Faculty of Engineering Handbook

COMPILER AND TRANSLATOR

Subject Code:	ECP3096
Objective:	To provide the basic understanding of computer compilers, translators and related issues.
Pre-Requisite:	ECP1016: Computer and Program Design
Credit Hours:	3
Contact Hours:	45 hours (lectures and tutorials)
Assessment:	Test/Quiz: 20% Assignment: 10% Tutorial: 10% Final Examination: 60%
References:	Thomas Pittman and James Peters, "The art of compiler design", Prentice-Hall, 1992. J. Elder, "Compiler Construction : A Recursive Decent Model", Prentice-Hall, 1994.

Course Contents

General Concepts
Introduction. Principles, techniques and tools. Properties and requirements of programming languages, design requirements. Representation. Syntactic specification of natural and programming languages.
Structure and Design
Compiler structure and design issues. Error analysis. Compile-time and run-time diagnostics. Symbol tables and their data structures. Translator structure and design issues. Implementation of translator.
Implementation and Interpretation
Lexical analysis. Finite state automata, token types, table-driven and hand-coded scanners. Syntax analysis. Top-down methods, LL parsers, LR parsers, precedence parsers. Intermediate languages. Syntax trees. Quadruplets and postfix notations.
Process Design
Organization of data storage in computer languages. Object code generation. Accessing of the operands.

Learning Outcome of Subject

At the completion of the subject, students should be able to:·

Design a FSA given a description of the lexical tokens of a language.

Write a syntax analyzer based on a FSA.

Design the BNF for a language.

Eliminate left recursion on a BNF.

Use a non-left-recursive BNF to produce a predictive top-down parser.

Show how bottom-up parsers solve the problem differently from top-down parsers.

Work in a team to produce a compiler or translator.

Programme Outcomes (% of contribution)

Ability to acquire and apply fundamental principles of science and engineering. - 10%

Capability to communicate effectively. - 5%

Acquisition of technical competence in specialized areas of engineering discipline. -40%

Ability to identify, formulate and model problems and find engineering solutions based on a system approach. 10%

Ability to conduct investigation and research on engineering problems in a chosen field of a study.- 10%

Understanding of the importance of sustainability and cost-effectiveness in design and development of engineering solutions. - 10%

Understanding and commitment to professional and ethical responsibilities. - 5%

Ability to work effectively as an individual and as a member/leader in a team. -10%