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nnxion · Feb 22nd, 2006, 3:03 AM

I was working on a C beautifier a while back, but I was lacking time to get working on it much, now I have some spare time, but am kind of stuck because I can't define what the business rules are.

Let me explain what I mean. I read a line, which could be a whole program like:

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#include <stdio.h>int main(){char * booo = "what?!";printf("booo says: %s", booo);}

But can also be just

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#include <stdio.h>int       main    (){char*booo="what?!"     ;

In this last case I want to process that line to:

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#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
	char * booo = "what?!";

Which would be saved to a new buffer.

The beautifier will just remove or add spaces, newlines and tabs.
All I really want to know now is when to place or remove those.

For example, I could place an newline after a semicolon but it shouldn't do so in a for(;;) loop.
There are so many diverse situations. When processing do I read keywords or characters? Do I memorize which keywords or characters I have seen? Would I do that with a huge switch or else if statement or are there better ways?

I'm not very experienced with such things and would like to know how to solve such a thing.
Ultimately I need a processline function that would turn the following:

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#include <stdio.h>

char * processline();

int main()
{
	char * buffer = "#include<stdio.h>int main(){int i;char*booo=\"what?!\";for(i=0;i<3;i++)printf(\"booo says: %s\",booo);}";
	char * newbuf = processline(buffer);
	printf("%s\n", newbuf);
	return 0;
}

char * processline(char * line)
{
	/* do processing here */
	return line;
}

Into:

(Toggle Plain Text)

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
	int i;
	char * booo = \"what?!\";
	for(i = 0; i < 3; i++)
		printf(\"booo says: %s\", booo);
}

jim mcnamara · Feb 22nd, 2006, 9:05 AM

You're on Windows. Are there lex & yacc (bison & flex) programs around for you to use? You need a lexer. Instead of UML, or an on-paper design, you're going to need to parse the code text block exactly the way C would see it. Then apply formatting rules which you can put up as business rules - but you need to know lexemes first.

I'm basing this suggestion on your description of munged source above.

Failing that - consider getting GNU source for one or all of these: cb, bcpp, indent.
These don't go to quite the extremes that I think you are beginning with.

Feb 22nd, 2006, 3:03 AM	#1
nnxion Programming Guru Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: elemental plane Posts: 1,429 Rep Power: 5	Designing business rules for a beautifier. I was working on a C beautifier a while back, but I was lacking time to get working on it much, now I have some spare time, but am kind of stuck because I can't define what the business rules are. Let me explain what I mean. I read a line, which could be a whole program like: (Toggle Plain Text) #include <stdio.h>int main(){char * booo = "what?!";printf("booo says: %s", booo);} #include <stdio.h>int main(){char * booo = "what?!";printf("booo says: %s", booo);} But can also be just (Toggle Plain Text) #include <stdio.h>int main (){charbooo="what?!" ; #include <stdio.h>int main (){charbooo="what?!" ; In this last case I want to process that line to: (Toggle Plain Text) #include <stdio.h> int main() { char * booo = "what?!"; #include <stdio.h> int main() { char * booo = "what?!"; Which would be saved to a new buffer. The beautifier will just remove or add spaces, newlines and tabs. All I really want to know now is when to place or remove those. For example, I could place an newline after a semicolon but it shouldn't do so in a for(;;) loop. There are so many diverse situations. When processing do I read keywords or characters? Do I memorize which keywords or characters I have seen? Would I do that with a huge switch or else if statement or are there better ways? I'm not very experienced with such things and would like to know how to solve such a thing. Ultimately I need a processline function that would turn the following: (Toggle Plain Text) #include <stdio.h> char * processline(); int main() { char * buffer = "#include<stdio.h>int main(){int i;charbooo=\"what?!\";for(i=0;i<3;i++)printf(\"booo says: %s\",booo);}"; char newbuf = processline(buffer); printf("%s\n", newbuf); return 0; } char * processline(char * line) { /* do processing here / return line; } #include <stdio.h> char processline(); int main() { char * buffer = "#include<stdio.h>int main(){int i;charbooo=\"what?!\";for(i=0;i<3;i++)printf(\"booo says: %s\",booo);}"; char newbuf = processline(buffer); printf("%s\n", newbuf); return 0; } char * processline(char * line) { /* do processing here / return line; } Into: (Toggle Plain Text) #include <stdio.h> int main() { int i; char booo = \"what?!\"; for(i = 0; i < 3; i++) printf(\"booo says: %s\", booo); } #include <stdio.h> int main() { int i; char * booo = \"what?!\"; for(i = 0; i < 3; i++) printf(\"booo says: %s\", booo); } __________________ "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for." -- Socrates

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Feb 22nd, 2006, 9:05 AM	#2
jim mcnamara Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 228 Rep Power: 4	You're on Windows. Are there lex & yacc (bison & flex) programs around for you to use? You need a lexer. Instead of UML, or an on-paper design, you're going to need to parse the code text block exactly the way C would see it. Then apply formatting rules which you can put up as business rules - but you need to know lexemes first. I'm basing this suggestion on your description of munged source above. Failing that - consider getting GNU source for one or all of these: cb, bcpp, indent. These don't go to quite the extremes that I think you are beginning with.

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Programming Forums > Application Development > Other Programming Languages

Designing business rules for a beautifier.