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<div class="section">
<div class="titlepage"><div><div><h5 class="title">
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule"></a><a class="link" href="rule.html" title="Rule">Rule</a>
</h5></div></div></div>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.description"></a><h6>
<a name="id899151"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.description">Description</a>
</h6>
<p>
The rule is a polymorphic parser that acts as a named placeholder capturing
the behavior of a <a class="link" href="../../../abstracts/parsing_expression_grammar.html" title="Parsing Expression Grammar">Parsing
Expression Grammar</a> expression assigned to it. Naming a <a class="link" href="../../../abstracts/parsing_expression_grammar.html" title="Parsing Expression Grammar">Parsing
Expression Grammar</a> expression allows it to be referenced later
and makes it possible for the rule to call itself. This is one of the
most important mechanisms and the reason behind the word "recursive"
in recursive descent parsing.
</p>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.header"></a><h6>
<a name="id899177"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.header">Header</a>
</h6>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="comment">// forwards to &lt;boost/spirit/home/qi/nonterminal/rule.hpp&gt;
</span><span class="preprocessor">#include</span> <span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">/</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">/</span><span class="identifier">include</span><span class="special">/</span><span class="identifier">qi_rule</span><span class="special">.</span><span class="identifier">hpp</span><span class="special">&gt;</span>
</pre>
<p>
Also, see <a class="link" href="../../../structure/include.html" title="Include">Include Structure</a>.
</p>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.namespace"></a><h6>
<a name="id899251"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.namespace">Namespace</a>
</h6>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="table">
<colgroup><col></colgroup>
<thead><tr><th>
<p>
Name
</p>
</th></tr></thead>
<tbody><tr><td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">qi</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">rule</span></code>
</p>
</td></tr></tbody>
</table></div>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.synopsis"></a><h6>
<a name="id899332"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.synopsis">Synopsis</a>
</h6>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="keyword">template</span> <span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">typename</span> <span class="identifier">Iterator</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="keyword">typename</span> <span class="identifier">A1</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="keyword">typename</span> <span class="identifier">A2</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="keyword">typename</span> <span class="identifier">A3</span><span class="special">&gt;</span>
<span class="keyword">struct</span> <span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">;</span>
</pre>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.template_parameters"></a><h6>
<a name="id899425"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.template_parameters">Template
parameters</a>
</h6>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="table">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<thead><tr>
<th>
<p>
Parameter
</p>
</th>
<th>
<p>
Description
</p>
</th>
<th>
<p>
Default
</p>
</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Iterator</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
The underlying iterator type that the rule is expected to work
on.
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
none
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">A1</span></code>, <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">A2</span></code>, <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">A3</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Either <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Signature</span></code>,
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Skipper</span></code> or
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Locals</span></code> in any
order. See table below.
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
See table below.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
<p>
Here is more information about the template parameters:
</p>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="table">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<thead><tr>
<th>
<p>
Parameter
</p>
</th>
<th>
<p>
Description
</p>
</th>
<th>
<p>
Default
</p>
</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Signature</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Specifies the rule's synthesized (return value) and inherited
attributes (arguments). More on this here: <a class="link" href="../parser_concepts/nonterminal.html" title="Nonterminal"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Nonterminal</span></code></a>.
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">unused_type</span></code>.
When <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Signature</span></code>
defaults to <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">unused_type</span></code>,
the effect is the same as specifying a signature of <code class="computeroutput"><span class="keyword">void</span><span class="special">()</span></code>
which is also equivalent to <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">unused_type</span><span class="special">()</span></code>
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Skipper</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Specifies the rule's skipper parser. Specify this if you want
the rule to skip white spaces. If this is not specified, the
rule is an "implicit lexeme" and will not skip spaces.
"implicit lexeme" rules can still be called with
a skipper. In such a case, the rule does a pre-skip just as
all lexemes and primitives do.
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">unused_type</span></code>
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Locals</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Specifies the rule's local variables. See <a class="link" href="../parser_concepts/nonterminal.html" title="Nonterminal"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Nonterminal</span></code></a>.
