为什么在表达式解析器中`TokPrec < NextPrec` 时运算符优先级必须增加 1？

Question

The code in appendix from LLVM tutorial Kaleidoscope: Implementing a Parser and AST -> Chapter 2 -> Binary Expression Parsing is a simple lexer and parser.

Below is a snippet from the expression parser section:

if (TokPrec < NextPrec) {
  RHS = ParseBinOpRHS(TokPrec+1, std::move(RHS));
  if (!RHS)
    return nullptr;
}

Questions

Is TokPrec+1 in this snippet necessary? Are there any problems if I use TokPrec ?

---

You can use the following commands to compile and run appendix:

# Compile
clang++ -g -O3 toy.cpp `llvm-config --cxxflags`
# Run
./a.out

---

Appendix

#include <cctype>
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <map>
#include <memory>
#include <string>
#include <utility>
#include <vector>

//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
// Lexer
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//

// The lexer returns tokens [0-255] if it is an unknown character, otherwise one
// of these for known things.
enum Token {
  tok_eof = -1,

  // commands
  tok_def = -2,
  tok_extern = -3,

  // primary
  tok_identifier = -4,
  tok_number = -5
};

static std::string IdentifierStr; // Filled in if tok_identifier
static double NumVal;             // Filled in if tok_number

/// gettok - Return the next token from standard input.
static int gettok() {
  static int LastChar = ' ';

  // Skip any whitespace.
  while (isspace(LastChar))
    LastChar = getchar();

  if (isalpha(LastChar)) { // identifier: [a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*
    IdentifierStr = LastChar;
    while (isalnum((LastChar = getchar())))
      IdentifierStr += LastChar;

    if (IdentifierStr == "def")
      return tok_def;
    if (IdentifierStr == "extern")
      return tok_extern;
    return tok_identifier;
  }

  if (isdigit(LastChar) || LastChar == '.') { // Number: [0-9.]+
    std::string NumStr;
    do {
      NumStr += LastChar;
      LastChar = getchar();
    } while (isdigit(LastChar) || LastChar == '.');

    NumVal = strtod(NumStr.c_str(), nullptr);
    return tok_number;
  }

  if (LastChar == '#') {
    // Comment until end of line.
    do
      LastChar = getchar();
    while (LastChar != EOF && LastChar != '\n' && LastChar != '\r');

    if (LastChar != EOF)
      return gettok();
  }

  // Check for end of file.  Don't eat the EOF.
  if (LastChar == EOF)
    return tok_eof;

  // Otherwise, just return the character as its ascii value.
  int ThisChar = LastChar;
  LastChar = getchar();
  return ThisChar;
}

//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
// Abstract Syntax Tree (aka Parse Tree)
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//

namespace {

/// ExprAST - Base class for all expression nodes.
class ExprAST {
public:
  virtual ~ExprAST() = default;
};

/// NumberExprAST - Expression class for numeric literals like "1.0".
class NumberExprAST : public ExprAST {
  double Val;

public:
  NumberExprAST(double Val) : Val(Val) {}
};

/// VariableExprAST - Expression class for referencing a variable, like "a".
class VariableExprAST : public ExprAST {
  std::string Name;

public:
  VariableExprAST(const std::string &Name) : Name(Name) {}
};

/// BinaryExprAST - Expression class for a binary operator.
class BinaryExprAST : public ExprAST {
  char Op;
  std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> LHS, RHS;

public:
  BinaryExprAST(char Op, std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> LHS,
                std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> RHS)
      : Op(Op), LHS(std::move(LHS)), RHS(std::move(RHS)) {}
};

/// CallExprAST - Expression class for function calls.
class CallExprAST : public ExprAST {
  std::string Callee;
  std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ExprAST>> Args;

public:
  CallExprAST(const std::string &Callee,
              std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ExprAST>> Args)
      : Callee(Callee), Args(std::move(Args)) {}
};

/// PrototypeAST - This class represents the "prototype" for a function,
/// which captures its name, and its argument names (thus implicitly the number
/// of arguments the function takes).
class PrototypeAST {
  std::string Name;
  std::vector<std::string> Args;

public:
  PrototypeAST(const std::string &Name, std::vector<std::string> Args)
      : Name(Name), Args(std::move(Args)) {}

  const std::string &getName() const { return Name; }
};

