documentation for source code filters

doc/docs.txt

@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ The documentation consists of several documents:
 - | `Manual <manual.html>`_
   | The Nimrod manual is a draft that will evolve into a proper specification.
 
+- | `Source code filters <filters.html>`_
+  | The Nimrod compiler supports source code filters as a simple yet powerful
+    builtin templating system.
+
 - | `Internal documentation <intern.html>`_
   | The internal documentation describes how the compiler is implemented. Read
     this if you want to hack the compiler.

doc/filters.txt

@@ -1,45 +1,14 @@
 ===================
-Parsers and Filters
+Source Code Filters
 ===================
 
 .. contents::
 
-The Nimrod compiler contains multiple parsers. The standard is 
-indentation-based. Two others are available: The `braces`:idx: parser and the
-`endX`:idx: parser. Both parsers use the same lexer as the standard parser.
+A `Source Code Filter` transforms the input character stream to an in-memory 
+output stream before parsing. A filter can be used to provide templating 
+systems or preprocessors.
 
-To use a different parser for a source file the *shebang* notation is used:
-
-.. code-block:: nimrod
-  #! braces
-  if (x == 10) {
-    echo "x is ten"
-  } else {
-    echo "x isn't ten"
-  }
-
-The special ``#!`` comment for specifying a parser needs to be in the first
-line with no leading whitespace, unless an UNIX shebang line is used. Then the
-parser shebang can occur in the second line:
-
-.. code-block:: nimrod
-  #! /usr/bin/env nimrod c -r
-  #! braces
-  if (x == 10) {
-    echo "x is ten"
-  } else {
-    echo "x isn't ten"
-  }
-
-An UNIX shebang line is defined by the pattern ``'#!' \s* '/' .*`` 
-(``#!`` followed by optional whitespace followed by ``/``). 
-
-
-Filters
-=======
-
-Nimrod's shebang also supports the invokation of `source filters`:idx: before
-the source code file is passed to the parser::
+To use a filter for a source file the *shebang* notation is used::
 
   #! stdtmpl(subsChar = '$', metaChar = '#')
   #proc generateXML(name, age: string): string =
@@ -49,22 +18,17 @@ the source code file is passed to the parser::
     <age>$age</age>
   </xml>
 
-Filters transform the input character stream to an in-memory output stream.
-They are used to provide templating systems or preprocessors. 
-
-As the example shows, passing arguments to a filter (or parser) can be done
+As the example shows, passing arguments to a filter can be done
 just like an ordinary procedure call with named or positional arguments. The
-available parameters depend on the invoked filter/parser.
+available parameters depend on the invoked filter.
 
 
 Pipe operator
--------------
+=============
 
-Filters and parsers can be combined with the ``|`` `pipe operator`:idx:. Only
-the last operand can be a parser because a parser returns an abstract syntax
-tree which a filter cannot process::
+Filters can be combined with the ``|`` `pipe operator`:idx:\ ::
 
-  #! strip(startswith="<") | stdtmpl | standard
+  #! strip(startswith="<") | stdtmpl
   #proc generateXML(name, age: string): string =
   #  result = ""
   <xml>

doc/manual.txt

@@ -1529,6 +1529,7 @@ Example:
     finally:
       close(f)
 
+
 The statements after the `try`:idx: are executed in sequential order unless
 an exception ``e`` is raised. If the exception type of ``e`` matches any
 of the list ``exceptlist`` the corresponding statements are executed.
@@ -2324,6 +2325,7 @@ invoked by an expression following a colon::
 The following example outlines a macro that generates a lexical analyzer from
 regular expressions:
 
+
 .. code-block:: nimrod
   import macros
 
@@ -2651,30 +2653,30 @@ Example:
 
 .. code-block:: nimrod
   {.deadCodeElim: on.}
-
-
-Pragma pragma
--------------
-
-The `pragma`:idx: pragma can be used to declare user defined pragmas. This is 
-useful because Nimrod's templates and macros do not affect pragmas. User 
-defined pragmas are in a different module-wide scope than all other symbols. 
-They cannot be imported from a module.
-
-Example:
-
-.. code-block:: nimrod
-  when appType == "lib":
-    {.pragma: rtl, exportc, dynlib, cdecl.}
-  else:
-    {.pragma: rtl, importc, dynlib: "client.dll", cdecl.}
-    
-  proc p*(a, b: int): int {.rtl.} = 
-    return a+b
-
-In the example a new pragma named ``rtl`` is introduced that either imports
-a symbol from a dynamic library or exports the symbol for dynamic library
-generation.
+
+
+Pragma pragma
+-------------
+
+The `pragma`:idx: pragma can be used to declare user defined pragmas. This is 
+useful because Nimrod's templates and macros do not affect pragmas. User 
+defined pragmas are in a different module-wide scope than all other symbols. 
+They cannot be imported from a module.
+
+Example:
+
+.. code-block:: nimrod
+  when appType == "lib":
+    {.pragma: rtl, exportc, dynlib, cdecl.}
+  else:
+    {.pragma: rtl, importc, dynlib: "client.dll", cdecl.}
+    
+  proc p*(a, b: int): int {.rtl.} = 
+    return a+b
+
+In the example a new pragma named ``rtl`` is introduced that either imports
+a symbol from a dynamic library or exports the symbol for dynamic library
+generation.
 
 
 Disabling certain messages
@@ -2786,17 +2788,18 @@ string expressions in general:
 
 **Note**: Patterns like ``libtcl(|8.5|8.4).so`` are only supported in constant
 strings, because they are precompiled.
-
+
 Dynlib pragma for export
-------------------------
-
+------------------------
+
 With the ``dynlib`` pragma a procedure can also be exported to
-a dynamic library. The pragma then has no argument and has to be used in
+a dynamic library. The pragma then has no argument and has to be used in
 conjunction with the ``exportc`` pragma:
 
 .. code-block:: Nimrod
   proc exportme(): int {.cdecl, exportc, dynlib.}
-
-This is only useful if the program is compiled as a dynamic library via the
-``--app:lib`` command line option.
-
+
+This is only useful if the program is compiled as a dynamic library via the
+``--app:lib`` command line option.
+
+