=1; i<n; i=i+1)                 T1 = sqrt(26)
  x = sqrt(26)             ==>        for (i=1; i<n; i=i+1)
}                                       x = T1
                                      }

Remarks:

Main criteria for optimization is speed.
Optimization takes time; hence it
- is optional
- may not be desirable (in low level CS class)

4.5. Code Generation¶

Purpose: Transform intermediate code to machine code (assembler)

Example: a = b + c

mov b, R1

add c, R1

mov R1, a

Remarks

completely machine dependent whereas other phases are not
"register allocation" is the most difficult task
- idea - use registers (fast access) to avoid memory use (slow access)
- problem - only a finite number of registers (during intermediate code phase, one assumes an infinite number)

4.6. Symbol Table¶

Purpose: record information about various objects in the source program

Examples

procedure - number and type of arguments
simple variable - type
array - type, size

Use - information is required during

parsing (for type checking)
code generation (for generating the correct operand, allocating memory)

4.7. Error Handler¶

Errors - all errors should be

detected
detected correctly
detected as soon as possible
reported at the appropriate place and in a helpful manner

Purpose

report errors
"error recovery" - Be able to proceed with processing

Note: Errors can occur in each phase

misspelled token
wrong syntax
improper procedure call
statements that cannot be reached

OpenDSA Stand-alone Modules

Chapter 0 modules