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author | Jo-Philipp Wich <jo@mein.io> | 2020-08-21 23:05:29 +0200 |
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committer | Jo-Philipp Wich <jo@mein.io> | 2020-08-21 23:05:29 +0200 |
commit | 8a538f14462912d976704adc4d89fa1c06162c31 (patch) | |
tree | 65a7910dd8a38d55360231121fb912a447485310 /README.md | |
parent | a56887df2a0f51b42d9d4013515e847b1a050c58 (diff) |
Add README.md
Signed-off-by: Jo-Philipp Wich <jo@mein.io>
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diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3b8fcf0 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,856 @@ +## ABOUT + +An utpl template consists of arbitrary plain text which is outputted as-is +while control flow or expression logic is embedded in blocks that may appear +anywhere throughout the template. + + +## BLOCKS + +There are three kinds of blocks; expression blocks, statement blocks and +comment blocks. The former two embed code logic using a C-like syntax while +the latter comment block type is simply discarded during processing. + + +### 1. STATEMENT BLOCKS + +Statement blocks are enclosed in an opening `{%` and a closing `%}` tag and +may contain any number of script code statements, even entire programs. + +It is allowed to omit the closing `%}` of a statement block to parse the +entire remaining source text after the opening tag as utpl script. + +By default, statement blocks produce no output and the entire block is +reduced to an empty string during template evaluation but contained script +code might invoke functions such as `print()` to explicitly output contents. + +For example the following template would result in "The epoch is odd" or +"The epoch is even", depending on the current epoch value: + +`The epoch is {% if (time() % 2): %}odd{% else %}even{% endif %}!` + + +### 2. EXPRESSION BLOCKS + +Expression blocks are enclosed in an opening `{{` and a closing `}}` tag and +may only contain a single expression statement (multiple expressions may be +chained with comma). The implicit result of the rightmost evaluated expression +is used as output when processing the block. + +For example the template `Hello world, {{ getenv("USER") }}!` would result in +the output "Hello world, user!" where `user` would correspond to the name of +the current user executing the utpl interpreter. + + +### 3. COMMENT BLOCKS + +Comment blocks, which are denoted with an opening '{#' and a closing '#}' tag +may contain arbitrary text except the closing '#}' tag itself. Comments blocks +are completely stripped during processing and are replaced with an empty string. + +The following example template would result in the output "Hello world": + +`Hello {# mad #}word` + + +### WHITESPACE + +Each block start tag may be suffixed with a dash to strip any whitespace +before the block and likewise any block end tag may be prefixed with a dash +to strip any whitespace following the block. + +Without using whitespace stripping, the following example: + +``` +This is a first line +{% for (x in [1, 2, 3]): %} +This is item {{ x }}. +{% endfor %} +This is the last line +``` + +Would result in the following output: + +``` +This is a first line + +This is item 1. +This is item 2. +This is item 3. + +This is the last line +``` + +By adding a trailing dash to apply whitespace stripping after the block, the +empty lines can be eliminated: + +``` +This is a first line +{% for (x in [1, 2, 3]): -%} +This is item {{ x }}. +{% endfor -%} +This is the last line +``` + +Output: + +``` +This is a first line +This is item 1. +This is item 2. +This is item 3. +This is the last line +``` + +By applying whitespace stripping before the block, all lines can be joined +into a single output line: + +``` +This is a first line +{%- for (x in [1, 2, 3]): -%} +This is item {{ x }}. +{%- endfor -%} +This is the last line +``` + +Output: + +``` +This is a first lineThis is item 1.This is item 2.This is item 3.This is the last line +``` + +## SCRIPT LANGUAGE + +The language used within statement and expression blocks uses untyped variables +and employs a simplified JavaScript like syntax. + +Utpl script implements function scoping and differentiates between local and global variables. Each function has its own private scope while executing and +local variables declared inside a function are not accessible in the outer +calling scope. + +### 1. Data types + +Utpl supports seven different basic types as well as an additional special +function type. The supported types are: + + - Boolean values (`true` or `false`) + - Integer values (`-9223372036854775808` to `+9223372036854775807`) + - Double values (`-1.7e308` to `+1.7e308`) + - String values (e.g. `'Hello world!'` or `"Sunshine \u2600!"`) + - Array values (e.g. `[1, false, "foo"]`) + - Object values (e.g. `{ foo: true, "bar": 123 }`) + - Null value (`null`) + +Utpl utilizes reference counting to manage memory used for variables and values +and frees data automatically as soon as values go out of scope. + +Numeric values are either stored as signed 64bit integers or as IEEE 756 double +value. Conversion between integer and double values can happen implicitly, e.g. +through numeric operations, or explicitely, e.g. by invoking functions such as +`int()`. + +### 2. Variables + +Variable names must start with a letter or an underscore and may only contain +the characters `A`..`Z`, `a`..`z`, `0`..`9` or `_`. By prefixing a variable +name with the keyword `local`, it is declared in the local function scope only +and not visible outside anymore. + +```javascript +{% + + a = 1; // global variable assignment + + function test() { + local b = 2; // declare `b` as local variable + a = 2; // overwrite global a + } + + test(); + + print(a, "\n"); // outputs "2" + print(b, "\n"); // outputs nothing + +%} +``` + +### 3. Control statements + +Similar to JavaScript, utpl supports `if`, `for` and `while` statements to +control execution flow. + +#### 3.1. Conditional statement + +If/else blocks can be used execute statements depending on a condition. + +```javascript +{% + + user = getenv("USER"); + + if (user == "alice") { + print("Hello Alice!\n"); + } + else if (user == "bob") { + print("Hello Bob!\n"); + } + else { + print("Hello guest!\n"); + } + +%} +``` + +If only a single statement is wrapped by an if or else branch, the enclosing +curly braces may be omitted: + +```javascript +{% + + if (rand() == 3) + print("This is quite unlikely\n"); + +%} +``` + +#### 3.2. Loop statements + +Utpl script supports three different flavors of loop control statements; a +`while` loop that executes enclosed statements as long as the loop condition is +fulfilled, a `for in` loop that iterates keys of objects or items of arrays and +a counting `for` loop that is a variation of the `while` loop. + +```javascript +{% + + i = 0; + arr = [1, 2, 3]; + obj = { Alice: 32, Bob: 54 }; + + // execute as long as condition is true + while (i < length(arr)) { + print(arr[i], "\n"); + i++; + } + + // execute for each item in arr + for (n in arr) { + print(n, "\n"); + } + + // execute for each key in obj + for (person in obj) { + print(person, " is ", obj[person], " years old.\n"); + } + + // execute initialization statement (j = 0) once + // execute as long as condition (j < length(arr)) is true + // execute step statement (j++) after each iteration + for (j = 0; j < length(arr); j++) { + print(arr[j], "\n"); + } + +%} +``` + +#### 3.3. Alternative syntax + +Since conditional statements and loops are often used for template formatting +purposes, e.g. to repeat a specific markup for each item of a list, utpl +supports an alternative syntax that does not require curly braces to group +statements but that uses explicit end keywords to denote the end of the control +statement body for better readability instead. + +The following two examples first illustrate the normal syntax, followed by the +alternative syntax that is more suitable for statement blocks: + +``` +Printing a list: +{% for (n in [1, 2, 3]) { -%} + - Item #{{ n }} +{% } %} +``` + +The alternative syntax replaces the opening curly brace (`{`) with a colon +(`:`) and the closing curly brace (`}`) with and explicit `endfor` keyword: + +``` +Printing a list: +{% for (n in [1, 2, 3]): -%} + - Item #{{ n }} +{% endfor %} +``` + +For each control statement type, a corresponding alternative end keyword is defined: + + - `if (...): ... endif` + - `for (...): ... endfor` + - `while (...): ... endwhile` + + +### 4. Functions + +Utpl scripts may define functions to group repeating operations into reusable +operations. Functions can be both declared with a name, in which case they're +automatically registered in the current scope, or anonymously which allows +assigning the resulting value to a variable, e.g. to build arrays or objects of +functions: + +```javascript +{% + + function duplicate(n) { + return n * 2; + } + + local utilities = { + concat: function(a, b) { + return "" + a + b; + }, + greeting: function() { + return "Hello, " + getenv("USER") + "!"; + } + }; + +-%} + +The duplicate of 2 is {{ duplicate(2) }}. +The concatenation of 'abc' and 123 is {{ utilities.concat("abc", 123) }}. +Your personal greeting is: {{ utilities.greeting() }}. +``` + +#### 4.1. Alternative syntax + +Function declarations support the same kind of alternative syntax as defined +for control statements (3.3.) + +The alternative syntax replaces the opening curly brace (`{`) with a colon +(`:`) and the closing curly brace (`}`) with and explicit `endfunction` +keyword: + +``` +{% function printgreeting(name): -%} + Hallo {{ name }}, nice to meet you. +{% endfunction -%} + +<h1>{{ printgreeting("Alice") }}</h1> +``` + + +### 5. Operators + +Similar to JavaScript and C, utpl scripts support a range of different +operators to manipulate values and variables. + +#### 5.1. Arithmetic operations + +The operators `+`, `-`, `*`, `/`, `%`, `++` and `--` allow to perform +additions, substractions, multiplications, divisions, modulo increment or +decrement operations respectively where the result depends on the type of +involved values. + +The `++` and `--` operators are unary, means that they only apply to one +operand. The `+` and `-` operators may be used in unary context to either +convert a given value to a numeric value or to negate a given value. + +If either operand of the `+` operator is a string, the other one is converted +to a string value as well and a concatenated string is returned. + +All other arithmetic operators coerce their operands to numeric values. +Fractional values are converted to doubles, other numeric values to integers. + +If either operand is a double, the other one is converted to a double value as +well and a double result is returned. + +Divisions by zero result in the special double value `Infinity`. If an operand +cannot be converted to a numeric value, the result of the operation is the +special double value `NaN`. + +```javascript +{% + a = 2; + b = 5.2; + s1 = "125"; + s2 = "Hello world"; + + print(+s1); // 125 + print(+s2); // NaN + print(-s1); // -125 + print(-s2); // NaN + print(-a); // -2 + + print(a++); // 2 (Return value of a, then increment by 1) + print(++a); // 4 (Increment by 1, then return value of a) + + print(b--); // 5.2 (Return value of b, then decrement by 1) + print(--b); // 3.2 (Decrement by 1, then return value of b) + + print(4 + 8); // 12 + print(7 - 4); // 3 + print(3 * 3); // 9 + + print(10 / 4); // 2 (Integer division) + print(10 / 4.0); // 2.5 (Double division) + print(10 / 0); // Infinity + + print(10 % 7); // 3 + print(10 % 7.0); // NaN (Modulo is undefined for non-integers) +%} +``` + +#### 5.2. Bitwise operations + +The operators `&`, `|`, `^`, `<<`, `>>` and `~` allow to perform bitwise and, +or, xor, left shift, right shift and complement operations respectively. + +The `~` operator is unary, means that is only applies to one operand. + +```javascript +{% + print(0 & 0, 0 & 1, 1 & 1); // 001 + print(0 | 0, 0 | 1, 1 | 1); // 011 + print(0 ^ 0, 0 ^ 1, 1 ^ 1); // 010 + print(10 << 2); // 40 + print(10 >> 2); // 2 + print(~15); // -16 (0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF0) +%} +``` + +An important property of bitwise operators is that they're coercing their +operand values to whole integers: + +```javascript +{% + print(12.34 >> 0); // 12 + print(~(~12.34)); // 12 +%} +``` + +#### 5.3. Relational operations + +The operators `==`, `!