Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!husc6!necntc!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!decvax!ima!johnl From: jbn@glacier.STANFORD.EDU (John B. Nagle) Newsgroups: comp.compilers Subject: Re: Request comments on text. (Compiler textbooks) Message-ID: <608@ima.ISC.COM> Date: Sat, 4-Jul-87 17:32:36 EDT Article-I.D.: ima.608 Posted: Sat Jul 4 17:32:36 1987 Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jul-87 00:51:33 EDT References: <252@hubcap.UUCP> Sender: johnl@ima.ISC.COM Reply-To: harvard!seismo!glacier!jbn (John B. Nagle) Organization: Stanford University Lines: 19 Approved: compilers@ima.UUCP The "dragon book", ("Principles of Compiler Design"), is a bit weak in the optimization area. There's an extensive treatise on some of the applicable graph theory, but not much guidance about what really ought to be in an optimizing compiler and how to organize it. There's a recent book published by Digital Press (unfortunately the title escapes me) which describes the optimizer for the VAX PL/1 and C compilers in some detail. This book is weak on theory but gives a clear idea of what really goes on inside a big compiler. [It's "Engineering a Compiler: VAX-11 Code Generation and Optimization," by Anklam et al. It talks in considerable detail about the VAX PL/I code generator, but hardly at all about the front end which they bought from someone else. -John] After reading both of the above, one should have an idea of how to approach the problem. (Given the present glut of mediocre compilers, there's not much reason to write another one rather than porting something widely available, unless your needs are very specialized.) John Nagle -- Send compilers articles to ima!compilers or, in a pinch, to Levine@YALE.ARPA Plausible paths are { ihnp4 | decvax | cbosgd | harvard | yale | cca}!ima Please send responses to the originator of the message -- I cannot forward mail accidentally sent back to compilers. Meta-mail to ima!compilers-request