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Efficient LL(1) error correction and recovery using only insertions

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Abstract

An LL(1)-based error-corrector which operates by insertion-only is studied. The corrector is able to correct and parse any input string. It is efficient (linear in space and time requirements) and chooses least-cost insertions (as defined by the user) in correcting syntax errors. Moreover, the error-corrector can be generated automatically from the grammar and a table of terminal symbol insertion costs. This method is also very well suited for use as an automatic error-recovery technique in LL(1) parsers. The class of LL(1) grammars correctable by this method contains (with minor modifications) grammars used to specify most common programming languages. Preliminary results suggest that this method can be used to advantage in LL(1)-driven compilers.

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Author notes

  1. D. R. Milton

    Present address: Bell Laboratories, 60540, Naperville, Il.

  2. S. B. Quiring

    Present address: Intel Corporation, 95051, Santa Clara, Ca.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, WI, USA

    C. N. Fischer, D. R. Milton & S. B. Quiring

Authors
  1. C. N. Fischer
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  2. D. R. Milton
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  3. S. B. Quiring
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Additional information

Research supported in part by National Science Foundation Grant MCS78-02570

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Fischer, C.N., Milton, D.R. & Quiring, S.B. Efficient LL(1) error correction and recovery using only insertions. Acta Informatica 13, 141–154 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00263990

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00263990

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