[/==============================================================================
    Copyright (C) 2001-2011 Joel de Guzman
    Copyright (C) 2001-2011 Hartmut Kaiser

    Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
    file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
===============================================================================/]

[section:nonterminal Nonterminal Parsers]

[heading Module Headers]

    // forwards to <boost/spirit/home/qi/nonterminal.hpp>
    #include <boost/spirit/include/qi_nonterminal.hpp>

Also, see __include_structure__.

[/------------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[section:rule Parser Rule]

[heading Description]

The rule is a polymorphic parser that acts as a named placeholder
capturing the behavior of a __peg__ expression assigned to it. Naming a
__peg__ expression allows it to be referenced later and makes it
possible for the rule to call itself. This is one of the most important
mechanisms and the reason behind the word "recursive" in recursive
descent parsing.

[heading Header]

    // forwards to <boost/spirit/home/qi/nonterminal/rule.hpp>
    #include <boost/spirit/include/qi_rule.hpp>

Also, see __include_structure__.

[heading Namespace]

[table
    [[Name]]
    [[`boost::spirit::qi::rule`]]
]

[heading Synopsis]

    template <typename Iterator, typename A1, typename A2, typename A3>
    struct rule;

[heading Template parameters]

[table
    [[Parameter]            [Description]                   [Default]]
    [[`Iterator`]           [The underlying iterator
                            type that the rule is
                            expected to work on.]           [none]]
    [[`A1`, `A2`, `A3`]     [Either `Signature`,
                            `Skipper` or `Locals` in
                            any order. See table below.]    [See table below.]]
]

Here is more information about the template parameters:

[table
    [[Parameter]            [Description]                   [Default]]
    [[`Signature`]          [Specifies the rule's synthesized
                            (return value) and inherited
                            attributes (arguments). More on
                            this here: __qi_nonterminal__.] [__unused_type__.
                                                            When `Signature` defaults
                                                            to __unused_type__, the effect
                                                            is the same as specifying a signature
                                                            of `void()` which is also equivalent
                                                            to `unused_type()`]]
    [[`Skipper`]            [Specifies the rule's skipper
                            parser. Specify this if you
                            want the rule to skip white
                            spaces. If this is not specified,
                            the rule is an "implicit lexeme"
                            and will not skip spaces.
                            "implicit lexeme" rules can
                            still be called with a skipper.
                            In such a case, the rule does a
                            pre-skip just as all lexemes
                            and primitives do.]             [__unused_type__]]
    [[`Locals`]             [Specifies the rule's local
                            variables.
                            See __qi_nonterminal__.]        [__unused_type__]]
]

[heading Model of]

[:__qi_nonterminal__]

[variablelist Notation
    [[`r, r2`]                      [Rules]]
    [[`p`]                          [A parser expression]]
    [[`Iterator`]                   [The underlying iterator type that the rule is
                                    expected to work on.]]
    [[`A1`, `A2`, `A3`]             [Either `Signature`, `Skipper` or `Locals` in
                                    any order.]]
]

[heading Expression Semantics]

Semantics of an expression is defined only where it differs from, or is
not defined in __qi_nonterminal__.

[table
    [[Expression]                               [Description]]
    [[
``rule<Iterator, A1, A2, A3>
    r(name);``]                                 [Rule declaration. `Iterator` is required.
                                                `A1, A2, A3` are optional and can be specified in any order.
                                                `name` is an optional string that gives the rule
                                                its name, useful for debugging and error handling.]]
    [[
``rule<Iterator, A1, A2, A3>
    r(r2);``]                                   [Copy construct rule `r` from rule `r2`.]]
    [[`r = r2;`]                                [Assign rule `r2` to `r`.]]
    [[`r.alias()`]                              [return an alias of `r`. The alias is a parser that
                                                holds a reference to `r`.]]
    [[`r.copy()`]                               [Get a copy of `r`.]]
    [[`r = p;`]                                 [Rule definition. This is equivalent to `r %= p`
                                                (see below) if there are no semantic actions attached
                                                anywhere in `p`.]]
    [[`r %= p;`]                                [Auto-rule definition. The attribute of `p` must be
                                                compatible with the synthesized attribute of `r`. If `p`
                                                is successful, its attribute is automatically propagated
                                                to `r`'s synthesized attribute.  Semantic actions, if present,
                                                may not change the attribute's type.]]
    [[`r.name()`]                               [Retrieve the current name of the rule object.]]
    [[`r.name(name)`]                           [Set the current name of the rule object to be `name`.]]
]

