Trouble making a functionList parser for MATLAB
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Update the editor window first and then update the Function List
I suspect the recursive part of
classRange.mainExpris giving the RE engine a hard time :-)More than one Matlab <parser>
Based on current Function List implementation I can think of three solutions: define a <parser> for each use-case and switch between them by …
- changing the association; this requires a restart of NP++ to take effect;
- swapping their parser id, this also requires a restart of NP++ to take effect;
- utilizing file extension association and changing the extension of the file.
Keywords embedded in comments and in string values
The trick here is to handle literate strings as comment regions.
e.g.commentExpr="(?x) # free spacing (?s:(?s:%\{.*%\}) # Multi Line Comment | (?m-s:%.*$) # Single Line Comment | (?s:\x22(?:[^\x22\x5C]|\x5C.)*\x22) # String Literal - Double Quoted | (?s:\x27(?:[^\x27\x5C]|\x5C.)*\x27) # String Literal - Single Quoted " -
@MAPJe71, thanks for your answer.
The trick here is to handle literate strings as comment regions.
Yes, but I fail to make it work. I copy&pasted your
commentExprvalue into the <parser> that I posted yesterday. None of the “keyword in comment and string” test files give the expected result in the Function List, i.e. the same result as yesterday.Speculation:
commentExprhas no effect in my <parser>.- The “block-comment-problem” is back, i.e. function_no_return_C2 is displayed
- With
classRange.mainExprusingrecursionskipping strings values and comments is needed.
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There is definitely something weird going with the comment expression. The single line comment and both double and single quoted string literals are detected just perfectly but the multi line comment keeps failing.
Oh just noticed that the comment expression I posted has a superfluous
(?s:at the start of the “Multi Line Comment”-part. -
The single line comment and both double and single quoted string literals are detected just perfectly …
That is not how I interpret what I see om my side. I have no debugging means to see how NPP uses the value of
commentExpr. (Or I missed it.) Thus, I resort to indirect tests.With
- your new value of
commentExpr(corrected), classRange.mainExprusing recursion,- the Matlab files attached and
- Notepad++ v7.3.3 (32-bit), Build time : Mar 8 2017 - 03:37:37, Admin mode : OFF, Local Conf mode : OFF, OS : Windows 7 (64-bit), Plugins : …
Function List displays a row of dots, a document icon and the file name. The evaluation, which obviously fails, takes a few seconds.
With the keyword,
while, replaced by_whilethe Function List displays the expected results without delay.Do you see a different behavior?
I’m out of ideas, are there other test I could do?
function [ out, val ] = function_with_keyword_in_string( val ) out = 17; str = 'string with keyword: while'; endfunction [ out, val ] = function_with_keyword_in_comment( val ) out = 17; % comment with keyword: while endclassdef class_with_keyword_in_comment methods function no_return( this ) % comment with keyword: while a = 17; end end endclassdef class_with_keyword_in_string methods function no_return( this ) str = 'string with keyword: while'; a = 17; end end end - your new value of
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This is what I get …
with the following <parser> …
<parser displayName="MATLAB - MATrix LABoratory" id ="matlab_syntax" commentExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?'MLC': # Multi Line Comment %\{ # ...start-of-comment indicator (?: # ...followed by zero or more characters [^%] # ...not start of start-of-comment indicator | %(?![%{}]) # ...not being an SLC or a start- or end-of-comment indicator )*? %\} # ...end-of-comment indicator ) | (?m-s:\x25.*$) # Single Line Comment (SLC) | (?s:\x22(?:[^\x22\x5C]|\x5C.)*\x22) # String Literal - Double Quoted | (?s:\x27(?:[^\x27\x5C]|\x5C.)*\x27) # String Literal - Single Quoted " > <classRange mainExpr ="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?s-i) # dot matches at line breaks, case-sensitive \bclassdef\b # start-of-class indicator .*? # whatever, until... \bmethods\b # ...start-of-class-body indicator " openSymbole ="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) \b # ensure leading word boundary for start-of-block indicator (?-i: # case-sensitive start-of-block indicators e(?:numeration|vents) | f(?:or|unction) | if | methods | p(?:arfor|roperties) | switch | try | while ) \b " closeSymbole="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) \b # ensure leading word boundary for end-of-block indicator (?-i: # case-sensitive end # end-of-block indicator ) \b # ensure trailing word boundary for end-of-block indicator " > <className> <nameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) \b(?