From: callahan@csee.wvu.edu
Date: Fri, 15 May 1998 13:14:30 -0400
From: "John R. Callahan" <callahan@csee.wvu.edu>
Subject: JTB questionnaire

Jens and Kevin,

Here are my answers to your questionnaire:

1. Please provide a short description of JTB as a recommendation to
someone who has never seen or used it before.

JTB is similar to NewYacc (see Purtilo/Callahan CACM Dec 89) in its
ability to specify parse tree traversals by associating "translations"
with specific grammar rules.  This is done via a Visitor class that
traverses the entire parse tree by default and then subclassing Visitor
and overriding specific grammar rules (which correspond to methods in the
subclass).  This is useful for source-to-source translations and source
extractions.

2. How would you classify your use of JTB?  What kind of work are you
doing or have you done using JTB?

I have developed a version of NewYacc called NewJacc that sits on top of
JTB (and JavaCC).  This extends the capabilities of JTB to handle simple
annotations (ala NewYacc) on grammars.

3. What is your opinion on JTB?  Didd you find the tool useful?  Please
rate it on a scale from 1 to 10 (worst to best).

Excellent tool!  Very useful. 9/10.  I find that access to NodeSequences,
Choices, etc. in the visit methods is slightly awkward.

4. Have you used other similar tools such as JJTree or ANTLR
(specifically, the tree-building aspect of it)?

Yes, but only an older version of JJTree.  I went to use JTB because
JJTree was too awkward.  I have not used ANTLR.

5. If you answered yes to number 4, how would you compare JTB with these
other tools?  Again, please rate it from 1 to 10 in comparison and
include anything you have to say, including comments on ease of use,
learning curve, etc.

9/10 for JTB over JJTree, but I understand that JJTree now has Visitors. 
I will probably build a version of NewJacc that works with both JTB and
JJTree


6. Please include below any other comments you have regarding JTB.  Feel 
free to include any suggestions for improvement.

Good job!


John R. Callahan
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Department of Computer Science & Electrical Engineering
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26505-6109
callahan@csee.wvu.edu
http://hopper.csee.wvu.edu/