The App
=======

OK, Let's explore the app.

.. image:: _static/Screenshots/screenshot-3-flags.png

The App is used to generate the parser *code* from *source*.
The *source* is written in an external editor.  You point the app
to the source file and select the `Generate` button.  Let's go through each section.

Copyright
----------

Just verbiage on the copyright.  This is a commercial app and you need to puchase a license 
for legal use.  Please purchase here https://algodal.itch.io/algodal-parser-generator-tool
. We definitely appreciate the support ❤️.  It goes a long way in helping us to continue support the tool
with improvements and new features. 

Input
------

This is the section where you point to the source file as well as provide the name of your parser.
The file can have any extension.  On the other hand, our official extensions are `.algodal-parser` or `.parser`
so feel free to use either.

The you provide the parser must be *C naming variables compliant*.  That's is no spaces, no dashes,
must start with a letter, etc.

Here is a screenshot of a sample parser code in
vscode:

.. image:: _static/Screenshots/screenshot-7-lang-simple.png

The only required field in the app is the *Input File* - everything else is optional.



Output
-------

By default, the generated parser file is saved in a folder
called *Output* relative to the App binary.  You can change
which folder the generated parser file is saved into using
the *Output Folder* field.

.. note::
   C lingo is used to describe the actions of some of these flags.
   You can take a quick look at the C language to understanding the
   meaning of terms like declare (declarations), define (definitions), include (includes), etc.

The *Flags* fields allows you to chose how the the code is generated and
set preprocessor flags in the code to control default behaviour.

#. Separate Files

    By default, a single C file is generate which contains
    the program, (optionally) the machine and (optionally) a main program (for quick demo).
    If you check this flag, you can store each *component* in a separate file.

#. Separate Header

     By default, declarations are written
     into the file along with definitions code.  If this flag is checked
     then declarations code is stored in a header file and other files *include* said file.

#. Exclude VM

     This excludes the machine code from being generated.

     * Store Non-Terminal Strings 

          AST generated do not have string values for non-terminal nodes by default.  
          This flag does the opposite.

#. Exclude Main

     This excludes the *main* code from being generated. (This refering to demo code which contains a `main()` function)

     * No Printing
          
          The main code include a lot of printing for feedback.  You can turn them off with this flag.
     
     * Print Using Export

          Demonstrate the export feature.

#. Generate JSON

      Generate the Program as JSON.


Generate
--------

Finally, the generate button.  You press this to generate
your parser.