-i:classdef) # case-sensitive start-of-class indicator \h+ # required whitespace (?:\([^)]*?\)\h+)? # optional class-attributes \K # discard text matched so far [A-Za-z]\w* # valid character combination for identifiers i.e. class name " /> </className> <function mainExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?ms-i) # ^, $ and dot match at line breaks, case-sensitive (?: ^ # a function can be found at start-of-line | [,;] # ...or after a separator )\h* # ...optionally followed by whitespace \K # discard text matched so far \bfunction # ensure word boundary for start-of-function indicator \s+ # required whitespace separator .*? # whatever, until... \bend\b # ...the first end-of-block indicator " > <functionName> <funcNameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) function\s+ # start-of-function indicator (?:\.{3}\s+)? # optional continuation-line indicator \K # discard text matched so far (?: # optional return value(s) (?: \w+ # ...single variable name | \[[\h,\w]*\] # ...or one or more variable names in brackets )\h*=\h* # ...followed by a separator with optional whitespace )? [A-Za-z]\w* # valid character combination for identifiers i.e. function name \b # ensure word boundary for name (?: # optional parameter list \s* # ...optional leading whitespace \( # ...start-of-parameter-list indicator [\h,\w~]* # ...with optional parameters (?: \) # ...until end-of-parameter-list indicator | \.{3} # ...or continuation-line indicator ) )? " /> <!-- comment out the following node to display the method with its parameters --> <!-- <funcNameExpr expr="(?:(?:\w+|\[[\h,\w]*\])\h*=\h*)?[A-Za-z]\w*" /> --> </functionName> </function> </classRange> <function mainExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?ms-i) # ^, $ and dot match at line breaks, case-sensitive ^\h* # optional leading whitespace at start-of-line function\b # start-of-function indicator .*? # whatever, until... \bend\b # ...the first end-of-block indicator " > <functionName> <nameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) function\s+ # start-of-function indicator (?:\.{3}\s+)? # optional continuation-line indicator \K # discard text matched so far (?: # optional return value(s) (?: \w+ # ...single variable name | \[[\h,\w]*\] # ...or one or more variable names in brackets )\h*=\h* # ...followed by a separator with optional whitespace )? [A-Za-z]\w* # valid character combination for identifiers i.e. function name \b # ensure word boundary for name (?: # optional parameter list \s* # ...optional leading whitespace \( # ...start-of-parameter-list indicator [\h,\w~]* # ...with optional parameters (?: \) # ...until end-of-parameter-list indicator | \.{3} # ...or continuation-line indicator ) )? " /> <!-- comment out the following node to display the method with its parameters --> <!-- <nameExpr expr="(?:(?:\w+|\[[\h,\w]*\])\h*=\h*)?[A-Za-z]\w*" /> --> </functionName> </function> </parser> -
@MAPJe71 ,
Your new parser works like a charm. It even handlesWeirdUseOfContinuationLine.m. Thank you very much! -
Sorry, I’m back with more problems. However, the result so far is good enough for me who know the limitations. Other Matlab users may think differently.
My goal is that the <parser> produces the intended result for syntactically correct Matlab files. Exceptions are acceptable for rare and smelly cases. It’s good if something is shown for syntactically incorrect Matlab files - the more the better.
The Matlab class syntax, [Class Syntax Guide], includes more than I have “communicated” with the test files in this thread.
Problem: A Matlab file allows one
classdef...endblock, which in turn may contain zero or moremethods...endblocks.classdefshall be the first keyword in the file. The current <parser> displays the functions of the firstmethods...endblock as belonging to the class, i.e. being methods, and erroneously the functions of subsequentmethods...endblocks as functions. This is illustrated by the attached m-file.I failed to modify your <parser> to show all function inside the
classdef...endblock as methods belonging to the class.classdef (Sealed) aCompleteClassWithFunction < handle properties (Access = private) Prop1 = datenum(date) end properties Prop2 end events (ListenAccess = protected) StateChanged end methods function obj = aCompleteClassWithFunction(x) obj.Prop2 = x; end end methods (Access = {?MyOtherClass}) function d = myMethod(obj) d = obj.Prop1 + x; end end end function myUtilityFcn A = 17; end -
Sigh, it was to good to be true ;-)
I’ll will look at it tomorrow. -
I’m obviously not capable to contribute effectively to the code of this <parser>:-(. I lack both regarding knowledge on regular expressions, and understanding of how the <parser>-code produces the function list.