=`, `<`, `<=`, `>` and `>=` test whether their operands +are equal, inequal, lower than, lower than/equal to, higher than or higher +than/equal to each other respectively. + +If both operands are strings, their respective byte values are compared, if +both are objects or array, their underlying memory addresses are compared. + +In all other cases, both operands are compared to numeric values and the +compared with each other. + +This means that comparing values of different types will coerce them both to +numbers. + +The result of the relational operation is a boolean indicating trueness. + +```javascript +{% + print(123 == 123); // true + print(123 == "123"); // true! + print(123 < 456); // true + print(123 > 456); // false + print(123 != 456); // true + print(123 != "123"); // false! + print({} == {}); // false (two different anonymous objects) + a = {}; print(a == a); // true (same object) +%} +``` + +#### 5.4. Logical operations + +The operators `&&`, `||` and `!` test whether their operands are both true, +partially true or false respectively. + +In the case of `&&` the rightmost value is returned while `||` results in the +first trueish value. + +The unary `!` operator will result in `true` if the operand is not trueish, +otherwise it will result in `false`. + +Operands are evaluated from left to right while testing trueness, which means +that expressions with side effects, such as function calls, are only executed +if the preceeding condition was satisifed. + +```javascript +{% + print(1 && 2 && 3); // 3 + print(1 || 2 || 3); // 1 + print(2 > 1 && 3 < 4); // true + print(!false); // true + print(!true); // false + + res = test1() && test2(); // test2() is only called if test1() returns true +%} +``` + +#### 5.5. Assignment operations + +Besides the basic assignment operator `=`, most other operators have a +corresponding shortcut assignment operator which reads the specified variable, +applies the operation and operand to it, and writes it back. + +The result of assignment expressions is the assigned value. + +```javascript +{% + a = 1; // assign 1 to variable a + a += 2; // a = a + 2; + a -= 3; // a = a - 3; + a *= 4; // a = a * 4; + a /= 5; // a = a / 5; + a %= 6; // a = a % 6; + a &= 7; // a = a & 7; + a |= 8; // a = a | 8; + a ^= 9; // a = a ^ 9; + a <<= 10; // a = a << 10; + a >>= 11; // a = a >> 11; +%} +``` + +### 6. Functions + +Utpl scripts may call a number of builtin functions to manipulate values or +to output information. + +#### 6.1. `abs(x)` + +Returns the absolute value of the given operand. Results in `NaN` if operand is +not convertible to number. + +```javascript +abs(1); // 1 +abs(-2); // 2 +abs(-3.5); // 3.5 +abs("0x123"); // 291 +abs("-0x123"); // NaN +abs([]); // NaN +``` + +#### 6.2. `atan2(x, y)` + +Calculates the principal value of the arc tangent of x/y, using the signs of +the two arguments to determine the quadrant of the result. + +#### 6.3. `chr(n1, ...)` + +Converts each given numeric value to a byte and return the resulting string. +Invalid numeric values or values < 0 resul in `\0` bytes, values larger than +255 are truncated to 255. + +```javascript +chr(65, 98, 99); // "Abc" +chr(-1, 300); // string consisting of "\0" and "\377" bytes +``` + +#### 6.4. `cos(x)` + +Return the cosine of x, where x is given in radians. + +#### 6.5. `delete(obj, key1, ...)` + +Delete the given key(s) from the object passed as first argument. Returns the +corresponding value of the last removed key, if any. + +#### 6.6. `die(msg)` + +Raise an exception with the given message and abort execution. + +#### 6.7. `exists(obj, key)` + +Return `true` if the given key is present within the object passed as first +argument, otherwise `false`. + +#### 6.8. `exit(n)` + +Terminate the interpreter with the given exit code. + +#### 6.9. `exp(n)` + +Return the value of e (the base of natural logarithms) raised to the power +of n. + +#### 6.10. `filter(arr, fn)` + +Filter the array passed as first argument by invoking