An Extensible Translator-Generator for Use in Branch Software Construction

: Programming of technical tasks can often be viewed as translation from one formal language into another. Thus suitable translators can improve productivity. Depot4 is a metasystem for rapid development of translators. Its unique translation centered metalanguage is for efficiency and ease of use by non-experts. The implementation, which is by preprocessing, benefits from the innovative features of the Oberon System. A generalisation of the language notion accompanied by extensibility of the metasystem offer new ways of application. Some are illustrated by example. Keywords: Object-Oriented Programming; Automatic Programming; Compiling Techniques; Tools and Techniques; Metasystems; Oberon 1. Introduction The translator-generator Depot4 is the latest outcome in a line of projects. It was undertaken to combine practical experience and new software technologies into a state-of-the-art tool. Metasystems of the Depot family are closely related to compiler generators. They translate a gr..