Syntax tree quotations in user syntax

Syntax tree quotations in user syntax

The quotation kit “q_ast.cmo” allows to use syntax tree quotations in user syntax. It fully works only in “strict” mode. In “transitional” mode, there is no way to use antiquotations, which restricts its utility.

If this kit is loaded, when a quotation of syntax tree is found, the current OCaml language parser is called. Then, the resulting tree is reified (except the antiquotations) to represent the syntax tree of the syntax tree.

Antiquotations

The OCaml langage parser used, and its possible extensions, must have been built to allow the places of the antiquotations. The symbols enclosed by the meta-symbol “V” (see the chapter about extensible grammars, section “symbols”), define where antiquotations can take place.

There is no need to specify antiquotations for the main types defined in the AST tree module (“MLast”): “expr”, “patt”, “expr”, “str_item”, “sig_item”, and so on. All syntax parts of these types are automatically antiquotable.

For example, in Camlp5 sources, the grammar rule defining the “let..in” statement is:

"let"; r = V (FLAG "rec") "flag" "opt";
 l = V (LIST1 let_binding SEP "and"); "in"; x = expr

All symbols of these rules, except the keywords, are antiquotable:

• The “rec” flag, because enclosed by the “V” meta symbol. The two strings which follow it gives the possible antiquotation kinds: “flag” (the normal antiquotation kind) and “opt” (kept by backward compatibility, but not recommended). It is therefore possible to antiquote it as: “$flag:...$” or “$opt:...$” where the “...” is an expression or a pattern depending on the position of the enclosing quotation
• The binding list is also antiquotable, since it is also enclosed by the “V” meta symbol. Its antiquotation kind is “list” (the default when the meta symbol parameter is a list). It is therefore possible to write “$list:...$” at the place of the binding list.
• The expression after the “in” is also antiquotable, because it belongs to the main types defined in the module “MLast”.

In that example, the variable “r” is of type “Ploc.vala   bool”, the variable “r” of type “Ploc.vala (list   (patt * expr))” and the variable “x” of type “MLast.expr”.

… to be completed …