Top Down Parsing Algorithms

Lecture 9
Topics Covered in Lecture 8
• Concept about top down parsing

• Using derivations to find a parse tree for

any input

• Concept about back tracking

• When to use back tracking while making a

parse tree.

3
 1. Recursive Descent Parsing
• A general form of top-down parsing where
backtracking may be involved.
• Involves repeated attempts to get the
correct output

4
 How RDP Works ? Learn by
Example
• Consider the grammar:
– S -> cAd | bd
– A -> ab | a
• Input string is “cad”.

5
 How RDP Works ? Learn by
Example
• Consider the S

grammar:
– S -> cAd | bd
– A -> ab | a c A d

• Input string is “cad”.

c Matched ! !

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 How RDP Works ? Learn by
Example
• Consider the S
grammar:
– S -> cAd | bd
– A -> ab | a c A d

• Input string is “cad”.

a b

a Matched ! !

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 How RDP Works ? Learn by
Example
• Consider the S
grammar:
– S -> cAd | bd
– A -> ab | a c A d

• Input string is “cad”.

a b

b and d do not Match ! !

8
 How RDP Works ? Learn by
Example
S
• Consider the
grammar:
– S -> cAd | bd
c A d
– A -> ab | a

• Input string is “cad”.

Backtrack and try alternative production

9
 How RDP Works ? Learn by
Example
• Consider the S

grammar:
– S -> cAd | bd
c
– A -> ab | a A d

• Input string is “cad”.

a

a Matched ! !

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 How RDP Works ? Learn by
Example
S
• Consider the
grammar:
– S -> cAd | bd c A d
– A -> ab | a

• Input string is “cad”.

a

d Matched ! !

11
 Problem with RDP
• EE+T
E
|E–T
|T
E + T
• Input string
2+5-9
E + T

E + T

Infinite loop

E + T

12
 Hence, we can conclude
• A left recursive grammar shall cause a
recursive descent parser to go in an
infinite loop
• Therefore, we need to improve the
algorithm

13
 Implementation: RD Parser
• View the production rule for a non terminal
symbol “A” as a definition for a procedure that
will recognize the symbol “A”.
• The RHS of the production rule for “A” specifies
the structure of the code for this procedure.
• The sequence of terminals and non terminals in
a choice correspond to matches of the input
string and calls to other procedures.
• While choices correspond to alternative (case or
if-stat) within the code

14
 Implementation: RD Parser
• Let the grammar be:
S  AB
AC|D
B  eD | CD
Operation of RDP:
• In attempt to accomplish its goal for recognizing S (start symbol), it
will restate that goal as first recognizing “A” in the input sentence
and then recognizing “B” in the remainder part of the input string.
• In attempting to recognize “A”, it will use the second production.
• If it recognizes “C” or “D”, it will have achieved its goal of
recognizing “A”.
• In recognizing “B”, it will use third production rule.
• The goal will be satisfied, if the parser matches “eD” or “CD” with
the remaining part of input string.
• And so on…
15
 2. Predictive Parsing
• To construct a predictive parser, we must know, given the current
input symbol “s” and the non-terminal “A” to be expanded, which
one of the alternatives of production is the unique alternative and
derives a string beginning with “s”.
– A  α1 | α2 | …. | αn
• Proper alternative must be detectable by looking at only the first
symbol it derives.
• A special case of recursive descent parsing that needs no back
tracking
• Obtained as a result of eliminating left recursion from a grammar
and left factoring it.
• Implementation is very easy, uses the method discussed earlier.

16
 Left Factoring
Let the grammar be:
Exp:
Aαβ|αγ
Let the grammar be:
where α is not null
A  cD | cF

Can be redesigned:
Can be redesigned:
A  α A1
A  c A1
A1  β | γ
A1  D | F

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 Left Recursive
Let the grammar be: Exp:
AAα|β E→ E + T | T
Can be redesigned: Can be redesigned:
A  β A’ A=E
α = +T
A’  α A’ | ε
β=T
So,
E  T E’
E’  +T E’ | ε

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 Transition Diagram
• Purpose:
– Transition Diagram is used as a plan for
predictive parser
• One diagram for each non – terminal
• Edges are labeled by tokens or non
terminals
• Transition on a terminal
– Take transition if the token is the next input
symbol
• Transition on non – terminal
– Call of procedure for the non - terminal 19
 How to construct a TD for
predictive parser
• Step 1 :
• Eliminate left – recursion from the grammar
• Step 2 :
• Left factor the grammar
• Step 3:
• For each non – terminal create an initial and final
state
• For each production create a path from an initial
state to the final state.