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">unused_type</span></code>
</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.model_of"></a><h6>
<a name="id899805"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.model_of">Model of</a>
</h6>
<div class="blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><p>
<a class="link" href="../parser_concepts/nonterminal.html" title="Nonterminal"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Nonterminal</span></code></a>
</p></blockquote></div>
<div class="variablelist">
<p class="title"><b>Notation</b></p>
<dl>
<dt><span class="term"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span><span class="special">,</span>
<span class="identifier">r2</span></code></span></dt>
<dd><p>
Rules
</p></dd>
<dt><span class="term"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">p</span></code></span></dt>
<dd><p>
A parser expression
</p></dd>
<dt><span class="term"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Iterator</span></code></span></dt>
<dd><p>
The underlying iterator type that the rule is expected to work
on.
</p></dd>
<dt><span class="term"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">A1</span></code>, <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">A2</span></code>, <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">A3</span></code></span></dt>
<dd><p>
Either <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Signature</span></code>,
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Skipper</span></code> or <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Locals</span></code> in any order.
</p></dd>
</dl>
</div>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.expression_semantics"></a><h6>
<a name="id899965"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.expression_semantics">Expression
Semantics</a>
</h6>
<p>
Semantics of an expression is defined only where it differs from, or
is not defined in <a class="link" href="../parser_concepts/nonterminal.html" title="Nonterminal"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Nonterminal</span></code></a>.
</p>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="table">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<thead><tr>
<th>
<p>
Expression
</p>
</th>
<th>
<p>
Description
</p>
</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
</p>
<pre xmlns:rev="http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~gregod/boost/tools/doc/revision" class="table-programlisting"><span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="identifier">Iterator</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A1</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A2</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A3</span><span class="special">&gt;</span>
<span class="identifier">r</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="identifier">name</span><span class="special">);</span></pre>
<p>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Rule declaration. <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Iterator</span></code>
is required. <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">A1</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A2</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A3</span></code>
are optional and can be specified in any order. <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">name</span></code> is an optional string
that gives the rule its name, useful for debugging and error
handling.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
</p>
<pre xmlns:rev="http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~gregod/boost/tools/doc/revision" class="table-programlisting"><span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="identifier">Iterator</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A1</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A2</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">A3</span><span class="special">&gt;</span>
<span class="identifier">r</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="identifier">r2</span><span class="special">);</span></pre>
<p>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Copy construct rule <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span></code>
from rule <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r2</span></code>.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span> <span class="special">=</span>
<span class="identifier">r2</span><span class="special">;</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Assign rule <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r2</span></code>
to <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span></code>.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span><span class="special">.</span><span class="identifier">alias</span><span class="special">()</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
return an alias of <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span></code>.
The alias is a parser that holds a reference to <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span></code>.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span><span class="special">.</span><span class="identifier">copy</span><span class="special">()</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Get a copy of <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span></code>.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span> <span class="special">=</span>
<span class="identifier">p</span><span class="special">;</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Rule definition. This is equivalent to <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span>
<span class="special">%=</span> <span class="identifier">p</span></code>
(see below) if there are no semantic actions attached anywhere
in <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">p</span></code>.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span> <span class="special">%=</span>
<span class="identifier">p</span><span class="special">;</span></code>
</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>
Auto-rule definition. The attribute of <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">p</span></code>
should be compatible with the synthesized attribute of <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span></code>. When <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">p</span></code>
is successful, its attribute is automatically propagated to
<code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">r</span></code>'s synthesized
attribute.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.attributes"></a><h6>
<a name="id900514"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.attributes">Attributes</a>
</h6>
<div class="blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><p>
The parser attribute of the rule is <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">T</span></code>,
its synthesized attribute. See <a class="link" href="../parser_concepts/nonterminal.html#spirit.qi.reference.parser_concepts.nonterminal.attributes"><code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">Attribute</span></code></a>
</p></blockquote></div>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.complexity"></a><h6>
<a name="id900553"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.complexity">Complexity</a>
</h6>
<div class="blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><p>
The complexity is defined by the complexity of the RHS parser, <code class="computeroutput"><span class="identifier">p</span></code>
</p></blockquote></div>
<a name="spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.example"></a><h6>
<a name="id900581"></a>
<a class="link" href="rule.html#spirit.qi.reference.nonterminal.rule.example">Example</a>
</h6>
<div class="note"><table border="0" summary="Note">
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" align="center" valign="top" width="25"><img alt="[Note]" src="../../../../images/note.png"></td>
<th align="left">Note</th>
</tr>
<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><p>
The test harness for the example(s) below is presented in the <a class="link" href="../basics.html#spirit.qi.reference.basics.examples">Basics Examples</a>
section.
