[cdt-dev] Question about parser

[Alex Chapiro <achapiro@xxxxxxx>]

Current implementation of parser does not provide complete model. For 
example, parser processes statements and resolves/collects references, 
reports about syntax problems. But it does not collect information about 
statements, there are no corresponding AST classes, and requester 
interface doesn't have callback methods for statements processing, 
aren't there?.  I realize well that this functionality is not required 
for the tasks that use parser service now. Working on code formatter 
implementation I tried where it was possible to subclass parser classes 
in order to get desired behavior. So far it did not required essential 
efforts. In this case I could also follow the same way. Before doing 
that, I just was wandering about plans of parser development. I found 
out in new ast2 branch packages named "dom" (now empty).  If we should 
expect to see this stuff soon, it would be a wast of time to torture 
existing parser in order to compel it to do the things it cannot do now. 
On the other hand, if this is not a correct assumption, doing this work 
probably makes sense because using ineffective code formatting engine 
even if this one later will be redesigned using new parser services, can 
help to design and test engine-independent UI (not a small, BTW) and to 
approve formatting technology in general.