# `lrpar`
`lrpar` provides a Yacc-compatible parser (where grammars can be generated at
compile-time or run-time). It can take in traditional `.y` files and convert
them into an idiomatic Rust parser.
If you're new to `lrpar`, please read the "quick start guide". The "grmtools
book" and API reference have more detailed information. You can find the
appropriate documentation for the version of lrpar you are using here:
| [Quickstart guide](https://softdevteam.github.io/grmtools/latest_release/book/quickstart.html) | [Quickstart guide](https://softdevteam.github.io/grmtools/master/book/quickstart.html) |
| [grmtools book](https://softdevteam.github.io/grmtools/latest_release/book/) | [grmtools book](https://softdevteam.github.io/grmtools/master/book) |
| [lrpar API](https://docs.rs/lrpar/) | [lrpar API](https://softdevteam.github.io/grmtools/master/api/lrpar/) |
[Documentation for all past and present releases](https://softdevteam.github.io/grmtools/)
## Example
Let's assume we want to statically generate a parser for a simple calculator
language (and let's also assume we are able to use
[`lrlex`](https://crates.io/crates/lrlex) for the lexer). We need to add a
`build.rs` file to our project which statically compiles both the lexer and
parser. While we can perform both steps individually, it's easiest to use
`lrlex` which does both jobs for us in one go. Our `build.rs` file thus looks
as follows:
```rust
use cfgrammar::yacc::YaccKind;
use lrlex::CTLexerBuilder;
fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
CTLexerBuilder::new()
.lrpar_config(|ctp| {
ctp.yacckind(YaccKind::Grmtools)
.grammar_in_src_dir("calc.y")
.unwrap()
})
.lexer_in_src_dir("calc.l")?
.build()?;
Ok(())
}
```
where `src/calc.l` is as follows:
```
%%
[0-9]+ "INT"
\+ "+"
\* "*"
\( "("
\) ")"
[\t ]+ ;
```
and `src/calc.y` is as follows:
```
%start Expr
%avoid_insert "INT"
%%
Expr -> Result<u64, ()>:
Expr '+' Term { Ok($1? + $3?) }
| Term { $1 }
;
Term -> Result<u64, ()>:
Term '*' Factor { Ok($1? * $3?) }
| Factor { $1 }
;
Factor -> Result<u64, ()>:
'(' Expr ')' { $2 }
| 'INT'
{
let v = $1.map_err(|_| ())?;
parse_int($lexer.span_str(v.span()))
}
;
%%
// Any functions here are in scope for all the grammar actions above.
fn parse_int(s: &str) -> Result<u64, ()> {
match s.parse::<u64>() {
Ok(val) => Ok(val),
Err(_) => {
eprintln!("{} cannot be represented as a u64", s);
Err(())
}
}
}
```
Because we specified that our Yacc file is in `Grmtools` format, each rule has a
separate Rust type to which all its functions conform (in this case, all the
rules have the same type, but that's not a requirement).
A simple `src/main.rs` is as follows:
```rust
use std::io::{self, BufRead, Write};
use lrlex::lrlex_mod;
use lrpar::lrpar_mod;
// Using `lrlex_mod!` brings the lexer for `calc.l` into scope.
lrlex_mod!("calc.l");
// Using `lrpar_mod!` brings the parser for `calc.y` into scope.
lrpar_mod!("calc.y");
fn main() {
// Get the `LexerDef` for the `calc` language.
let lexerdef = calc_l::lexerdef();
let stdin = io::stdin();
loop {
print!(">>> ");
io::stdout().flush().ok();
match stdin.lock().lines().next() {
Some(Ok(ref l)) => {
if l.trim().is_empty() {
continue;
}
// Now we create a lexer with the `lexer` method with which
// we can lex an input.
let lexer = lexerdef.lexer(l);
// Pass the lexer to the parser and lex and parse the input.
let (res, errs) = calc_y::parse(&lexer);
for e in errs {
println!("{}", e.pp(&lexer, &calc_y::token_epp));
}
match res {
Some(Ok(r)) => println!("Result: {}", r),
_ => eprintln!("Unable to evaluate expression.")
}
}
_ => break
}
}
}
```
We can now `cargo run` our project and evaluate simple expressions:
```
>>> 2 + 3
Result: 5
>>> 2 + 3 * 4
Result: 14
>>> (2 + 3) * 4
Result: 20
```
`lrpar` also comes with advanced [error
recovery](https://softdevteam.github.io/grmtools/master/book/errorrecovery.html) built-in:
```
>>> 2 + + 3
Parsing error at line 1 column 5. Repair sequences found:
1: Delete +
2: Insert INT
Result: 5
>>> 2 + 3 3
Parsing error at line 1 column 7. Repair sequences found:
1: Insert *
2: Insert +
3: Delete 3
Result: 11
>>> 2 + 3 4 5
Parsing error at line 1 column 7. Repair sequences found:
1: Insert *, Delete 4
2: Insert +, Delete 4
3: Delete 4, Delete 5
4: Insert +, Shift 4, Delete 5
5: Insert +, Shift 4, Insert +
6: Insert *, Shift 4, Delete 5
7: Insert *, Shift 4, Insert *
8: Insert *, Shift 4, Insert +
9: Insert +, Shift 4, Insert *
Result: 17
```