</p></td></tr>
</table></div>
<p>
Some using declarations:
</p>
<p>
</p>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">qi</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">qi</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">int_</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">qi</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">locals</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">qi</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">_1</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">qi</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">_a</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">ascii</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">alpha</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">ascii</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">char_</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">using</span> <span class="identifier">boost</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">spirit</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">ascii</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">space_type</span><span class="special">;</span></pre>
<p>
</p>
<p>
Basic rule:
</p>
<p>
</p>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">char</span> <span class="keyword">const</span><span class="special">*&gt;</span> <span class="identifier">r</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">r</span> <span class="special">=</span> <span class="identifier">int_</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">test_parser</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="string">"123"</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">r</span><span class="special">);</span></pre>
<p>
</p>
<p>
Rule with synthesized attribute:
</p>
<p>
</p>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">char</span> <span class="keyword">const</span><span class="special">*,</span> <span class="keyword">int</span><span class="special">()&gt;</span> <span class="identifier">ra</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">ra</span> <span class="special">=</span> <span class="identifier">int_</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="keyword">int</span> <span class="identifier">i</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">test_parser_attr</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="string">"123"</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">ra</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">i</span><span class="special">);</span>
<span class="identifier">assert</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="identifier">i</span> <span class="special">==</span> <span class="number">123</span><span class="special">);</span></pre>
<p>
</p>
<p>
Rule with skipper and synthesized attribute:
</p>
<p>
</p>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">char</span> <span class="keyword">const</span><span class="special">*,</span> <span class="identifier">std</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">vector</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">int</span><span class="special">&gt;(),</span> <span class="identifier">space_type</span><span class="special">&gt;</span> <span class="identifier">rs</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">rs</span> <span class="special">=</span> <span class="special">*</span><span class="identifier">int_</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">std</span><span class="special">::</span><span class="identifier">vector</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">int</span><span class="special">&gt;</span> <span class="identifier">v</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">test_phrase_parser_attr</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="string">"123 456 789"</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">rs</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">v</span><span class="special">);</span>
<span class="identifier">assert</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="identifier">v</span><span class="special">[</span><span class="number">0</span><span class="special">]</span> <span class="special">==</span> <span class="number">123</span><span class="special">);</span>
<span class="identifier">assert</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="identifier">v</span><span class="special">[</span><span class="number">1</span><span class="special">]</span> <span class="special">==</span> <span class="number">456</span><span class="special">);</span>
<span class="identifier">assert</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="identifier">v</span><span class="special">[</span><span class="number">2</span><span class="special">]</span> <span class="special">==</span> <span class="number">789</span><span class="special">);</span></pre>
<p>
</p>
<p>
Rule with one local variable:
</p>
<p>
</p>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="identifier">rule</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">char</span> <span class="keyword">const</span><span class="special">*,</span> <span class="identifier">locals</span><span class="special">&lt;</span><span class="keyword">char</span><span class="special">&gt;</span> <span class="special">&gt;</span> <span class="identifier">rl</span><span class="special">;</span>
<span class="identifier">rl</span> <span class="special">=</span> <span class="identifier">alpha</span><span class="special">[</span><span class="identifier">_a</span> <span class="special">=</span> <span class="identifier">_1</span><span class="special">]</span> <span class="special">&gt;&gt;</span> <span class="identifier">char_</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="identifier">_a</span><span class="special">);</span> <span class="comment">// get two identical characters
</span><span class="identifier">test_parser</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="string">"aa"</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">rl</span><span class="special">);</span> <span class="comment">// pass
</span><span class="identifier">test_parser</span><span class="special">(</span><span class="string">"ax"</span><span class="special">,</span> <span class="identifier">rl</span><span class="special">);</span> <span class="comment">// fail
</span></pre>
<p>
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