MINC(CMIX-2)        UNIX Programmer's Manual         MINC(CMIX-2)



NAME
     Minc - data specification language for Cmix.

DESCRIPTION
     Minc (M is not c) is the data specification language for
     Cmix.  It was written by Lars Graf. Minc *almost* follows a
     c-like syntax. Arithmetic, conditional and logical expres-
     sions are permitted, as well as looping.  Any statment of
     the form       foo(val,num, etc) results in the execution of
     foo() if it is a Cmix procedure and declared as such, either
     in the user's profile.c or in Cmix's ug_intro.c.  If it is
     neither the evaluated terms within parentheses will simply
     be printed and returned.  The arguments within the
     parentheses are passed to the Cmix procedure in its float *p
     array.  All variables must be declared as float. The sign ;
     has the meaning 'clear out any syntax errors'. Cmix routines
     such as open, input, output which have a file name as a
     first argument, must pass that argument between " signs.


     Minc, has two modes of operation: batch and interactive (the
     default).  The only difference between them is that loops
     cannot be executed in interactive mode.  To run in batch
     mode a -b flag must be specified on the Cmix command line,
     and all data must be entered either by redirecting input
     from a file, or by typing all data followed by a <cntrl-D>.
     Comments are inclosed by /* and */ as in C.



     The following is Lars Graf's formal statement of the
     language:
     Order of precedents:

     ||
     &&
     =  !=
     < >  <= >=
     + -
     * /
     **  ^
     CASTS


     Syntax:

     prg: stml

     stml :        stmt
          |   stml  stmt
          |   stmt ;
          |   stml  stmt ;



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MINC(CMIX-2)        UNIX Programmer's Manual         MINC(CMIX-2)



     stmt:         float idl           /* declare ids */
          |   id  = exp
          |   IF bexp stmt
          |   IF bexp stmt ELSE stmt
          |   WHILE bexp stmt
          |   FOR ( stmt , bexp , stmt ) stmt
          |   id ( expl )     /* a call to a cmix function  */
          |   { stml }


     idl:     id              /* like: fnct_name(arg1,arg2,arg3) */
          |   idl , id

     id:   any letter/digit/"_" combination, but start with letter

     expl:       exp
          |   exp ',' expl
          |   or no function argument

     bexp:         exp
          |   ! bexp
          |   bexp &&  bexp
          |   bexp ||  bexp
          |   bexp = bexp   /* note the comparison of booleans */
          |   exp < exp
          |   exp > exp
          |   exp != exp
          |   exp <= exp
          |   exp >= exp
          |   TRUE
          |   FALSE

     exp:     exp ** exp
          |   - exp
          |   exp * exp
          |   exp / exp
          |   exp + exp
          |   exp - exp
          |   ( bexp )
          |   any number: e.g. 34 -645.34 234.E23  ...


     Note:

     1)  Semicolon and <crt> are optional.

     2)  '=' is used for assignments and boolean expressions.

     3)  False = 0; True = 1(or nonzero).






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MINC(CMIX-2)        UNIX Programmer's Manual         MINC(CMIX-2)



     Samples:

     /*  this is a legal comment  */

     float foo,x;

     if i=3 && foo>4  say_mumble( foo**i , i-foo*3)
          else mumble_foo()


     while x=3 {

          this_is_a_cmix_function_call()
          x= 5 * (foo=i)     /* this is slime */

     while true nested_loops_are_possible()
     }


     for (x=1, x <= 10,x=x+1) dispatch(x)


     Minc also has the following facilities:

     1)  function calls can return values

          e.g.      i = rand(j)

          NOTE:  those are calls to your own C-functions.
                 You may adjust your dispatcher and your functions
accordingly

     2)  assignment statements have the value of the assignment.

          e.g.      i = j = 5
                 while (i=j) == 5  { mumblings .. }

     3)  strings can be passed as arguments.

          e.g.      file_id = open("name of file",2)
                    printf("some string %f %f0,i,j)
               /* of course, the dispatcher has to know about printf */

          NOTE:   the string pointer is passed as a double; to convert
               back, you have to first cast it into an integer, and then
               you have to cast the integer into a char*.

     4)  use '=' for assigment; and '==' as the booleam equal operator.


     Here is a simple example file:

     open("sf/bigsound",0,0)



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MINC(CMIX-2)        UNIX Programmer's Manual         MINC(CMIX-2)



     open("sf/bigmix",1,2)
     sfclean(1)
     float a,b,c,d
     a=2 b=3 c=28000 d=-4
     sound(a,b,c,1,22*19,d=d-a)
     sound(a=a+2, b+.1, 99, d=d-a+2)


DIAGNOSTICS
     Syntax errors are noted and very often will cause big trou-
     ble.  It is recommended that any files be tested with parse,
     which is a standalone version of Minc. Just say parse <
     file.

BUGS
     Please report, undoubtedly there are a number to be found.