The Ultimate Representation of C++ Semantics
 

The starting idea for this approach is fairly simple -- since the
fundamental types of C++ are quite similar to the conventional C++
classes -- why not represent them with the help of standard C++
constructs. Consequently applying this idea to other C++ built-ins,
the complete language could be defined in the form of a primordial
library containing the explicit definition of all language
fundamentals. The version of C++, extended by such expression
abilities, will allow compositions of distinct collections of
fundamental types, control statements and implementation mechanisms.

Unfortunately, the practical attempt to compose such a description
fails immediately because several characteristics of C++ built-ins are
looked at as being basically inexpressible in the conceptual system of
this programming language.

The work www.generalinformationtheory.com/cpp.php shows how minor
extensions of C++ enable the explicit definition of its complete
semantics and demonstrates the general specification of C++ produced
in the extended C++.

Re: The Ultimate Representation of C++ Semantics
 

Le 07/12/11 14:03, borisS a écrit :
> The starting idea for this approach is fairly simple -- since the
> fundamental types of C++ are quite similar to the conventional C++
> classes -- why not represent them with the help of standard C++
> constructs. Consequently applying this idea to other C++ built-ins,
> the complete language could be defined in the form of a primordial
> library containing the explicit definition of all language
> fundamentals. The version of C++, extended by such expression
> abilities, will allow compositions of distinct collections of
> fundamental types, control statements and implementation mechanisms.
>
> Unfortunately, the practical attempt to compose such a description
> fails immediately because several characteristics of C++ built-ins are
> looked at as being basically inexpressible in the conceptual system of
> this programming language.
>
> The work www.generalinformationtheory.com/cpp.php shows how minor
> extensions of C++ enable the explicit definition of its complete
> semantics and demonstrates the general specification of C++ produced
> in the extended C++.

It is a very interesting approach. Just a small detail:

You say
<quote>
The following OC++ extensions solve the aforementioned problems.
1. OC++ types can be objects of variable lengths. The class identifier
can be represented as:
struct identifier
{
letter_underscore begin;
letter_underscore_digit rest[]; //any length of this
array is allowed
}
<end quote>

Note that C99 (the current C standard) allows variable length structures
of the exact semantics you wish.