RFM manual : compiling RELFUN into the relational/functional machine

Abstract

The compilation of RELFUN programs consists of two main stages, horizontal transformations and vertical translations. The horizontal transformer performs both source-to-source steps into a subset of RELFUN and source-to-intermediate steps into a RELFUN-like language. The vertical translator is also divided into two phases, the classifier and the code generator. The classifier produces a declarative clause language; the code generator optimizes target code for underlying WAM emulators. These parts can be used incrementally-individually, as a relational/functional compilation laboratory, or batch-composed, as a complete RELFUN compiler. All intermediate steps employ explicit declarative representations, which can be displayed via RELFUN´s user interface. The compiler is implemented in a subset of COMMON LISP; one emulator runs in COMMON LISP, the other in ANSI C.