Getting Started - Minecraftian14/JShortyOutlet GitHub Wiki

Writing a simple syntax for JShorty.

Target

Let's start with a simple syntax to allow us to import classes using the C++ and C# style. #include<java.util.List.h> will be converted to import java.util.List; and using java.util.ArrayList; will be converted to import java.util.ArrayList;

Creating a JShorty syntax file.

In the project create a file with the name TestTemplate.jstmp:

{
  "name": "Template Demo"
}

Creating an Identity

To recognize the part where library is imported, we need to define an Identity

{
  "name": "Template Demo"
  "identities": [
    {
      "name": "Import Statement",
      "regex": "((?:#include[ ]?<|using )([\\w.$*]*)(?:\\.h>|;))",
      "template": {
        "type": "word",
        "content": "import <<PATH:NAME>>;"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Here, we created an array called identities and added an object representing our first identity. It has a name, a regex expression to identify the syntax and a template block.

A template contains a block of String where we define entries for the final conversion, elements and expressions. There are two types of template block, either is defined using a type entry in the block. Here we create a Word Template.

If the template contains references to Elements or Expressions, they must be enclosed within << and >>.

Creating an Element

To extract useful information from a syntax used in JShorty file, we define a corresponding Element.

An Element definition consists of a Tag and a list of References.

{
  "name": "Template Demo"
  "identities": [...]
  "elements": [
    {
      "name": "Library Path",
      "tag": "PATH",
      "references": {
        "NAME from PARENT": 2
      }
    }
  ]
}

Here we defined a name for the Element, and tagged it as PATH. This element has a Reference called NAME. The value inside the Reference is the group number which the regex matches.

In this Reference, "from PARENT" means that the regex to be referred comes from the Identity matched.

An Element is referred in a Template as tag:reference name, in this case, PATH:NAME

Boom the syntax is ready!