How important is a good Matlab-<parser> to Notepad++ ? To me Notepad++ is a valuable complement to Matlab’s editor, which is sluggish and doesn’t support regular expressions, not even wildcards. I use Notepad++ daily. Notepad++ is superior when it comes to large files and browsing large code-bases. Google returns 0.18 million results for “notepad++ matlab”.
I send this post rather to help you decide than insisting on specific things being included in the <parser>. What we achieved so far is good enough for me!
Is there a mean to make the user aware of limitations in the capability of a specific <parser>. Documented limitations are more acceptable.
MLC commentExpr
The colon after ‘MLC’ is that a typo or
non-capture?Proposal: replace the MLC-code by
(?xms) (?'OMLC' (?>^\h*%\{\h*$)) .*? (?'CMLC' (?>^\h*%\}\h*$))Justification: Again Matlab’s syntax [Add Comments to Programs] is permissive
- nested multi-line-comments (candidate for documented limitation)
- single-line-comments inside MLC
- I often comments out code with both SLC and MLC, because Matlab has a feature, Find in Files, which doesn’t honor MLC (bug). MLC allows me to code-fold the comment-out code.
This should be matched by MLC
%{ some code %% Section % some other code %}This expression is affected by the block-comment-problem.
Nested functions
Matlab have nested functions. My previous <parser> showed functions nested in functions as ordinary functions and functions nested in methods broke the function list (showed only file name). Your current <parser> ignores nested functions altogether, which is better. Candidate for documented limitation.
function out = function_scalar_return_nested( val ) out = 17; function nested end end -
There is another Matlab feature, which is a strong candidate for documented limitation. In files defining functions and subfunctions, but no nested functions,
endis optional in thefunction ... endblock. It’s a legacy from long time ago. -
Yep, the colon in the MLC commentExpr is a typo.
FYI: failing to detect multi-line/block comments when the parser has aclassRangenode appears to be a bug.The only way I can think of right now to document limitations of parsers is to add it as comment in
functionList.xml. I will do so for this parser.Although I haven’t found a solution for multiple ‘methods’ sections within a class definition yet, I think the parser should support it presuming it’s used a lot in OO programming.
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The latest:
<!-- | Note(s): | 1) One-line class definitions are not supported; | 2) Nested functions are not supported; | 3) All functions require an 'end' statement; | 4) In some situations where a multi-line/block comment contains function definition(s), | the function(s) is/are still displayed as global function(s). \--> <parser displayName="MATLAB - MATrix LABoratory" id ="matlab_syntax" commentExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?'MLC' # Multi Line Comment (?m) # ...^ and $ match at line breaks ^%\{$ # ...start-of-comment indicator (?: # ...followed by zero or more characters [^%] # ...not start of start-of-comment indicator | %(?![%{}]) # ...not being an SLC or a start- or end-of-comment indicator | (?&MLC) )*? ^%\}$ # ...end-of-comment indicator ) | (?m-s:%.*$) # Single Line Comment (SLC) | (?s:\x22(?:[^\x22\x5C]|\x5C.)*\x22) # String Literal - Double Quoted | (?s:\x27(?:[^\x27\x5C]|\x5C.)*\x27) # String Literal - Single Quoted " > <classRange mainExpr ="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?s-i) # dot matches at line breaks, case-sensitive \bclassdef\b # start-of-class indicator .*? # whatever, up till... (?= # ...start-of-class-body indicator \b (?:e(?:numeration|vents)|methods|properties) \b ) " openSymbole ="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) \b # ensure leading word boundary for start-of-block indicator (?-i: # case-sensitive start-of-block indicators e(?:numeration|vents) | f(?:or|unction) | if | methods | p(?:arfor|roperties) | switch | try | while ) \b " closeSymbole="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) \b # ensure leading word boundary for end-of-block indicator (?