ClimbShortClimb

Overview

SHORT-CLIMB is a tool that can create metagrammar libraries for a larger resource grammar. It provides a practical set-up to flip back and forth between different versions of a grammar. The approach can be used to (temporarily) maintain and explore an alternative analyses, or to collect standard differences between versions of a grammar (e.g. a more restricted version and a more robust version)

• Definitions related to a specific (alternative) analysis are located at one spot (clear overview of related properties)
• Revisions made to one version of the grammar can be included in the other version automatically (more systematic comparison between versions)
• SHORT-CLIMB libraries can be applied to the grammar at any time: may provide a good starting point to go back to an old analysis after a long time

General Instructions

• SHORT-CLIMB can be obtained by contacting AntskeFokkens (the code can be downloaded directly soon)

• Please send request, questions and bugs reports to AntskeFokkens by email (for bug reports: include your library and the to-be-modified TDL file)

Creating a SHORT-CLIMB library

Default settings

• SHORT-CLIMB (short_climb.py) lives in a subdirectory of the grammar
• CLIMB libraries live in a subdirectory of the grammar called climb
• CLIMB libraries define which .tdl files must be manipulated: all other parts of the grammar will be copied

To change these defaults adapt the following lines in short_climb.py:

path = '../climb/'
gram_path = '../'

where gram_path should lead to the directory of the grammar and path to the directory of CLIMB libraries.

CLIMB Library definitions

SHORT-CLIMB can insert and remove types, add new properties to types and remove properties from types. These operations are evoked from statements in CLIMB libraries. Examples are provided below

input files

input=gram_part.tdl

states that gram_part.tdl should be included in the modification process. Statements regarding types that are defined in tdl files that are not defined as input will be ignored. I will use the term input files to refer to files defined as input below.

removing types

remove=type_name

removes all type definitions with type_name from the input files.

remove=type_name,addendum

removes all addenda to type with type_name from the input files.

inserting new types

location=type_name
my_new_type := supertype &
 [ PATH.FEATURE value ].

inserts the definition of my_new_type above the type definition of type_name in the grammar. If type_name is removed by another statement, my_new_type will replace the old type. If type_name does not occur in any of the input files, the statement will be ignored. location=type_name followed by a tdl definition can also be used to insert addenda.

adding properties to types

type_name := new_supertype &
 [ NEW_PROPERTY new_value ].

adds new_supertype as a supertype and [ NEW_PROPERTY new_value ] as a new value to the definition of type_name. If type_name does not occur in the input files, this definition will be ignored. (A location must be defined to insert completely new definitions)

type_name :+ new_supertype &
 [ NEW_PROPERTY new_value ].

will add these properties to the addenda of type_name. If type_name does not have an addendum yet, it will be created. If type_name does not occur at all in the input files, this statement will be ignored. (A location must be defined to insert completely new definitions)

removing properties from types

type_name :- old_supertype &
 [ OLD_PROPERTY old_value ]. 

removes the supertype old_supertype and constraint [ OLD_PROPERTY old_value ] from type type_name. As for the above: this statement is ignored if type_name does not occur in the input files. Careful with lists and diff-lists:

• If the only type or constraint of a list is removed, the entire list is removed
• Properties of elements on a list can be removed, but an element cannot be removed completely from the list

type_name :- [ MY-DLIST <! [ ], old_type, [ ] !>

removes the constraint old_type from the second element on the diff-list. Other constraints on this element will be maintained. If no other constraints are defined, it will be replaced by [ ] in the new grammar. The first and last element on the diff-list will remain untouched

type_name :- [ MY-DLIST <! [ ], [ OLD_C old_v ], [ ] !>

removes the feature-value pair [ OLD_C old_v ] from the second element on the diff-list. Again, other constraints on this element will be maintained and it will be replaced by [ ], if [ OLD_C old_v ] was the only constraint defined on the second element and no specific type was given for it.

NB. To change the number of elements on a list, use the complete replacement option (see below)

completely redefining a type

complete=on
type_name := supertype &
 [ SOME_CONSTRAINT value ].

replaces the type definition of type_name in the original grammar by the new definition below.