/// FunctionAST - This class represents a function definition itself.
class FunctionAST {
  std::unique_ptr<PrototypeAST> Proto;
  std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> Body;

public:
  FunctionAST(std::unique_ptr<PrototypeAST> Proto,
              std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> Body)
      : Proto(std::move(Proto)), Body(std::move(Body)) {}
};

} // end anonymous namespace

//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
// Parser
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//

/// CurTok/getNextToken - Provide a simple token buffer.  CurTok is the current
/// token the parser is looking at.  getNextToken reads another token from the
/// lexer and updates CurTok with its results.
static int CurTok;
static int getNextToken() { return CurTok = gettok(); }

/// BinopPrecedence - This holds the precedence for each binary operator that is
/// defined.
static std::map<char, int> BinopPrecedence;

/// GetTokPrecedence - Get the precedence of the pending binary operator token.
static int GetTokPrecedence() {
  if (!isascii(CurTok))
    return -1;

  // Make sure it's a declared binop.
  int TokPrec = BinopPrecedence[CurTok];
  if (TokPrec <= 0)
    return -1;
  return TokPrec;
}

/// LogError* - These are little helper functions for error handling.
std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> LogError(const char *Str) {
  fprintf(stderr, "Error: %s\n", Str);
  return nullptr;
}
std::unique_ptr<PrototypeAST> LogErrorP(const char *Str) {
  LogError(Str);
  return nullptr;
}

static std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> ParseExpression();

/// numberexpr ::= number
static std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> ParseNumberExpr() {
  auto Result = std::make_unique<NumberExprAST>(NumVal);
  getNextToken(); // consume the number
  return std::move(Result);
}

/// parenexpr ::= '(' expression ')'
static std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> ParseParenExpr() {
  getNextToken(); // eat (.
  auto V = ParseExpression();
  if (!V)
    return nullptr;

  if (CurTok != ')')
    return LogError("expected ')'");
  getNextToken(); // eat ).
  return V;
}

/// identifierexpr
///   ::= identifier
///   ::= identifier '(' expression* ')'
static std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> ParseIdentifierExpr() {
  std::string IdName = IdentifierStr;

  getNextToken(); // eat identifier.

  if (CurTok != '(') // Simple variable ref.
    return std::make_unique<VariableExprAST>(IdName);

  // Call.
  getNextToken(); // eat (
  std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ExprAST>> Args;
  if (CurTok != ')') {
    while (true) {
      if (auto Arg = ParseExpression())
        Args.push_back(std::move(Arg));
      else
        return nullptr;

      if (CurTok == ')')
        break;

      if (CurTok != ',')
        return LogError("Expected ')' or ',' in argument list");
      getNextToken();
    }
  }

  // Eat the ')'.
  getNextToken();

  return std::make_unique<CallExprAST>(IdName, std::move(Args));
}

/// primary
///   ::= identifierexpr
///   ::= numberexpr
///   ::= parenexpr
static std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> ParsePrimary() {
  switch (CurTok) {
  default:
    return LogError("unknown token when expecting an expression");
  case tok_identifier:
    return ParseIdentifierExpr();
  case tok_number:
    return ParseNumberExpr();
  case '(':
    return ParseParenExpr();
  }
}

/// binoprhs
///   ::= ('+' primary)*
static std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> ParseBinOpRHS(int ExprPrec,
                                              std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> LHS) {
  // If this is a binop, find its precedence.
  while (true) {
    int TokPrec = GetTokPrecedence();

    // If this is a binop that binds at least as tightly as the current binop,
    // consume it, otherwise we are done.
    if (TokPrec < ExprPrec)
      return LHS;

    // Okay, we know this is a binop.
    int BinOp = CurTok;
    getNextToken(); // eat binop

    // Parse the primary expression after the binary operator.
    auto RHS = ParsePrimary();
    if (!RHS)
      return nullptr;

    // If BinOp binds less tightly with RHS than the operator after RHS, let
    // the pending operator take RHS as its LHS.
    int NextPrec = GetTokPrecedence();
    if (TokPrec < NextPrec) {
      RHS = ParseBinOpRHS(TokPrec + 1, std::move(RHS));
      if (!RHS)
        return nullptr;
    }

    // Merge LHS/RHS.
    LHS =
        std::make_unique<BinaryExprAST>(BinOp, std::move(LHS), std::move(RHS));
  }
}

