Abstract

The key to realistic self-applicable partial evaluation is to analyze binding times in the source program, i.e., whether the result of partially evaluating a source expression is static or dynamic, given a static/dynamic division of the input. Source programs are specialized with respect to the static part of their input. When a source expression depends on the concrete result of specializing another expression, the binding time of this other expression is first interpreted. A safe approximation of these abstract values is computed by binding time analysis. This paper points out that this value-based information can be compiled into control-based directives driving the specializer as to what to do for each expression – instead of how to use the result of partially evaluating an expression. This compilation is achieved by a non-standard interpretation of the specialization semantics, based on the observation that a source expression is either reduced or rebuilt. The result is an action trees isomorphic to the abstract syntax tree of the source program. This approach suggests to reorganize the specializer so that it is driven first

Citations