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 Learn by Example
• Original Grammar • Transformed Grammar

– E→ E + T | T – E  TE ’
– T→ T * F | F – E’ + TE ’
– F→ ( E ) | id |Є
– T FT ’
– T’  * FT ’
|Є
– F(E)
| id

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 Learn by Example
• Grammar T E’
E: 0 1 2

– E  TE’
– E’ + TE’ + T E’
E’: 3 4 5 6
|Є
– T FT’ Є

– T’  * FT’
|Є
– F  (E)
| id
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 Learn by Example
• Grammar

– E  TE’ F
T’

– E’ + TE’ T: 7 8 9

|Є
– T FT’ * F T’
T’: 10 11 12 13
– T’  * FT’
Є
|Є
– F  (E)
| id
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 Learn by Example
• Grammar

( E )
– E  TE’ 14 15 16 17
F:
– E’ + TE’
id
|Є
– T FT’
– T’  * FT’
|Є
– F  (E)
| id
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 T E’

Finally E: 0 1 2

+ T E’
E’: 3 4 5 6
• Grammar
Є

F T’
– E  TE’ T: 7 8 9
– E’ + TE’
|Є F T’
*
– T FT’ T’: 10 11 12 13

– T’  * FT’ Є
|Є ( E )
– F  (E) F: 14 15 16 17
| id id
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Lets Simplify and Optimize our
Transition Diagrams
 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Example
• Grammar

– E  TE’ T E’
E: 0 1 2
– E’ +TE’
| + T E’
E’: 3 4 5 6
Є
– T FT’ Є

– T’  * FT’
|Є
Lets Optimize E !
– F  (E)
| id
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 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Example
+ T E’
• Grammar E’: 3 4 5 6

--E  TE’ Є

– E’ + TE’ Є
|Є + T
E’: 3 4 5
– T FT’
– T’  * FT’ Є
6
|Є T
– F  (E)
| id 3
+
4
E’:
Є
6 28
 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Example
• Grammar 0
T
1
E’
2
E:
T
– E  TE’
– E’ + TE’ +
E’: 3 4
|Є
Є
– T FT’ 6

– T’  * FT’ T
|Є
– F  (E) T +
0 3 4
| id E:
Є
6 29
 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Example
T
• Grammar
+
-- E  TE’ E: 0
T
3 4
– E’ + TE’ Є
6
|Є
– T FT’
– T’  * FT’ +
|Є
T
– F  (E) E: 0 3
| id Є
6
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 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Doing
• Grammar
– E  TE’
– E’ + TE’ T: 7 8 9

|Є
– T FT’ * F T’
T’: 10 11 12 13
– T’  * FT’
|Є Є

– F  (E)
| id See if you can optimize T !

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 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Doing
* F T’
T’: 10 11 12 13
• Grammar
Є
– E  TE’
– E’ + TE’ Є

|Є * F
T’: 10 11 12
– T FT’
Є
– T’  * FT’ 13
|Є F

– F  (E)
| id *
T’: 10 11

Є
13 32
 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Doing
F T’
• Grammar T: 7 8 9

– E  TE’ F

– E’ + TE’
|Є *
T’: 10 11
– T FT’ Є
13
– T’  * FT’
|Є F
– F  (E)
| id F *
T: 7 10 11

Є
13 33
 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Doing
F
• Grammar
F *
– E  TE’ T: 7 10 11

– E’ + TE’ Є
13
|Є
– T FT’
*
– T’  * FT’
|Є F
T: 7 10
– F  (E)
Є
| id 13

34
 Optimizing Transition Diagram –
Learn by Doing
• Grammar
– E  TE’
– E’ + TE’ ( E )
|Є F: 14 15 16 17
– T FT’ id
– T’  * FT’
|Є
See if you can optimize F !
– F  (E)
| id Can not be further optimized!!!

35
Optimized Transition
+ Diagrams
• Grammar E: 0
T
3

Є
* 6
– E  TE’
– E’ + TE’ F
7 10
|Є T:
Є
– T FT’ 13
– T’  * FT’
( E )
|Є F: 14 15 16 17
– F  (E) id
| id
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Why should we do optimizing at
all ?
• Because !!!

• An implementation of un - optimized
transition diagram for a predictive parser is
20 % slower than that of a optimized
transition diagram !!!

37
 Exercise
• Grammar
• Set of terminals
Expr  Expr + Term – { +, -, *, /, Int }
| Expr - Term
• Set of Non terminals
| Term
– { Start, Expr, Term }

Term  Term * num • Draw optimized transition

| Term / num diagrams for implementing
| num a predictive parser for this
grammar !!!

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Let’s Revise !!!
 Recursive Descent Parsing
• A general form of top-down parsing where
backtracking may be involved.
• Involves repeated attempts to get the
correct output
• brute-force type of parsing
• outdated, just because there are much
better methods of parsing which we will be
discussing later
40
• Why does Recursive Descent Parser fail
at particular conditions ?

• Solution : We need a predictive parser

41
 Predictive Parsing
• A special case of recursive descent
parsing that needs no back tracking

• Obtained as a result of eliminating left

recursion from a grammar and left
factoring it.

• The proper production is predicted on the

basis of its first symbol.
42
Transition Diagram as a plan
for Predictive Parsing
 How to construct a TD for
predictive parser
• Step 1 :
• Eliminate left – recursion from the grammar
• Step 2 :
• Left factor the grammar
• Step 3:
• For each non – terminal create an initial and final
state
• For each production create a path from an initial
state to the final state.

44
• Need for optimizing Transition Diagrams

• Know the reason why !!

45
 Homework :
• The language for which you have built your
lexical analyzer must have some rules for
construction of valid statements.
• Explain the rules in terms of productions (e.g.
the example done for TD was a rule for
arithmetic expressions)
• Make Transition Diagrams and optimize them
• This will become the first step towards
building your parser !!

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