Adoption of perl/javascript-style regexp syntax

[mats cronqvist]

Ulf Wiger <ulf.wiger@REDACTED> writes:

> mats cronqvist wrote:
>> Ulf Wiger <ulf.wiger@REDACTED> writes:
>>
>>> This *will* compile:
>>>
>>> -module(m).
>>> -export([f/0]).
>>>
>>> -r"\b".
>>>
>>> f() ->
>>>     b.
>>
>>   argh... 
>>
>>> Changing the meaning of r"\b", it will no longer compile.
>>
>>   but... the -r is handled by the preprocessor, not? so the parser
>>   will never see the -r"\b" bit, and it will still compile.
>
> No, the preprocessor (epp) gets the 'attribute' form from the
> parser, and only deals with certain attributes. The compiler
> deals with some others, and external tools (like dialyzer)
> can also rely on attributes.
>
> They are part of the grammar.
>
> attribute -> '-' atom attr_val     : build_attribute('$2', '$3').
> ...
>
> attr_val -> expr                     : ['$1'].
> attr_val -> expr ',' exprs           : ['$1' | '$3'].
> attr_val -> '(' expr ',' exprs ')'   : ['$2' | '$4'].
>
>
> (From erl_parse.yrl)

  but still. couldn't the grammar can be extended to compile this;

-module(m).

-r"bla".

foo() ->
  r"foo".


  without changing the meaning of this;

-module(m).

-r"bla".

foo() ->
  "foo".


  by adding something like 

raw_string -> 'r' raw_string      : build_raw_string('$2')

  to the grammar?

  I obviously have no idea what I'm talking about here...

  mats