lexer_and_parser_definition.md

title
4. Lexer and Parser Definition

The lexer defines how the contents of a file is broken into tokens. The easiest way to create a lexer is to use JFlex

4.1. Define a lexer

Define /com/simpleplugin/Simple.flex file with rules for our lexer.

{% include /code_samples/simple_language_plugin/src/com/simpleplugin/Simple.flex %}

4.2. Generate a lexer class

Now we can generate a lexer class via JFlex Generator from the context menu or via ⌘⇧G shortcut on Simple.flex file. The Grammar-Kit plugin uses JFlex lexer generation. If you run it for the first time it will offer you to choose a folder to download the JFlex library and skeleton to. Choose the project root directory.

After that the IDE will generate lexer: com.simpleplugin.SimpleLexer.

4.3. Define an adapter

{% include /code_samples/simple_language_plugin/src/com/simpleplugin/SimpleLexerAdapter.java %}

4.4. Define a file

{% include /code_samples/simple_language_plugin/src/com/simpleplugin/psi/SimpleFile.java %}

4.5. Define a parser definition

{% include /code_samples/simple_language_plugin/src/com/simpleplugin/SimpleParserDefinition.java %}

4.6. Register the parser definition

<lang.parserDefinition language="Simple" implementationClass="com.simpleplugin.SimpleParserDefinition"/>

4.7. Run the project

Create a properties file with the following content:

# You are reading the ".properties" entry.
! The exclamation mark can also mark text as comments.
website = http://en.wikipedia.org/
language = English
# The backslash below tells the application to continue reading
# the value onto the next line.
message = Welcome to \
          Wikipedia!
# Add spaces to the key
key\ with\ spaces = This is the value that could be looked up with the key "key with spaces".
# Unicode
tab : \u0009

Now open the PsiViewer tool window and check how the lexer brake the content of the file into tokens, and the parser parsed the tokens into PSI elements.

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