public abstract class Language extends java.lang.Object implements GenericTokens
Language interface provides methods for providing basic details of a language, such as the keywords, the comment delimiters, and the quote delimiters of a language. This is intended to provide clients with the ability to obtain a simple lexer implementation for a language without a lot of language-specific implementation details.
Clients that require more language-specific features or details will need to implement their own custom Lexer to accommodate the unique features of a given language.
The GenericLexer implementation is a concrete Lexer that was written for this Language API, can be used to instantiate a Lexer for a given Language implementation.
| Modifier and Type | Field and Description | 
|---|---|
protected BraceHelper | 
braceHelper  | 
static java.lang.String[] | 
EMPTY_ARRAY
Empty String array, useful when a language feature is not available. 
 | 
protected KeywordTable | 
keywordTable
Stores a keyword table, containing all of the keywords of this language. 
 | 
TK_CLOSE_BRACE, TK_FLOAT, TK_IDENTIFIER, TK_INTEGER, TK_KEYWORD, TK_MULTI_COMMENT, TK_OPEN_BRACE, TK_OPERATOR, TK_QUOTES, TK_SINGLE_COMMENT| Modifier | Constructor and Description | 
|---|---|
protected | 
Language()
Initializes the base  
Language abstract implementation. | 
| Modifier and Type | Method and Description | 
|---|---|
BraceHelper | 
getBraceHelper()
Fetches a brace helper for this language that has useful routines for a brace matching implementation. 
 | 
abstract java.lang.String[][] | 
getBraces()
Fetches an array of String arrays, each of which represent a pair of matched braces. 
 | 
abstract java.lang.String[] | 
getHexadecimals()
Fetches an array of prefix used to start a hexadecimal integer literal if the language supports integer literals. 
 | 
abstract java.lang.String[] | 
getKeywords()
Fetches an array of the keywords in this language. 
 | 
protected KeywordTable | 
getKeywordTable()
Returns a  
KeywordTable for this language, based on the keywords supported, and whether the language is case-sensitive or not. | 
abstract java.lang.String[][] | 
getMultiLineComments()
Fetches an array of String arrays, each of which represents a multi-line comment. 
 | 
abstract java.lang.String[] | 
getOctals()
Fetches an array of prefixes used to start an octal integer literal if the language supports integer literals. 
 | 
java.lang.String[] | 
getOperators()
Fetches an array of Strings, each of which represent an operator in the given language. 
 | 
abstract java.lang.String[][] | 
getQuotes()
Fetches an array of String arrays, each of which represents a type of quote. 
 | 
abstract java.lang.String[] | 
getSingleLineComments()
Fetches an array of Strings, each of which can be used to start a single-lined comment in this language. 
 | 
abstract boolean | 
isCaseSensitive()
Fetches whether this language (i.e., keywords) is case sensitive or not. 
 | 
abstract boolean | 
isIdentifierCharacter(char c)
Fetches whether the specified character can be part of an identifier (or keyword.) Consecutive sequence of characters, all of which return true for isIdentifierCharacter(), that do not match a keyword will generate a  
TK_IDENTIFIER token by the GenericLexer (assuming if course that those characters are not contained in a comment or string literal.) | 
abstract boolean | 
usesFloats()
Fetches whether this language has floating point literals. 
 | 
abstract boolean | 
usesIntegers()
Fetches whether the language has integer literals. 
 | 
protected KeywordTable keywordTable
protected BraceHelper braceHelper
public static final java.lang.String[] EMPTY_ARRAY
protected Language()
Language abstract implementation.public abstract boolean isCaseSensitive()
public abstract boolean isIdentifierCharacter(char c)
TK_IDENTIFIER token by the GenericLexer (assuming if course that those characters are not contained in a comment or string literal.)c - the character to checkpublic abstract java.lang.String[] getKeywords()
protected KeywordTable getKeywordTable()
KeywordTable for this language, based on the keywords supported, and whether the language is case-sensitive or not.KeywordTable for this languagepublic abstract java.lang.String[] getSingleLineComments()
public abstract java.lang.String[][] getMultiLineComments()
public abstract java.lang.String[][] getQuotes()
public abstract java.lang.String[][] getBraces()
public java.lang.String[] getOperators()
public abstract boolean usesIntegers()
public abstract boolean usesFloats()
public abstract java.lang.String[] getOctals()
public abstract java.lang.String[] getHexadecimals()
public BraceHelper getBraceHelper()