/// expression
///   ::= primary binoprhs
///
static std::unique_ptr<ExprAST> ParseExpression() {
  auto LHS = ParsePrimary();
  if (!LHS)
    return nullptr;

  return ParseBinOpRHS(0, std::move(LHS));
}

/// prototype
///   ::= id '(' id* ')'
static std::unique_ptr<PrototypeAST> ParsePrototype() {
  if (CurTok != tok_identifier)
    return LogErrorP("Expected function name in prototype");

  std::string FnName = IdentifierStr;
  getNextToken();

  if (CurTok != '(')
    return LogErrorP("Expected '(' in prototype");

  std::vector<std::string> ArgNames;
  while (getNextToken() == tok_identifier)
    ArgNames.push_back(IdentifierStr);
  if (CurTok != ')')
    return LogErrorP("Expected ')' in prototype");

  // success.
  getNextToken(); // eat ')'.

  return std::make_unique<PrototypeAST>(FnName, std::move(ArgNames));
}

/// definition ::= 'def' prototype expression
static std::unique_ptr<FunctionAST> ParseDefinition() {
  getNextToken(); // eat def.
  auto Proto = ParsePrototype();
  if (!Proto)
    return nullptr;

  if (auto E = ParseExpression())
    return std::make_unique<FunctionAST>(std::move(Proto), std::move(E));
  return nullptr;
}

/// toplevelexpr ::= expression
static std::unique_ptr<FunctionAST> ParseTopLevelExpr() {
  if (auto E = ParseExpression()) {
    // Make an anonymous proto.
    auto Proto = std::make_unique<PrototypeAST>("__anon_expr",
                                                std::vector<std::string>());
    return std::make_unique<FunctionAST>(std::move(Proto), std::move(E));
  }
  return nullptr;
}

/// external ::= 'extern' prototype
static std::unique_ptr<PrototypeAST> ParseExtern() {
  getNextToken(); // eat extern.
  return ParsePrototype();
}

//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
// Top-Level parsing
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//

static void HandleDefinition() {
  if (ParseDefinition()) {
    fprintf(stderr, "Parsed a function definition.\n");
  } else {
    // Skip token for error recovery.
    getNextToken();
  }
}

static void HandleExtern() {
  if (ParseExtern()) {
    fprintf(stderr, "Parsed an extern\n");
  } else {
    // Skip token for error recovery.
    getNextToken();
  }
}

static void HandleTopLevelExpression() {
  // Evaluate a top-level expression into an anonymous function.
  if (ParseTopLevelExpr()) {
    fprintf(stderr, "Parsed a top-level expr\n");
  } else {
    // Skip token for error recovery.
    getNextToken();
  }
}

/// top ::= definition | external | expression | ';'
static void MainLoop() {
  while (true) {
    fprintf(stderr, "ready> ");
    switch (CurTok) {
    case tok_eof:
      return;
    case ';': // ignore top-level semicolons.
      getNextToken();
      break;
    case tok_def:
      HandleDefinition();
      break;
    case tok_extern:
      HandleExtern();
      break;
    default:
      HandleTopLevelExpression();
      break;
    }
  }
}

//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
// Main driver code.
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//

int main() {
  // Install standard binary operators.
  // 1 is lowest precedence.
  BinopPrecedence['<'] = 10;
  BinopPrecedence['+'] = 20;
  BinopPrecedence['-'] = 20;
  BinopPrecedence['*'] = 40; // highest.

  // Prime the first token.
  fprintf(stderr, "ready> ");
  getNextToken();

  // Run the main "interpreter loop" now.
  MainLoop();

  return 0;
}

Answer 1

All of Kaleidoscope's operators are left-associative, which allows a simplification in the operator-precedence algorithm, at the cost of a lack of flexibility [Note 1]. So it probably is not a good basis for implementing operator-precedence parsers.

The main loop in ParseBinOp combines a series of equal-precedence operators, avoiding recursion. When it encounters a higher precedence operator, though, it must recurse, and it needs to do so in a way that will not absorb too much of the rest of the expression. In particular, the recursive call must not absorb an operator of equal precedence. Hence the + 1 .

If you remove the +1 then certain expressions will be parsed as though some of their operators were right-associative. It might be a bit tricky to find a counterexample, particularly since the only non-commutative operators are - and < . Without actually trying, I guess that you would get an incorrect parse of ab*cd .

---

Notes:

1. This comes home to roost later, when assignment is added to the language. Assignment is usually right-associative to allow chained assignments, but Kaleidoscope forces the use of parentheses: x = ( y = 0 ) .