Re: Is there a BNF for Mathematica?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg98325] Re: [mg98309] Is there a BNF for Mathematica?
- From: Murray Eisenberg <murray at math.umass.edu>
- Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2009 05:00:53 -0400 (EDT)
- Organization: Mathematics & Statistics, Univ. of Mass./Amherst
- References: <200904051039.GAA02631@smc.vnet.net>
- Reply-to: murray at math.umass.edu
It's not at all clear to me that a BNF would be of any great use for
Mathematica : after all, "everything is an expression" and so if you
avoid any of the "special input forms" such as =, :=, /@, {}, [[]],
etc., along with prefix, infix, and postfix special forms, then the
grammar is utterly simple.
The complexities arise from (1) Attributes, such as Hold, which do not
explicitly appear as part of the syntax one uses in entering expressions
but affect the evaluation; and (2) the special input forms, where you
have to begin worrying about order of precedence.
meitnik at gmail.com wrote:
> I have been looking for a Backus-Naur Form grammar for Mathematica. Is
> there one out there??
> Thanks.
>
--
Murray Eisenberg murray at math.umass.edu
Mathematics & Statistics Dept.
Lederle Graduate Research Tower phone 413 549-1020 (H)
University of Massachusetts 413 545-2859 (W)
710 North Pleasant Street fax 413 545-1801
Amherst, MA 01003-9305
- References:
- Is there a BNF for Mathematica?
- From: "meitnik@gmail.com" <meitnik@gmail.com>
- Is there a BNF for Mathematica?