Re: Suggested dual human/binary interface for proc/devfs

[Jamie Lokier]

Olaf Titz wrote:
> > 	On subject of parsing, and genrating the text file:-
> > 1. parsing and generating is easy, if syntax is regular-expression rather
> > 	than CFG.
> 
> Exactly. And make it as simple RE as possible.
> 
> Olaf
> 
> (PS. to the one who asked: CFG=context-free grammar - the difference
> is that CFG allows for arbitrarily nested grouping while RE does not,
> and it follows that RE is much easier to parse with common tools like sed.)

Will just use a different common tool that can parse CFGs using an
RE-like syntax.  Oh, there don't seem to be any except Perl 5.000latest :-)

Anyway, it's been pointed out that the CFG and non-CFG suggestions are
in fact identical apart from a few character substitutions.  If you have
nesting, you need a state machine with your sed RE whatever the file
format.

-- Jamie