the function specified +in the second argument for each array item. + +If the invoked function returns a trueish result, the item is retained, +otherwise it is dropped. The filter function is invoked with three arguments: + + 1. The array value + 2. The current index + 3. The array being filtered + +Returns the filtered array. + +```javascript +// filter out any empty string: +a = filter(["foo", "", "bar", "", "baz"], length) +// a = ["foo", "bar", "baz"] + +// filter out any non-number type: +a = filter(["foo", 1, true, null, 2.2], function(v) { + return (type(v) == "int" || type(v) == "double"); +}); +// a = [1, 2.2] +``` + +#### 6.11. `getenv(name)` + +Return the value of the given environment variable. + +#### 6.12. `hex(x)` + +Convert the given hexadecimal string into a number. + +#### 6.13. `index(arr_or_str, needle)` + +Find the given value passed as second argument within the array or string +specified in the first argument. + +Returns the first matching array index or first matching string offset or `-1` +if the value was not found. + +Returns `null` if the first argument was neither an array, nor a string. + +#### 6.14. `int(x)` + +Convert the given value to an integer. Returns `NaN` if the value is not +convertible. + +#### 6.15. `join(sep, arr)` + +Join the array passed as 2nd argument into a string, using the separator passed +in the first argument as glue. Returns `null` if the second argument is not an +array. + +#### 6.16. `keys(obj)` + +Return an array of all key names present in the passed object. Returns `null` +if the given argument is no object. + +#### 6.17. `lc(s)` + +Convert the given string to lowercase and return the resulting string. +Returns `null` if the given argument could not be converted to a string. + +#### 6.18. `length(arr_or_str)` + +Return the length of the given array or string. Returns `null` if the given +argument is neither an array, nor a string. + +#### 6.19. `log(x)` + +Return the natural logarithm of x. + +#### 6.20. `ltrim(s, c)` + +Trim any of the specified characters in `c` from the start of `str`. +If the second argument is omitted, trims the characters, `' '` (space), `\t`, +`\r` and `\n`. + +```javascript +ltrim(" foo \n") // "foo \n" +ltrim("--bar--", "-") // "bar--" +``` + +#### 6.21. `map(arr, fn)` + +Transform the array passed as first argument by invoking the function specified +in the second argument for each array item. + +The result of the invoked function is put into the resulting array. +The map function is invoked with three arguments: + + 1. The array value + 2. The current index + 3. The array being filtered + +Returns the transformed array. + +```javascript +// turn into array of string lengths: +a = map(["Apple", "Banana", "Bean"], length) +// a = [5, 6, 4] + +// map to type names: +a = map(["foo", 1, true, null, 2.2], type); +// a = ["string", "int", "bool", null, "double"] +``` + +#### 6.22. `ord(s)` + +Returns the byte value of the first character in the given string. + +```javascript +ord("Abc"); // 65 +``` + +#### 6.23. `pop(arr)` + +Pops the last item from the given array and returns it. Returns `null` if the +array was empty or if a non-array argument was passed. + +#### 6.24. `print(x, ...)` + +Print any of the given values to stdout. Arrays and objects are converted to +their JSON representation. + +Returns the amount of bytes printed. + +#### 6.25. `push(arr, v1, ...)` + +Push the given argument(s) to the given array. Returns the last pushed value. + +#### 6.26. `rand()` + +Returns a random number. If `srand()` has not been called already, it is +automatically invoked passing the current time as seed. + +#### 6.27. `reverse(arr_or_str)` + +If an array is passed, returns the array in reverse order. If a string is +passed, returns the string with the sequence of the characters reversed. + +Returns `null` if neither an array nor a string were passed. + +#### 6.28. `rindex(arr_or_str, needle)` + +Find the given value passed as second argument within the array or string +specified in the first argument. + +Returns the last matching array index or last matching string