ITEC 120 2007spring ibarland, jpittges

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syntax-week1
Java Syntax (v1)

Our Mantras

• To call a function: object-dot-functionName-openParen-arguments.
• A function's signature: returnType-functionName-openParen-paramterTypeAndNames

Java Syntax

Here's a list the Java syntax covered so far, as of week1: (You are encouraged to look at this while looking at some actual code.)

• class-declaration ::=
  class name_Class {
     method-declaration…
  }
• type ::= int | double
• method-declaration ::=
  type_return name ( parameter-declaration ) {
    return expression;
  }
• parameter-declaration ::= type name_param
• expression ::=
  literal-value | method-call | ( expression ) |
  expression+expression | expression-expression | expression*expression | expression/expression
  
• method-call ::= expression_object . name_method ( argument-list )
• argument-list ::= empty-argument-list | non-empty-argument-list
• empty-argument-list ::=
• non-empty-argument-list ::= expression [, non-empty-argument-list]

How to read Backus-Naur Form (BNF):

• colored text is replaced with a particular instance of that type. (Subscripts are informative only, and don't technically mean anything.)
• uncolored text is typed in literally (not replaced with something else).
• “::=” means “consists of”.
• “|” means “or”
• “[bracket-optional-part]” can be included, or be omitted.
• “...” means zero or more repetitions of the preceding item.

See also: Lies

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©2007, Ian Barland, Radford University Last modified 2007.Aug.27 (Mon)

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