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A Transportable Programming Language (TPL) System. I. overview

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Abstract

A Transportable Programming Language, TPL, is defined as one that can be used to codeany program that will compile and correctly execute onany machine in a designated range. The range specifies only the minimum software and hardware needed to support the TPL. A HLL-TPL System is one that, in addition to supporting the TPL, can be used to transport any program coded in a dialect of the High-Level Language, HLL, so that it will compile and correctly execute on any machine in a designated range.

Methods of implementing a HLL-TPL System are reviewed and it is demonstrated that theSuperset Method, in which the Hypothetical Parent of the HLL (HPHLL) acts as the intermediate language between the dialects of a HLL, leads to a fully transportable High-Level Language—the HPHLL—whose only parameters are: The amount of memory available; and the maximum module size exclusive of arrays. The ongoing work to realize a production version of the FORTRAN-TPL system is described. Its essential characteristic is a fully transportable bifunctional FORTRAN-TPL compiler that converts a dialect of FORTRAN to the intermediate language, HPFORTRAN, and visa-versa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Auburn University, 36849, Auburn, Alabama

    P. A. D. de Maine & S. Leong

  2. Ballistic Missile Defense Advanced Technology Center, Huntsville, Alabama

    C. G. Davis

Authors
  1. P. A. D. de Maine
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  2. S. Leong
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  3. C. G. Davis
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de Maine, P.A.D., Leong, S. & Davis, C.G. A Transportable Programming Language (TPL) System. I. overview. International Journal of Computer and Information Sciences 14, 161–182 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00991004

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00991004

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