[slang-users] Announcing GAPP

[Michel Toonen <m.toonen@xxxxxxxxx>]

A preprocessor is just a interpreter, altough a very simple one. Why we 
should not use one of the best and most dynamic interpreters there is ?
Why not using S-lang for preprocessing C++ or C source code. ?


 What is GAPP ?<>

The meaning of the word GAPP is Generic Advanced Programmable 
Preprocessor. Every C and C++ programmer knows that the preprocessor 
(CPP or CCCP) are integral parts of the programming system. Mostly it is 
used for header files, simple definitions and macros. I have worked a 
lot with the standard preprocessor, till I found it very restrictive, I 
needed a more _9_. GAPP is based on a mixture of fast interpreting 
scripting languages. The most important one is /*S-lang*/ 
<http://www.s-lang.org/doc/html/slang.html>because its speed, right 
properties for the job and simple C like syntax can be learned quickly. 
But /*Python* <http://www.python.org/doc/Summary.html>/ also plays a 
prominent role as a preprocessing server. There is a small GAPP 
integration control language (called SWITCH) which is both, the core of 
GAPP and starting point. GAPP can be integrated with any scripting 
language, program or tool in several ways. It also works in conjunction 
with m4 and CCCP. It does _multi pass preprocessing_ so a preprocess 
replacement can itself be preprocessed to be replaced. Replacement 
continues as long as possible. This sounds strange but GAPP may viewed 
as being capable of writing _self rewriting programs_. GAPP is intended 
as a customizable programming tool to pre-proces and generate programs. 
You no longer write programs your self, rather you write input code to 
GAPP in order to let it write the program for you. With GAPP the 
developer can become several times more productive. If applied there 
right way, _code repeat ion (typed or by Cut & Paste) can be eliminated 
in all cases_ and software becomes _better maintainable_. GAPP does not 
assume any language syntax in its input text, it does not even know or 
recognize a language. This way we can use GAPP for everything we like, 
not just C++ but also SQL or Java or flat text, what ever!


The open source version of GAPP is for free.
see
       http://members.home.nl/michel.toonen/


Please download it and use it.  You can send me any question about it. I 
like to have any kind of feedback.



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