gnubol: [micjones@state.de.us: GNU-COBOL - a note of intrigue]

[Laura Tweedy <tweedy@lusars.net>]

----- Forwarded message from "E. Michael Jones" <micjones@state.de.us> -----

Delivered-To: tweedy@lusars.net
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 16:52:02 EST
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
To: <tweedy@lusars.net>
From: "E. Michael Jones" <micjones@state.de.us>
Reply-To: <micjones@state.de.us>
Errors-to: <micjones@state.de.us>
Subject: GNU-COBOL - a note of intrigue
X-Incognito-SN: 12837
X-Incognito-Version: 5.1.0.43

I have surf to and fro from the GNU-COBOL pages over the past year
or so; I notice the disciplined usage of compiler-compiler toolkits.

Of course, later in the threads I see these tools couldn't handle
the complexities COBOL Grammar presents.  One thing I might add as
an historical note.  Many of these static, structured languages
like COBOL were designed empirically vs. automatically.  Iow,
some poor bloke sat down and churned out a parser + code-emitter
using whatever tools were at hand:  FORTRAN and certainly assembler.

Many of the constructs that are questioned--from "are SECTs mandatory
vs. paragraphs" to string-manipulation requirements can vary from compiler 
writer to compiler writer.  ANSI 95 has changed much of this and some
variants are now part of the standard.

Vadim Maslov should be an excellent resource since he has created
many useful COBOL parsing tools.  Although these persons may not
work on the project directly, you can occasionally find the Fujitsu
COBOL compiler/tools authors on c.l.cobol or the occasional IBM SE
on c.l.asm370 and the mainframe listserv ibm-main@.

I'm pleased someone thought to implement a GNU COBOL, although I
presumed an ALGOL or PL/1 front-end might be the first "legacy" 
perpetuation project assumed.

E Michael Jones

PS:  On the subject of sections, IBM extension is to make them
optional; thus, a program can start with a paragraph and then
form and use segments later.  ANS COBOL usually requires all
segments if you use a SORT/MERGE.

----- End forwarded message -----

--
This message was sent through the gnu-cobol mailing list.  To remove yourself
from this mailing list, send a message to majordomo@lusars.net with the
words "unsubscribe gnu-cobol" in the message body.  For more information on
the GNU COBOL project, send mail to gnu-cobol-owner@lusars.net.