Trait ScannerModeSwitcher

Source

pub trait ScannerModeSwitcher {
    // Required methods
    fn set_mode(&mut self, mode: usize);
    fn current_mode(&self) -> usize;
    fn mode_name(&self, index: usize) -> Option<&str>;
}

Expand description

A trait to switch between scanner modes.

This trait is used to switch between different scanner modes from a parser’s perspective. The parser can set the current scanner mode to switch to a different set of DFAs resp. NFAs, for short called Finite State Machines, FSMs. Usually, the scanner mode is changed by the scanner itself based on the transitions defined in the active scanner mode.

It is discouraged to use a mix of scanner induced mode changes and parser induced mode changes. This can lead to unexpected behavior and is not recommended.

Only several kinds of parsers are able to handle mode changes as part of the grammar. Note that ‘part of the grammar’ means that the mode changes are part of the parser’s state machine and not anything implemented in semantic actions.

For example, an LL parser is able to handle scanner mode switches in the grammar because it always ‘knows’ the next production to parse. If the production contains a scanner mode switch, the parser can switch the scanner mode before scanning the next token.

A LR parser is not able to handle mode changes in the grammar because it does not know the next production to parse. The parser has to decide which production to parse based on the lookahead tokens. If the lookahead tokens contain a token that needed a scanner mode switch, the parser is not able to switch the scanner mode before reading the next token.

An example of a parser induced mode changes is the parol parser generator. It is able to handle mode changes in the grammar because it generates LL parsers. The parser is able to switch the scanner mode before scanning the next token. parol is also able to handle scanner induced mode changes stored as transitions in the scanner modes. The scanner mode changes are then no part of the grammar but instead part of the scanner.

Furthermore parol can also generate LR parsers. In this case, the scanner mode changes are not part of the grammar but instead part of the scanner. parol will prevent the LR grammar from containing scanner mode changes.

See https://github.com/jsinger67/parol for more informationon about the parol parser generator.