How to create a script interpreter using C++

**jeffcobb** · 01-25-2010

While I don't have any experience with them myself (the only scripting language I wrote, I wrote the parser, pseudo-code compiler, interpreter at al from scratch), learning the tools Yacc and Bison might help with some of the chores and save you from some grudge work. Having done this before I would like to ask: have you documented or at least specified your language API yet or are you just sort of generally in love with the idea of writing a scripted language interpreter? I ask because unless you have done the former, the latter will be pretty difficult to make and not be a brittle program...

**Kudose** · 01-25-2010

I have not proceeded to document anything yet. I was waiting to learn a little more about the process and tools available. I have a good idea of what syntax and features (dynamic typing, object support) I would like to be supported. Obviously writing an object oriented language is not an easy task, but I could learn/figure out how to do it by learning how to create a procedural language. Thank you for more suggestions on tools to use. I will look into them.

**Kudose** · 01-25-2010

Useful link: The LEX & YACC Page

**Salem** · 01-25-2010

There's a bunch of links here -> Bloodshed Software - Compilers resources
Don't know if any are stale or not (but google might find new locations).

**Kudose** · 01-26-2010

Originally Posted by jeffcobb

While I don't have any experience with them myself (the only scripting language I wrote, I wrote the parser, pseudo-code compiler, interpreter at al from scratch)

Would you allow any of this code to be previewed?

**Aisthesis** · 01-26-2010

While I've got a long way to go before being ready to try something like that (definitely an interesting thing to try!), I just ran an amazon book search on "compiler" and came up with a LOT of literature. No idea what the best of it is, but the newest I found was: Michael Scott, Programming Language Pragmatics, 3rd ed. 2009. Also Alfred Aho et al., Compilers: Principles, Techniques and Tools looks like it's gone through several printings and probably has some good material.

**brewbuck** · 01-26-2010

Originally Posted by Aisthesis

Michael Scott, Programming Language Pragmatics, 3rd ed. 2009.

That book seems to focus more on the design of languages, not compiler implementations, and could be a good reference. I haven't read it.

Also Alfred Aho et al., Compilers: Principles, Techniques and Tools looks like it's gone through several printings and probably has some good material.

This is the Dragon Book.

**jeffcobb** · 01-26-2010

Originally Posted by Kudose

Would you allow any of this code to be previewed?

Sorry, its IP belonging to a previous employer. Wish I could; I invented/wrote some neat stuff for that guy and would love to leverage some of the other things I did for him too...and I know its just sitting on a hard drive somewhere being ignored ATM...