How can I construct a clean, Python like grammar in ANTLR?

Question

G'day!

How can I construct a simple ANTLR grammar handling multi-line expressions without the need for either semicolons or backslashes?

I'm trying to write a simple DSLs for expressions:

# sh style comments
ThisValue = 1
ThatValue = ThisValue * 2
ThisOtherValue = (1 + 2 + ThisValue * ThatValue)
YetAnotherValue = MAX(ThisOtherValue, ThatValue)

Overall, I want my application to provide the script with some initial named values and pull out the final result. I'm getting hung up on the syntax, however. I'd like to support multiple line expressions like the following:

# Note: no backslashes required to continue expression, as we're in brackets
# Note: no semicolon required at end of expression, either
ThisValueWithAReallyLongName = (ThisOtherValueWithASimilarlyLongName
                               +AnotherValueWithAGratuitouslyLongName)

I started off with an ANTLR grammar like this:

exprlist
    : ( assignment_statement | empty_line )* EOF!
    ;
assignment_statement
    : assignment NL!?
    ;
empty_line
    : NL;
assignment
    : ID '=' expr
    ;

// ... and so on

It seems simple, but I'm already in trouble with the newlines:

warning(200): StackOverflowQuestion.g:11:20: Decision can match input such as "NL" using multiple alternatives: 1, 2
As a result, alternative(s) 2 were disabled for that input

Graphically, in org.antlr.works.IDE:

Decision Can Match NL Using Multiple Alternatives http://img.skitch.com/20090723-ghpss46833si9f9ebk48x28b82.png

I've kicked the grammar around, but always end up with violations of expected behavior:

A newline is not required at the end of the file
Empty lines are acceptable
Everything in a line from a pound sign onward is discarded as a comment
Assignments end with end-of-line, not semicolons
Expressions can span multiple lines if wrapped in brackets

I can find example ANTLR grammars with many of these characteristics. I find that when I cut them down to limit their expressiveness to just what I need, I end up breaking something. Others are too simple, and I break them as I add expressiveness.

Which angle should I take with this grammar? Can you point to any examples that aren't either trivial or full Turing-complete languages?

John Kugelman John Kugelman · Accepted Answer · 2009-07-23T03:35:36

I would let your tokenizer do the heavy lifting rather than mixing your newline rules into your grammar:

Count parentheses, brackets, and braces, and don't generate NL tokens while there are unclosed groups. That'll give you line continuations for free without your grammar being any the wiser.
Always generate an NL token at the end of file whether or not the last line ends with a '\n' character, then you don't have to worry about a special case of a statement without a NL. Statements always end with an NL.

The second point would let you simplify your grammar to something like this:

exprlist
    : ( assignment_statement | empty_line )* EOF!
    ;
assignment_statement
    : assignment NL
    ;
empty_line
    : NL
    ;
assignment
    : ID '=' expr
    ;

How can I construct a clean, Python like grammar in ANTLR?

3 Answers