-i: # case-sensitive end # end-of-block indicator ) \b # ensure trailing word boundary for end-of-block indicator " > <className> <nameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) \b(?-i:classdef) # case-sensitive start-of-class indicator \h+ # required whitespace (?:\([^)]*?\)\h+)? # optional class-attributes \K # discard text matched so far [A-Za-z]\w* # valid character combination for identifiers i.e. class name " /> </className> <function mainExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?ms-i) # ^, $ and dot match at line breaks, case-sensitive (?: ^ # a function can be found at start-of-line | [,;] # ...or after a separator )\h* # ...optionally followed by whitespace \K # discard text matched so far \bfunction # ensure word boundary for start-of-function indicator \s+ # required whitespace separator .*? # whatever, until... \bend\b # ...the first end-of-block indicator " > <functionName> <funcNameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) function\s+ # start-of-function indicator (?:\.{3}\s+)? # optional continuation-line indicator \K # discard text matched so far (?: # optional return value(s) (?: \w+ # ...single variable name | \[[\h,\w]*\] # ...or one or more variable names in brackets )\h*=\h* # ...followed by a separator with optional whitespace )? [A-Za-z]\w* # valid character combination for identifiers i.e. function name \b # ensure word boundary for name (?: # optional parameter list \s* # ...optional leading whitespace \( # ...start-of-parameter-list indicator [\h,\w~]* # ...with optional parameters (?: \) # ...until end-of-parameter-list indicator | \.{3} # ...or continuation-line indicator ) )? " /> <!-- comment out the following node to display the method with its parameters --> <!-- <funcNameExpr expr="(?:(?:\w+|\[[\h,\w]*\])\h*=\h*)?[A-Za-z]\w*" /> --> </functionName> </function> </classRange> <function mainExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) (?ms-i) # ^, $ and dot match at line breaks, case-sensitive ^\h* # optional leading whitespace at start-of-line function\b # start-of-function indicator .*? # whatever, until... \bend\b # ...the first end-of-block indicator " > <functionName> <nameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) function\s+ # start-of-function indicator (?:\.{3}\s+)? # optional continuation-line indicator \K # discard text matched so far (?: # optional return value(s) (?: \w+ # ...single variable name | \[[\h,\w]*\] # ...or one or more variable names in brackets )\h*=\h* # ...followed by a separator with optional whitespace )? [A-Za-z]\w* # valid character combination for identifiers i.e. function name \b # ensure word boundary for name (?: # optional parameter list \s* # ...optional leading whitespace \( # ...start-of-parameter-list indicator [\h,\w~]* # ...with optional parameters (?: \) # ...until end-of-parameter-list indicator | \.{3} # ...or continuation-line indicator ) )? " /> <!-- comment out the following node to display the method with its parameters --> <!-- <nameExpr expr="(?:(?:\w+|\[[\h,\w]*\])\h*=\h*)?[A-Za-z]\w*" /> --> </functionName> </function> </parser> -
Thank you for your latest parser.
I’ve tested your latest parser and the parser I attach below with the files in a couple of real Matlab programs.
Your latest parser handles “multiple ‘methods’ sections” well in most cases. I failed to spot what characterizes the few cases, which show methods as functions.
One lesson I learned is that I must be more careful so that the test cases covers all relevant parts of the syntax of the target language. I previously missed that
- the keyword,
end, is used as index, e.gA(end)is the last element of the vectorA. - apostrophe,
', is shorthand for the function,transpose, e.g.A'is equal totranspose(A)
My latest parser works as expected, i.e. I haven’t seen it fail yet. However, it puts higher requirements on the target Matlab code; it will fail with more files.
I have included two parsers in
functionList.xml, one for the UDL matlab2. I switch between the two
by the menu entries,Language|matlab2andLanguage|M|Matlab, respectively. The obviously overtakes the extension,.m2.I plan to upload my parsers to Matlab File Exchange to see it I get any interest.
