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A formal definition of a PL/I subset

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Programming Languages and Their Definition

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 177))

Abstract

This report provides a formal definition of large portions of the ECMA/ANSI proposed Standard PL/I language. The metalanguage used is described in the style of the "Mathematical Semantics". That is, the definition of PL/I is given by generating a function from a source program. A commentary is also provided to cover the less clear parts of the chosen model. For the convenience of the reader who wishes to have the commentary side by side with the formulae, the report is divided into two parts: Part I contains the description of the notation, the commentary and a cross-reference; Part II contains all the formulae.

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Abbreviations

aa:

activation identifiers

abs:

absolute

act:

action

addr:

address

ag:

aggregate

aid:

activation identifier

alloc:

allocate

approx:

approximate

arg:

argument

arith:

arithmetic

ass:

assign, assignment

atm:

atomic

augm:

augment[ed.]

auto:

automatic

bi:

builtin

bif:

builtin function

bin:

binary

bl[s]:

block[s]

bool:

boolean

boe:

block on-establishment

bp:

bound-pair

bp1:

bound-pair list

bs:

base

c:

cond-pref-set,context

cat:

concatenate

cbif:

condition built-in function

ccn:

comp-cond-nm

c-nm:

non-io-cond-nm or io-cond

ceil:

ceiling

char:

character

cl:

class

clng:

closing

cmp:

composite

cn:

cond-nm

comp:

computational, component (the latter used more often!)

compar:

compare

cond:

condition

conn:

connected

const:

constant

constr:

construct

cont:

content

conv:

conversion, convert

cprefs:

cond-pref-set

cpv:

cond-pv

ct1:

control

ctld:

controlled

cur:

current

dcl:

declaration

dcls:

declaration set

dd:

data-description

dec:

decimal

def:

defined

der:

derived

descr[s]:

descriptor[s]

dft:

default

digitl:

digit list

dim:

dimension

distr[ib]:

distributive

div:

divide

dsgn:

designator

dtp:

data-type

ebp:

evaluated bound-pair

edd:

evaluated data description

el:

element, elementary

elem:

element

enab:

enabled

env:

environment

eq:

equal

eu:

executable-unit

evd:

evaluated

eval:

evaluate

eval-1:

eval-to-left-value

ex-unit:

executable-unit

expr:

expression

ext:

external

fact:

factor

fct:

function

f:

field

fix:

fixed

flt:

float

fofl:

fixed overflow

fuid:

unique file identifier

ge:

greater or equal

gen:

generate

grp:

group

gt:

greater

hbound:

high bound

id[s]:

identifier[s]

im:

immediate

impl:

implementation

indep:

independent

indices:

set of index lists

indl:

list of indices

inf:

infix, information

init:

initial, initialize

init-wh-do:

DO statement with init and while

int:

internal

int:

interpret(in fn names)

intg:

integer

io:

input-output

ioc:

io-cond

iter:

iteractive, iteration

l:

list

l-:

location

lab:

label

lb:

lower bound

lbound:

low bound

le:

less than or equal

len:

length

loc[s]:

location[s]

locr:

locator

loe[r]:

local on-establishment [by reference]

lt:

less than

l-to-r:

left to right

max:

maximum

maxl:

maximum length

min:

minimum

mod:

modulo

mult:

multiply

ne:

not equal

nm[s]:

name[s]

nmd:

named

nod:

number-of-digits

num:

number,numeric

obs:

objects

ofl:

overflow

onsource:

onsource location

op:

operator

opng:

opening

opt[s]:

option[s]

ou:

on-unit

parm[s]:

parameter[s]

pdd:

parameter data descriptor

pos:

position

pos-cond-nm:

positive-condition-name

prec:

precision

pref[s]:

prefix[s]

proc:

procedure

prog:

program

prom:

promote

prop:

proper

ps:

proper statement

ptr:

pointer

pv:

pseudo variable

qual:

qualifier

r:

right

rec:

recursive

recity:

recursivity

ref:

reference

rel:

relevant

rep:

representation

res:

result

ret:

return

ret-descr:

returns-descriptor

rev:

revert

sc:

scalar

sdd:

statically determined data description

scomp:

static computational

sdtp:

static data description

sect:

section

sels:

selector set

sentry:

static entry data description

sig:

signal

snap:

SNAP or nil

snms:

statement names

snom comp:

static non-computational-

source:

onsource-char-str-val

spec:

specification

st[s]:

statement[s]

step-do:

DO statement with TO

stg:

storage

str:

string

strg:

string range

struct:

structure

strz:

stringsize

subjs:

subjects

subr:

subroutine

subrg:

subscript range

subscr:

subscript

substr:

substring

subt:

subtract

t:

text

targ:

target

term:

terminal

tp:

type

truth:

truth (truth value)

ub:

upper bound

udf:

undefined

ufl:

underflow

uid:

unique identifier

unal:

un-aligned

v:

value

val:

value

var:

variable

varity:

variability

vary:

variability

vr:

value reference

wh:

while

zdiv:

zerodivide

1-loc:

level-one location

References

  1. ECMA.TC10/ANSI.X3J1 PL/I BASIS/1–11 European Computer Manufacturers Association Feb. 1974, 346 p.

    Google Scholar 

  2. K. Walk, K. Alber, M. Fleck, H. Goldmann, P. Lauer, E. Moser, P. Oliva, H. Stigleitner, G. Zeisel Abstract Syntax and Interpretation of PL/I (ULD Version III) Techn. Report TR 25.098, IBM Lab. Vienna, Apr. 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  3. P. Lucas On Program Correctness and the Stepwise Development of Implementations Proceedings of the Congress on Theoretical Informatics, Pisa, March 1973, pp.219–251.

    Google Scholar 

  4. C. D. Allen, D. N. Chapman, C. B. Jones A Formal Definition of ALGOL 60 Techn. Report TR 12.105, IBM UK Labs Ltd., Aug. 1972, 197 p.

    Google Scholar 

  5. D. Scott, C. Strachey Toward a Mathematical Semantics for Computer Languages Techn. Monograph PRG-6, Oxford Univ. Computing Lab. Aug. 1971, 42 p.

    Google Scholar 

  6. H. Bekić Semantics of Parallel Programs Techn. Report, IBM Lab. Vienna (forthcoming)

    Google Scholar 

  7. P. J. Landin The Mechanical Evaluation of Expressions The Computer Journal, Vol.6 (1964) No.4; pp.308–320.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. H. Bekić, K. Walk Formalization of Storage Properties Symposium on Semantics of Algorithmic Languages Springer Lecture Notes in Mathematics, No. 188 (1970), p.28–61.

    Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IBM Laboratory Vienna, Austria

    H. Bekić, D. Bjørner, W. Henhapl, C. B. Jones & P. Lucas

Authors
  1. H. Bekić
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  2. D. Bjørner
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  3. W. Henhapl
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  4. C. B. Jones
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  5. P. Lucas
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Editor information

C. B. Jones

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© 1984 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Bekić, H., Bjørner, D., Henhapl, W., Jones, C.B., Lucas, P. (1984). A formal definition of a PL/I subset. In: Jones, C.B. (eds) Programming Languages and Their Definition. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 177. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0048942

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0048942

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-13378-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-38933-0

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