Mini-Mini tutorial
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Mini is a very simple (semi-functional) language that I wrote to test the generic package of BCEL.

http://commons.apache.org/bcel/

Mini uses the JavaCC parser generator which comes precompiled from

http://www.webgain.com/products/java_cc/

After setting the CLASSPATH to the directory just above the Mini directory, e.g.

% cd Mini
% setenv CLASSPATH $CLASSPATH:.:..

try the following:

% java Mini.MiniC max.mini

This produces a Java class file (max.class) which you can execute with

% java max

Enter a number (4, eg.) and you will be asked to enter 4 numbers. The program will then tell you the biggest of them.

Alternatively you can produce a Java file (max.java) which will be translated automatically to a .class file.

% java Mini.MiniC -java max.mini

There are three examples programs (max.mini, fac.mini, fib.mini) provided which demonstrate the language syntax and should be quite easy to understand.

The compiler is not that well documented, I'm afraid, but if you've ever seen a compiler before, you should be able to understand what I'm doing. The part that produces the byte code is contained in the byte_code() method that all AST nodes implement. Take a look at MiniC.java at line 85 and follow the recursive byte_code() calls.

It's also useful to use the listclass program provided with BCEL to examine the generated class. For example

% java listclass max.class

Send bug reports and suggestions to

m.dahm@gmx.de (Markus Dahm)