looking for tips on how to implement "ruby-style" Domain Specific Language in Python

[Jonathan Gardner]

On Jan 7, 7:50 am, J Kenneth King <ja... at agentultra.com> wrote:
> Jonathan Gardner <jgard... at jonathangardner.net> writes:
> > On Jan 6, 12:24 pm, J Kenneth King <ja... at agentultra.com> wrote:
> >> Jonathan Gardner <jgard... at jonathangardner.net> writes:
> >> > On Jan 6, 8:18 am, sturlamolden <sturlamol... at yahoo.no> wrote:
> >> >> On Jan 6, 4:32 pm, mark <mark.fi... at googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> >> >> > I want to implement a internal DSL in Python. I would like the syntax
> >> >> > as human readable as possible.
>
> >> >> Also beware that Python is not Lisp. You cannot define new syntax (yes
> >> >> I've seen the goto joke).
>
> >> > This isn't really true. You can, for instance, write a program (in
> >> > Python) that takes your pseudo-Python and converts it into Python.
> >> > This is what a number of templating libraries such as Mako do.
>
> >> Which is not even close to being the same.
>
> >> Lisp - the program source is also the data format
>
> >> Python - the program source is a string
>
> >> I could go on a really long rant about how the two are worlds apart, but
> >> I'll let Google tell you if you're really interested.
>
> > I get that Lisp is special because you can hack on the reader as it is
> > reading the file in. This is strongly discouraged behavior, as far as
> > I know, despite the number of cute hacks you can accomplish with it.
>
> It is generally discouraged unless there's a reason for it.
>
> > But consider that this really isn't different than having a program
> > read in the lisp-with-modification source and spitting out pure lisp,
> > to be read by an honest-to-gosh lisp program later.
>
> > If that's the case, then Lisp and Python really aren't that different
> > in this regard, except that you don't have the option of modifying the
> > reader as it reads in the file.
>
> I think you are missing the distinction.
>
> Lisp expressions are also data structures. A Lisp expression can be
> passed to functions and macros to be operated on before being
> executed. When you're writing Lisp source, you're basically looking at
> the AST on one level and when you start writing macros for your program,
> you're creating a "DSL" or interface to that AST. Lisp source is
> eventually expanded to a giant list that is consed by the evaluator (as
> far as I understand it. I'm just getting into the compiler stuff
> myself).
>

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to explain. Yes, you can
do those wonderful things with Lisp.

You can also do wonderful things with Python. Consider programs that
take some text written in some other language besides Python. Those
programs interpret and translate the text to Python. Then the programs
feed the translations to the Python interpreter. Tada! You have a DSL
in Python.

No, it's not built in, nor is there any standard, but it is entirely
possible and people are doing it today. That's how the variety of
templating solutions work in the Python world. It's why I can write ${x
+y} in Mako and get a Python program that will do the right thing.

Alternatively, you can skip the Python interpreter altogether, and
write your own interpreter for the language. If it's a simple language
(like the original poster hinted at), this is very easy to do.