3 tools/build/pmc2c.pl - PMC definition to C compiler
7 To see the internal data structures please run:
9 % perl tools/build/pmc2c.pl --c --debug --debug sarray.pmc | less
13 First, the program determines the names of the .c and .h files from
14 the basename of the .pmc file (e.g. F<perlint.pmc> -> F<perlint.c> and
17 Next, the file is searched for C</pmclass \w*/> which attempts to find the
20 Once the class is found, all of its superclasses are scanned and their
21 methods added to the methods of the current PMC. PMCs default to
22 inheriting from 'default'. Only single inheritance is supported.
24 Once the superclass is determined, it is processed and its method names
25 are extracted and saved.
27 Next, each method body is processed with various directives (see below)
28 getting replaced by their appropriate values.
30 Finally, the .c and .h files are generated. The appropriate base class
31 header files are included.
33 If the C<no_init> flag was used, then no init function is generated.
34 Otherwise, one is generated which sets up the vtable and enters it into
37 The .c file is generated by appending the functions after the various
38 directives have been replaced.
40 =head2 PMC File Syntax
42 The basic syntax of a PMC file is
48 A preamble, consisting of code to be copied directly to the .c file
52 The C<pmclass> declaration:
54 pmclass PMCNAME [flags] {
60 =item C<extends PMCPARENT>
62 All methods not defined in PMCNAME are inherited from the PMCPARENT class.
63 If no parent class is defined, methods from F<default.pmc> are used.
67 This class cannot be instantiated. Abstract classes are shown with lower
68 case class names in the class tree.
72 Used with C<abstract>: No C<class_init> code is generated.
76 Classes with this flag get 2 vtables and 2 enums, one pair with
77 read/write set methods, and one with read-only set methods.
81 The class needs a C<PMC_EXT> structure. For instance, any class using
82 C<PMC_data> will have C<need_ext>.
84 =item C<does interface>
86 The class 'does' the given interfaces (the collection of methods
87 which the class implements).
89 The default is "scalar". Other currently used interfaces are:
91 array : container PMC with numerically-keyed elements
92 event : PMC that can be used with event queue
93 hash : container PMC with string-keyed elements
94 library : PMC that corresponds to a dynamic library
95 ref : PMC that references another PMC
96 string : PMC that behaves similarly to the base string type
97 boolean : PMC that does true/false only.
98 integer : PMC that behaves similarly to the base int type
99 float : PMC that behaves similarly to the base number type
100 scalar : (only used by the sample src/dynpmc/foo.pmc)
102 This is not a canonical list, but merely a snapshot of what's in use.
106 The class is a dynamic class. These have a special C<class_init>
107 routine suitable for dynamic loading at runtime. See the F<src/dynpmc>
108 directory for an example.
112 The class is part of a group of interrelated PMCs that should be
113 compiled together into a single shared library of the given name. Only
114 valid for dynamic PMCs.
118 The class needs an external library.
122 The High level language this PMC corresponds to.
126 The basic parrot PMC type that this PMC correspond to for C<.HLL>
129 pmclass TclInt hll Tcl maps Integer
131 allows this PMC to automatically be used when autoboxing C<I> registers to PMCs.
133 Requires the C<hll> flag. Note that multiple mappings can be specified:
135 pmclass myOrderedHash hll frob maps Hash maps Array
141 A list of vtable method implementations
149 =head2 Method Body Substitutions
151 The vtable method bodies can use the following substitutions:
157 Converted to the current PMC object of type C<PMC *>.
161 Converted to the interpreter object.
163 =item C<OtherClass.SELF.method(a,b,c)>
165 Calls the static vtable method 'method' in C<OtherClass>.
167 =item C<SELF.method(a,b,c)>
169 Calls the vtable method 'method' using the dynamic type of C<SELF>.
173 Same as above, but calls the current method.
175 =item C<STATICSELF.method(a,b,c)>
177 Calls the vtable method 'method' using the static type of C<SELF> (in
178 other words, calls another method defined in the same file).
180 =item C<OtherClass.SUPER(a,b,c)>
182 Calls the overridden implementation of the current method in
185 =item C<SUPER(a,b,c)>
187 Calls the overridden implementation of the current method in the nearest
188 superclass, using the type of C<SELF>.
196 Cleaned up by Matt Diephouse.
198 Many thanks to the author of F<pmc2c.pl>, many useful code pieces got