Dependent parsing combinators

[ptal]

Dependent parsing allows semantic attribute to control the parsing. For example a new combinator #e expects a synthesized argument of type integer and repeat e exactly this number of times.

[ptal]

Here a non-exhaustive list of combinators that should be present for dependent-parsing:

• Cardinality combinator: #e, expects integer as parameter. Use case: binary protocol, unknown field size.
• Equality combinator: =e, expects parameter and the result of e to be of comparable type. Succeeds if they are equals. Use case: html/xml tags.
• Constraint combinator: express constraint on the parsing such as bounds on integer ranges.

See papers:

• Jim, Mandelbaum, and Walker, “Semantics and Algorithms for Data-Dependent Grammars.”
• Atkey, “The Semantics of Parsing with Semantic Actions.”
• Thielecke, “Functional Semantics of Parsing Actions, and Left Recursion Elimination as Continuation Passing.”
• Jim and Mandelbaum, “A New Method for Dependent Parsing.”