From cc2f9d012cc965e03034c6276e7bb9461066f561 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: hallgren Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:38:46 +0000 Subject: Adding the prototype GF editor for simple multilingual grammars --- src/editor/simple/about.html | 157 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 157 insertions(+) create mode 100644 src/editor/simple/about.html (limited to 'src/editor/simple/about.html') diff --git a/src/editor/simple/about.html b/src/editor/simple/about.html new file mode 100644 index 000000000..337c453b0 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/editor/simple/about.html @@ -0,0 +1,157 @@ + + + +About: GF online editor for simple multilingual grammars + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

GF online editor for simple multilingual grammars

+ +

+ + + +

About

+ +Traditionally, GF +grammars are created in a text editor and tested in the +GF shell. Text editors know very little (if anything) about the syntax of +GF grammars, and thus provide little guidance for novice GF users. Also, the +grammar author has to download and install the GF software on his/her own +computer. + +

+In contrast, the +GF online editor for simple multilingual grammars +is available online, making it easier to get started. All that +is needed is a reasonably modern web browser. Even Android and iOS devices +can be used. +

+The editor +also guides the grammar author by showing a skeleton grammar file and +hinting how the parts should be filled in. When a new part is added to the +grammar, it is immediately checked for errors. + +

+Editing operations are accessed by clicking on editing symbols embedded +in the grammar display: ++=Add an item, +×=Delete an item, +%=Edit an item. +These are revealed when hovering over items. On touch devices, hovering is +in some cases simulated by tapping, but there is also a button at the bottom +of the display to "Enabile editing on touch devices" that reveals all editing +symbols. + +

+In spite of its name, the editor runs entierly in the web +browser, so once you have opened the web page, you can +continue editing grammars even while you are +offline. + +

Limitations

+ +

+At the moment, the editor supports only a small subset of the GF grammar +notation. +Proper error checking is done for abstract syntax, but not (yet) for concrete +syntax. The resource grammar library is not available. + +

+The grammars created with this editor always consists of one file for the +abstract syntax, and one file for each concrete syntax. + +

Abstract syntax

+ +The supported abstract syntax corresponds to context-free grammars +(no dependent types). The definition of an abstract syntax is limited to +

a list of category names, + Cat₁ ; ... ; Cat_n, +
a list of functions of the form + Fun : Cat₁ -> ... -> + Cat_n, +
and a start category. +

+ +Available editing operations: +

Categories can be added, removed and renamed. When renaming a category, + occurences of it in function types will be updated accordingly. +
Functions can be added, removed and edited. Concrete syntaxes are updated + to reflect changes. +

+ +Error checks: + +

Syntactically incorrect function definitions are refused. +
Semantic problem such as duplicated definitions or references to + undefined categories, are highlighted. +

+ +

Concrete syntax

+ +At the moment, concrete syntax definitions are limited to +

parameter types, + P = C₁ | ... |C_n, +
linearization types for the categories in the abstract syntax, +
operation definitions, op = expr, +
and linearizations for the functions in the abstract syntax. +

+ +Available editing operations: +

The LHSs of the linearization types and linearizations are determined by + the abstract syntax and do not need to be entered manually. + The RHSs can + be edited. +
Parameter types can be added, removed and edited. +
Operation definitons can be added, removed and edited. +

+ +Error checks: +

The RHSs in the concrete syntax are not checked for errors. Arbitrary + strings can be entered. +

+ +

Future work

+ +This prototype gives an idea of how a web based GF grammar editor could work. +We do not expect to create a full implementation of GF that runs in the +web browser, but let the editor communicate with a server running GF. +

+By developing a GF server with an appropriate API, it should +be possible to extend the editor to support a larger fragment of GF, +to do proper error checking, and to allow grammars to be tested in the GF +shell or the minibar. +

+Grammars are currently stored locally in the browser, but a future version +could allow grammars to be stored "in the cloud", allowing the same grammars +to be accessed from multiple devices. + +

+ Last modified: Mon Jan 24 17:20:37 CET 2011 +

+TH +

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