offset or `-1` +if the value was not found. + +Returns `null` if the first argument was neither an array, nor a string. + +#### 6.29. `rtrim(str, c)` + +Trim any of the specified characters in `c` from the end of `str`. +If the second argument is omitted, trims the characters, `' '` (space), `\t`, +`\r` and `\n`. + +```javascript +rtrim(" foo \n") // " foo" +rtrim("--bar--", "-") // "--bar" +``` + +#### 6.30. `shift(arr)` + +Pops the first item from the given array and returns it. Returns `null` if the +array was empty or if a non-array argument was passed. + +#### 6.31. `sin(x)` + +Return the sine of x, where x is given in radians. + +#### 6.32. `sort(arr, fn)` + +Sort the given array according to the given sort function. If no sort +function is provided, a default ascending sort order is applied. + +```javascript +sort([8, 1, 5, 9]) // [1, 5, 8, 9] +sort(["Bean", "Orange", "Apple"], function(a, b) { + return length(a) < length(b); +}) // ["Bean", "Apple", "Orange"] +``` + +#### 6.33. `splice(arr, off, len, ...)` + +Removes the elements designated by `off` and `len` from the given an array, +and replaces them with the additional arguments passed, if any. Returns the +last element removed, or `null` if no elements are removed. The array grows or shrinks as necessary. + +If `off` is negative then it starts that far from the end of the array. If +`len` is omitted, removes everything from `off` onward. If `len` is negative, +removes the elements from `off` onward except for `-len` elements at the end of +the array. If both `off` and `len` are omitted, removes everything. + +#### 6.34. `split(sep, str)` + +Split the given string using the separator passed as first argument and return +an array containing the resulting pieces. + +```javascript +split(",", "foo,bar,baz") // ["foo", "bar", "baz"] +split("", "foobar") // ["f", "o", "o", "b", "a", "r"] +``` + +#### 6.35. `sqrt(x)` + +Return the nonnegative square root of x. + +#### 6.36. `srand(n)` + +Seed the PRNG using the given number. + +#### 6.37. `substr(str, off, len)` + +Extracts a substring out of `str` and returns it. First character is at offset +zero. If `off` is negative, starts that far back from the end of the string. +If `len` is omitted, returns everything through the end of the string. If `len` +is negative, leaves that many characters off the end of the string. + +```javascript +s = "The black cat climbed the green tree"; + +substr(s, 4, 5); // black +substr(s, 4, -11); // black cat climbed the +substr(s, 14); // climbed the green tree +substr(s, -4); // tree +substr(s, -4, 2); // tr +``` + +#### 6.38. `time()` + +Returns the current UNIX epoch. + +```javascript +time(); // 1598043054 + +#### 6.39. `trim()` + +Trim any of the specified characters in `c` from the start and end of `str`. +If the second argument is omitted, trims the characters, `' '` (space), `\t`, +`\r` and `\n`. + +```javascript +ltrim(" foo \n") // "foo" +ltrim("--bar--", "-") // "bar" +``` + +#### 6.40. `type(x)` + +Returns the type of the given value which might be one of `function`, `object`, +`array`, `double`, `int` or `bool`. + +Returns `null` when no value or `null` is passed. + +#### 6.41. `uchr(n1, ...)` + +Converts each given numeric value to an utf8 escape sequence and return the resulting string. Invalid numeric values or values outside the range `0` .. `0x10FFFF` are represented by the unicode replacement character `0xFFFD`. + +```javascript +uchr(0x2600, 0x26C6, 0x2601); // "☀⛆☁" +uchr(-1, 0x20ffff, "foo"); // "���" +``` + +#### 6.42. `uc(str)` + +Convert the given string to uppercase and return the resulting string. +Returns `null` if the given argument could not be converted to a string. + +#### 6.43. `unshift(arr, v1, ...)` + +Add the given values to the beginning of the array passed as first argument. +Returns the last value added to the array. + +#### 6.44. `values(obj)` + +Returns an array containing all values of the given object. Returns `null? if +no object was passed. + +```javascript +values({ foo: true, bar: false }); // [true, false] +```
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