<!-- P09, KISS, full function signature Limitations and requirements 1.1 The keyword, 'classdef', shall start a new line; no indentions 1.2 The keyword, 'end', which match 'classdef', shall start a new line 1.3 No keyword, 'end', shall start a new line inside the classdef block 2.1 The keyword, 'function', optionally indented, shall start a new line 3.1 The line of the last keyword, 'end', shall be ended by a new line character 4.1 Nested functions are displayed as methods and sub-functions, respectively. 5.1 Block comments must not be nested; no block comment inside a block comment 6.1 Function blocks shall be ended by the keyword, 'end' 7.1 The file shall contain at least one method or function /--> <parser displayName="MATLAB - MATrix LABoratory" id ="matlab2_syntax" commentExpr= "(?x) # free-spacing (?m) # ^ and $ match at line breaks (?-s) # dot does NOT match new line (?: # Multi Line Comment, (MLC) (?:^\h*\x25\x7B\h*$) # '%{' with optional space (?s:.*?) # lazy: any character up till (?:^\h*\x25\x7D\h*$) # '%}' with optional space ) # | # or (?: # Single Line Comment (SLC) (?: # \x25 # '%' | # or \x2D{3} # '...' ).*?$ # and up till end of line ) # | # or (?:\x27(?:.*?)*\x27) # String Literal - Single Quoted - on one line " > <classRange mainExpr = "(?x) # free-spacing (?m) # ^ and $ match at line breaks (?s) # dot matches new line (?-i) # case-sensitive ^classdef\h+ # start-of-class indicator at start-of-line (?:.*?) # whatever, until... ^end # end-of-class indicator at start-of-line " > <className> <nameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (?-i) # case-sensitive \bclassdef # case-sensitive start-of-class indicator \h+ # required whitespace (?:\([^)]*?\)\h+)? # optional class-attributes \K # discard text matched so far [A-Za-z]\w* # valid Matlab identifiers; class name " /> </className> <function mainExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (?m) # ^ and $ match at line breaks (?s) # dot matches new line (?-i) # case-sensitive ^\h+ # required intendation function # start-of-function indicator \h+ # required whitespace separator .*?$ # whatever, up till the end of line " > <functionName> <funcNameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing function\h+ # start-of-function indicator \K # discard text matched so far (?: # optional return value(s) (?: # \w+ # ...single variable name | # or \[[\h,\w]*\] # ...one or more names in square brackets ) # \h*=\h* # ...a separator with optional whitespace )? # \b # ensure word boundary [A-Za-z]\w* # valid Matlab identifiers; method name \b # ensure word boundary for name (?: # optional parameter list \h* # ...optional leading whitespace \( # ...start-of-parameter-list indicator [\h,\w~]* # ...with optional parameters (?: # \) # ...up till end-of-parameter-list indicator | # or \.{3} # ...continuation-line indicator ) )? " /> </functionName> </function> </classRange> <function mainExpr="(?x) # free-spacing (?m) # ^ and $ match at line breaks (?s) # dot matches new line (?-i) # case-sensitive ^\h* # optional intendation function # start-of-function indicator \h+ # required whitespace separator .*?$ # whatever, until end of line " > <functionName> <nameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) function\h+ # start-of-function indicator (?:\.{3}.*$)? # optional continuation-line indicator \K # discard text matched so far (?: # optional return value(s) (?: # \w+ # ...single variable name | # or \[[\h,\w]*\] # ...one or more variable names in brackets ) # \h*=\h* # ...followed by a separator with optional whitespace )? # [A-Za-z]\w* # valid Matlab identifiers; function name \b # ensure word boundary for name (?: # optional parameter list \h* # ...optional leading whitespace \( # ...start-of-parameter-list indicator [\h,\w~]* # ...with optional parameters (?: # \) # ...until end-of-parameter-list indicator | # or \.{3} # ...or continuation-line indicator ) )? " /> </functionName> </function> </parser>Alternate <functionName> block to show method and function name (without input and output arguments)
<functionName> <nameExpr expr="(?x) # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`) function\h+ # start-of-function indicator (?:\.{3}.*$)? # optional continuation-line indicator (?: # optional return value(s) (?: # \w+ # ...single variable name | # or \[[\h,\w]*\] # ...one or more variable names in brackets ) # \h*=\h* # ...followed by a separator with optional whitespace )? # \K # discard text matched so far [A-Za-z]\w* # valid Matlab identifiers; function name \b # ensure word boundary for name " /> </functionName> - the keyword,
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*indentation ;-)
Glad you found a parser that meets your needs!
I propose to wait for feedback from other Matlab users (I’m not one of them) before including it in an official N++ release. -
I’ve finally uploaded some <parser>-elements to the Matlab File Exchange.
