From: why the lucky stiff <ruby-talk@...>
Date: 2002-09-18T04:23:38+09:00
Subject: Re: Why are parser tools rarely used in ruby?

MikkelFJ (mikkelfj-anti-spam@bigfoot.com) wrote:
> Actually Racc does not seem to be in the 1.6.7 Windows distribution - but I
> recall it being in an earlier version - a cygwin issue?

MFJ:

I don't think Racc can compile from MS Visual Studio.  I imagine this is a
barrier to including it in the Win distribution, since it is compiled from
MSVC.  I may be wrong.

I've been actively coding a YAML parser for Ruby [http://yaml4r.sf.net/]
which uses Racc for parser.  Having always adored Yacc, I found Racc a natural
counterpart.  I find it to execute speedily and development itself has been swift.

I imagine the lack of Racc usage is primarily due to lack of documentation.
(Well, and the fact that it doesn't compile on the Playskool desktop platforms.)
Sure, if you know how to use Yacc, the current docs make good sense.  I think all
it would take to make Racc more successful is a couple of friendly HOWTOs.  I've
been thinking of writing one up on the RubyGarden Wiki.  I've been searching for
another text to assist in describing compiler compiler concepts to newbies.  I 
think the Happy User Guide [http://yeats.ucc.ie/~abf/happy/happy.html] could be
used as a guideline.  The Bison info page could.

So, I see through your googles, too.  You'd think that Racc (or a close relative)
would be included in the Ruby distributions.  It could be leveraged by so many
other libraries.

_why