Re: flex (was Re: [HACKERS] Installation procedure.) - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Thomas Lockhart
Subject Re: flex (was Re: [HACKERS] Installation procedure.)
Date
Msg-id 37A5AF5C.FA79A6DF@alumni.caltech.edu
Whole thread Raw
In response to flex (was Re: [HACKERS] Installation procedure.)  (Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>)
List pgsql-hackers
> BTW, does anyone understand *why* our lexer files require flex and not
> just garden-variety lex?  Would it be worth trying to make them more
> portable?

Some of the oldest and cruftiest AT&T lexers do not support the
concept of an exclusive start state, which we use extensively (it's my
fault; makes for *much* cleaner specifications).

Unfortunately, Sun adopted some SysV packages when they made the
switch from BSD, and got a bad lexer in the bargain. afaik, most other
systems ship a more capable package.

> Or perhaps we should ship pre-lexed derived files, as we do for the
> larger grammar files?

Yes, that would probably be a good idea...
                   - Thomas

-- 
Thomas Lockhart                lockhart@alumni.caltech.edu
South Pasadena, California


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