[heading Attributes]

[:The parser attribute of the rule is `T`, its synthesized attribute. See
__qi_nonterminal_attribute__]

[heading Complexity]

[:The complexity is defined by the complexity of the RHS parser, `p`]

[heading Example]

[note The test harness for the example(s) below is presented in the
__qi_basics_examples__ section.]

[reference_rule]

[endsect] [/ Rule]

[/------------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[section:grammar Parser Grammar]

[heading Description]

The grammar encapsulates a set of __qi_rules__ (as well as primitive
parsers (__primitive_parser_concept__) and sub-grammars). The grammar is
the main mechanism for modularization and composition. Grammars can be
composed to form more complex grammars.

[heading Header]

    // forwards to <boost/spirit/home/qi/nonterminal/grammar.hpp>
    #include <boost/spirit/include/qi_grammar.hpp>

Also, see __include_structure__.

[heading Namespace]

[table
    [[Name]]
    [[`boost::spirit::qi::grammar`]]
]

[heading Synopsis]

    template <typename Iterator, typename A1, typename A2, typename A3>
    struct grammar;

[heading Template parameters]

[table
    [[Parameter]            [Description]                   [Default]]
    [[`Iterator`]           [The underlying iterator
                            type that the rule is
                            expected to work on.]           [none]]
    [[`A1`, `A2`, `A3`]     [Either `Signature`,
                            `Skipper` or `Locals` in
                            any order. See table below.]    [See table below.]]
]

Here is more information about the template parameters:

[table
    [[Parameter]            [Description]                   [Default]]
    [[`Signature`]          [Specifies the grammar's synthesized
                            (return value) and inherited
                            attributes (arguments). More on
                            this here: __qi_nonterminal__.] [__unused_type__.
                                                            When `Signature` defaults
                                                            to __unused_type__, the effect
                                                            is the same as specifying a signature
                                                            of `void()` which is also equivalent
                                                            to `unused_type()`]]
    [[`Skipper`]            [Specifies the grammar's skipper
                            parser. Specify this if you
                            want the grammar to skip white
                            spaces.]                        [__unused_type__]]
    [[`Locals`]             [Specifies the grammar's local
                            variables. See __qi_nonterminal__.]          [__unused_type__]]
]

[heading Model of]

[:__qi_nonterminal__]

[variablelist Notation
    [[`g`]                      [A grammar]]
]

[heading Expression Semantics]

Semantics of an expression is defined only where it differs from, or is not
defined in __qi_nonterminal__.

[table
    [[Expression]       [Semantics]]
    [[
``
    template <typename Iterator>
    struct my_grammar : grammar<Iterator, A1, A2, A3>
    {
        my_grammar() : my_grammar::base_type(start, name)
        {
            // Rule definitions
            start = /* ... */;
        }

        rule<Iterator, A1, A2, A3> start;
        // more rule declarations...
    };
``
    ]                   [Grammar definition. `name` is an optional string that gives the
                        grammar its name, useful for debugging and error handling.]]
]

[note The template parameters of a grammar and its start rule (the rule passed
      to the grammar's base class constructor) must match, otherwise you will
      see compilation errors.]

[heading Attributes]

[:The parser attribute of the grammar is `T`, its synthesized attribute. See
__qi_nonterminal_attribute__]

[heading Complexity]

[:The complexity is defined by the complexity of the its definition.]

[heading Example]

[note The test harness for the example(s) below is presented in the
__qi_basics_examples__ section.]

[reference_grammar_using]

[reference_grammar_definition]

[reference_grammar]

[endsect] [/ Grammar]

[endsect] [/ Nonterminal]
