Pattern matching in compilers

In this thesis we develop tools for effective and flexible pattern matching. We introduce a new pattern matching system called amethyst. Amethyst is not only a generator of parsers of programming languages, but can also serve as an alternative to tools for matching regular expressions. Our framework also produces dynamic parsers. Its intended use is in the context of IDE (accurate syntax highlighting and error detection on the fly). Amethyst offers pattern matching of general data structures. This makes it a useful tool for implementing compiler optimizations such as constant folding, instruction scheduling, and dataflow analysis in general. The parsers produced are essentially top-down parsers. Linear time complexity is obtained by introducing the novel notion of structured grammars and regularized regular expressions. Amethyst uses techniques known from compiler optimizations to produce effective parsers.Comment: master thesi

Supporting Custom Instructions with the LLVM Compiler for RISC-V Processor

The rise of hardware accelerators with custom instructions necessitates custom compiler backends supporting these accelerators. This study provides detailed analyses of LLVM and its RISC-V backend, supplemented with case studies providing end-to-end overview of the mentioned transformations. We discuss that instruction design should consider both hardware and software design space. The necessary compiler modifications may mean that the instruction is not well designed and need to be reconsidered. We discuss that RISC-V standard extensions provide exemplary instructions that can guide instruction designers. In this study, the process of adding a custom instruction to compiler is split into two parts as Assembler support and pattern matching support. Without pattern matching support, conventional software requires manual entries of inline Assembly for the accelerator which is not scalable. While it is trivial to add Assembler support regardless of the instruction semantics, pattern matching support is on the contrary. Pattern matching support and choosing the right stage for the modification, requires the knowledge of the internal transformations in the compiler. This study delves deep into pattern matching and presents multiple ways to approach the problem of pattern matching support. It is discussed that depending on the pattern's complexity, higher level transformations, e.g. IR level, can be more maintainable compared to Instruction Selection phase.Comment: Electronics and Communication Engineering B.Sc. Graduation Project. Source can be found in https://github.com/eymay/Senior-Design-Projec

Propositional Encoding of Constraints over Tree-Shaped Data

We present a functional programming language for specifying constraints over tree-shaped data. The language allows for Haskell-like algebraic data types and pattern matching. Our constraint compiler CO4 translates these programs into satisfiability problems in propositional logic. We present an application from the area of automated analysis of (non-)termination of rewrite systems

Pattern Synonyms

Pattern matching has proven to be a convenient, expressive way of inspecting data. Yet this language feature, in its traditional form, is limited: patterns must be data constructors of concrete data types. No computation or abstraction is allowed. The data type in question must be concrete, with no ability to enforce any invariants. Any change in this data type requires all clients to update their code. This paper introduces pattern synonyms, which allow programmers to abstract over patterns, painting over all the shortcomings listed above. Pattern synonyms are assigned types, enabling a compiler to check the validity of a synonym independent of its definition. These types are intricate; detailing how to assign a type to a pattern synonym is a key contribution of this work. We have implemented pattern synonyms in the Glasgow Haskell Compiler, where they have enjoyed immediate popularity, but we believe this feature could easily be exported to other languages that support pattern matching

Pattern Synonyms

Pattern matching has proven to be a convenient, expressive way of inspecting data. Yet this language feature, in its traditional form, is limited: patterns must be data constructors of concrete data types. No computation or abstraction is allowed. The data type in question must be concrete, with no ability to enforce any invariants. Any change in this data type requires all clients to update their code. This paper introduces pattern synonyms, which allow programmers to abstract over patterns, painting over all the shortcomings listed above. Pattern synonyms are assigned types, enabling a compiler to check the validity of a synonym independent of its definition. These types are intricate; detailing how to assign a type to a pattern synonym is a key contribution of this work. We have implemented pattern synonyms in the Glasgow Haskell Compiler, where they have enjoyed immediate popularity, but we believe this feature could easily be exported to other languages that support pattern matching

