THE "TR" FOLDER

  This folder contains pep/nom scripts that translate pep scripts into
  other languages. Currently (aug 2022) the following languages have
  robust translators: java, c (byte chars), ruby, python, go, tcl, javascript
  The translation scripts can be thoroughly tested using the 
  "pep.tt" function in the helpers.pars.sh script. This tests the 
  translation of a large number of short scripts using the data 
  file tr/tr.test.txt

  All the translator scripts create a standalone script (ruby, python) or
  a compilable file (java, go). So the virtual machine (a class 
  or structure with methods) is contained in the script/source code.
  The exception is the c translator which requires the code 
  in libmachine.a in order to compile a standalone executable.

  The libmachine.a c library can be recompiled with functions in 
  the helpers.pars.sh file.

  The bash script helpers.pars.sh contains a number of functions 
  which help to translate and run scripts in different languages.
  Some examples:

  * translate a pep script file to go, compile and run it with input
  >> pep.gof eg/palindrome.pss "dogeeseseegod"
  
  A translation script can be used as follows:

  * translate an inline script into python and run the script
  ----
    pep -f tr/translate.py.pss -i "r;t;t;d" > test.py
    chmod a+x test.py; echo 'abcd' | ./test.py
    # output is: aabbccdd
  ,,,

  * translate the json syntax checker into java and run it with input
  >> pep -f tr/translate.java.pss eg/json.check.pss > Machine.java
  >> javac Machine.java; echo "[1,2,true,[3,4]]" | java Machine

  * make the python translator translate itself into python and run it
  -----
    pep -f tr/translate.py.pss tr/translate.py.pss > tr.py.py
    chmod a+x tr.py.py; echo "r;[0-9]{d;}t;" | ./tr.py.py
  ,,,,

  * use the function in helpers.pars.sh to translate to go, compile and run
  >> pep.gof palindrome.nospace.pss 'do geese see god'

STATUS

  22 aug 2022
    The java, go, ruby, python, c, javascript and tcl translators are at a 
    usable mainly bug-free level. The perl translator passes a few tests

TO DO

  new languages:
  rust, c++, haskell, lisp, julia, swift, php, R (maybe)
  reform grammar for existing translators.

HISTORY

  24 aug 2022
    The perl translator now has a nice grammar that also allows
    a test expression grammar. The idea of translators also being
    interpreters seems to work! And it should work in other situations
    such as creating a logo compiler/interpreter.

  22 aug 2022
    Will try to work on new versions of the translators that use a 
    better, more logical grammar (and allow an expression grammar 
    in tests- eg: (E"x",E"y").B"a" {...}  ). Also translators that 
    use a parse method, for more flexibility. Also, I will try to 
    create a "syntax.pss" script that will check for syntax errors 
    and print nicely formatted output.