Generating spreadsheet-like tools from strong attribute grammars

Abstract

This paper presents techniques for the formal specification and efficient incremental implementation of spreadsheet-like tools. The spreadsheets are specified by strong attribute grammars. In this style of attribute grammar programming every single inductive computation is expressed within the attribute grammar formalism. Well-known attribute grammar techniques are used to reason about such grammars. For example, ordered scheduling algorithms can be used to statically guarantee termination of the attribute grammars and to derive efficient implementations. A strong attribute grammar for a spreadsheet is defined and the first incremental results are presented. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.