Formal Validation of Pattern Matching code

When addressing the formal validation of generated software, two main alternatives consist either to prove the correctness of compilers or to directly validate the generated code. Here, we focus on directly proving the correctness of compiled code issued from powerful pattern matching constructions typical of ML like languages or rewrite based languages such as ELAN, MAUDE or Tom. In this context, our first contribution is to define a general framework for anchoring algebraic pattern-matching capabilities in existing languages like C, Java or ML. Then, using a just enough powerful intermediate language, we formalize the behavior of compiled code and define the correctness of compiled code with respect to pattern-matching behavior. This allows us to prove the equivalence of compiled code correctness with a generic first-order proposition whose proof could be achieved via a proof assistant or an automated theorem prover. We then extend these results to the multi-match situation characteristic of the ML like languages. The whole approach has been implemented on top of the Tom compiler and used to validate the syntactic matching code of the Tom compiler itself

Fuzzy Dynamic Discrimination Algorithms for Distributed Knowledge Management Systems

A reduction of the algorithmic complexity of the fuzzy inference engine has the following property: the inputs (the fuzzy rules and the fuzzy facts) can be divided in two parts, one being relatively constant for a long a time (the fuzzy rule or the knowledge model) when it is compared to the second part (the fuzzy facts) for every inference cycle. The occurrence of certain transformations over the constant part makes sense, in order to decrease the solution procurement time, in the case that the second part varies, but it is known at certain moments in time. The transformations attained in advance are called pre-processing or knowledge compilation. The use of variables in a Business Rule Management System knowledge representation allows factorising knowledge, like in classical knowledge based systems. The language of the first-degree predicates facilitates the formulation of complex knowledge in a rigorous way, imposing appropriate reasoning techniques. It is, thus, necessary to define the description method of fuzzy knowledge, to justify the knowledge exploiting efficiency when the compiling technique is used, to present the inference engine and highlight the functional features of the pattern matching and the state space processes. This paper presents the main results of our project PR356 for designing a compiler for fuzzy knowledge, like Rete compiler, that comprises two main components: a static fuzzy discrimination structure (Fuzzy Unification Tree) and the Fuzzy Variables Linking Network. There are also presented the features of the elementary pattern matching process that is based on the compiled structure of fuzzy knowledge. We developed fuzzy discrimination algorithms for Distributed Knowledge Management Systems (DKMSs). The implementations have been elaborated in a prototype system FRCOM (Fuzzy Rule COMpiler).Fuzzy Unification Tree, Dynamic Discrimination of Fuzzy Sets, DKMS, FRCOM

Peephole optimization of assembly language using regular expression pattern matching.

Producing compilers for high level computer languages is difficult. The early phases of the compiler, syntactical and lexical analysis, are well understood and have been automated. Code generation is more ad-hoc in both design and implementation. The code generators in use may be sufficiently complex that the output could benefit from additional optimization. This thesis describes current efforts . to produce peephole optimizers which perform optimizations on the compiler output. A case is presented for basing optimizations on human written rules. A peephole optimizer generator is presented which reads a rule language which includes regular expressions and produces an executable program which operates on the assembly language output from a compiler. The resultant program, named OP, implements the guidelines specified in the original specification. Pattern matching is used within OP to track both register assignments and the matching of rules. Therefore, regular expression notation is sufficient for generating peephole optimizers

MELT - a Translated Domain Specific Language Embedded in the GCC Compiler

The GCC free compiler is a very large software, compiling source in several languages for many targets on various systems. It can be extended by plugins, which may take advantage of its power to provide extra specific functionality (warnings, optimizations, source refactoring or navigation) by processing various GCC internal representations (Gimple, Tree, ...). Writing plugins in C is a complex and time-consuming task, but customizing GCC by using an existing scripting language inside is impractical. We describe MELT, a specific Lisp-like DSL which fits well into existing GCC technology and offers high-level features (functional, object or reflexive programming, pattern matching). MELT is translated to C fitted for GCC internals and provides various features to facilitate this. This work shows that even huge, legacy, software can be a posteriori extended by specifically tailored and translated high-level DSLs.Comment: In Proceedings DSL 2011, arXiv:1109.032