I was hoping that you could help me with a little issue I am working on. I am trying to write a utility that will analyse a makefile, and create a target 'tree' from it. In preparation for this, I thought I would write out the Backus-Nour Fom of the various elements of a makefile, so that I could structure my app efficiently. I have enclosed my best analysis of the make document from the GNU manuals online. Below is the result of the first stab at BNF for an explicit rule. Could you kindly have a look at it,, and tell me if you see any errors. Many Thanks, Jack Explicit Rule Syntax rule: how to work with a target ( note: a rule may contain zero to many targets ) from http://www.gnu.org/manual/make-3.77/html_mono/make.html#SEC20 In general, a rule looks like this: targets : dependencies command ... or like this: targets : dependencies ; command command ... So from this we infer the following BNF statement (* a rule must start at the first character on a new line - no whitespace may proceed the identifier name of the rule*) rule = whitespace-, name,":",[dependancy-list], ([command-seperator], [command-list]) dependancy-list = [name], { (dependancy-seperator, name) }; (* when a command starts on a new line, it must be proceeded by a horizontal tabulation character*) command-list = command, {(command-seperator, command)}; command = name, [argument-list]; command-seperator = ";" | (new-line-char, horiz-tab-char); dependancy-seperator = {whitespace}, ",", {whitespace}; argument-list = name; {(whitespace, name)} name = letter, {letter | decimal-digit | full-stop }; whitespace = " " | horiz-tab-char; full-stop = "."; This message is for the named person's use only. It may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information. No confidentiality or privilege is waived or lost by any mistransmission. If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it and all copies of it from your system, destroy any hard copies of it and notify the sender. You must not, directly or indirectly, use, disclose, distribute, print, or copy any part of this message if you are not the intended recipient. CREDIT SUISSE GROUP and each of its subsidiaries each reserve the right to monitor all e-mail communications through its networks. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the message states otherwise and the sender is authorised to state them to be the views of any such entity.
