VisualLisa

VisualLISA is a visual programming environment for Attribute Grammar specifications.

The main objective is to allow language developers to design their attribute grammars with less mental effort, and later to translate the drawings into a LISA specification or into an abstract, and generic (generator independent) XML-representation for AGs.

VisualLisa uses Tkzinc as a canvas, and Tcl for high-level control of C and Java facilities.

The programming environment offers, essentially four facilities:

• The Editor, to draw the attribute grammar components (productions and semantic rules);
• The Syntactic Validator, to ckeck, at drawing-time, the structural correctness of the specification (according to VisualLISA meta-grammar), allowing a syntax-directed edition;
• The Semantic Validator, to check, on demand, the semantic correctness of the specification (according to VisualLISA meta-grammar). Some semantic tests are performed during edition, and an overall verification is automatically performed before code generation;
• The Code Generator, to translate the drawings (the AG specification modules) into LISA meta-language or into XAGra notation.