Fluent Interface API

provides 6 methods to create EBNF graphs. Each method turns the symbol (terminal or non-terminal) into a more complex non-terminal symbol.

followedBy(Symbol symbol)

It creates a sequence of two symbols.

Example:

  Symbol newSymbol = symbol1.followedBy(symbol2).followedBy(symbol3);

newSymbol realizes the following graph:

It is an instance of

or(Symbol symbol)

It creates an alternative of two symbols.

Example:

  Symbol newSymbol = symbol1.or(symbol2).or(symbol3);

newSymbol realizes the following graph:

It is an instance of

optional()

It creates a kind of alternative where the symbol occurs or not.

Example:

  Symbol newSymbol = symbol.optional();

newSymbol realizes the following graph:

It is an instance of

zeroOrMoreTimes()

It creates a sequence where the symbol occurs zero or more times.

Example:

  Symbol newSymbol = symbol.zeroOrMoreTimes();

newSymbol realizes the following graph:

It is an instance of

oneOrMoreTimes()

It creates a sequence where the symbol occurs one or more times.

Example:

  Symbol newSymbol = symbol.oneOrMoreTimes();

newSymbol realizes the following graph:

It is an instance of

zeroOrMoreTimesSeparatedBy(Symbol delimiter)

It creates a sequence where the symbol occurs zero or more times. Between to successive symbols a delimiter symbol has to occur.

Example:

  Symbol newSymbol = symbol.zeroOrMoreTimesSeparatedBy(delimiter);

newSymbol realizes the following graph:

It is an instance of