[Python-Dev] Re: CML2 compiler slowness

John Aycock aycock@csc.UVic.CA
Tue, 13 Mar 2001 08:54:48 -0800


| From paulp@ActiveState.com Mon Mar 12 18:39:28 2001
| Is there a tutorial about how to make fast Spark grammars or should I go
| back and re-read my compiler construction books?

My advice would be to avoid heavy use of obviously ambiguous
constructions, like defining expressions to be
	E ::= E op E

Aside from that, the whole point of SPARK is to have the language you're
implementing up and running, fast -- even if you don't have a lot of
background in compiler theory.  It's not intended to spit out blazingly
fast production compilers.  If the result isn't fast enough for your
purposes, then you can replace SPARK components with faster ones; you're
not locked in to using the whole package.  Or, if you're patient, you can
wait for the tool to improve :-)

John