System Software and Compiler Design Lab Manual VTU

Introduction
System software and compiler design are integral components of computer science and engineering curricula, especially in universities like Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). Understanding these subjects is crucial for students who aspire to excel in the software development industry. This lab manual provides a comprehensive guide to the various experiments and assignments that students need to complete as part of their coursework.

Objective of the Lab
The primary objective of this lab is to equip students with the necessary skills to design and implement system software and compilers. The experiments are designed to help students understand the working principles of system software components and the process of compiler construction.

Lab Experiments Overview
The lab manual is structured into several experiments, each focusing on a specific aspect of system software or compiler design. These experiments include:

1. Lexical Analysis

   • Objective: To design a lexical analyzer using tools like LEX.
   • Procedure: Students will write a program that takes a stream of input characters and produces a stream of tokens as output. This experiment helps in understanding how the first phase of a compiler works.
   • Expected Outcome: Students will learn to identify tokens from a given source code.

2. Syntax Analysis

   • Objective: To design a parser using tools like YACC.
   • Procedure: The parser will take tokens produced by the lexical analyzer and generate a parse tree. This experiment focuses on the second phase of a compiler.
   • Expected Outcome: Students will understand how to build a syntax tree from a stream of tokens.

3. Intermediate Code Generation

   • Objective: To generate intermediate code from a given source code.
   • Procedure: Students will write a program that converts high-level language constructs into intermediate code, which is a crucial step in the compilation process.
   • Expected Outcome: Students will gain knowledge of the intermediate representations used in compilers.

4. Code Optimization

   • Objective: To optimize the intermediate code.
   • Procedure: Students will apply various optimization techniques to improve the efficiency of the intermediate code.
   • Expected Outcome: Students will learn about the importance of code optimization and how it affects the performance of the final executable.

5. Code Generation

   • Objective: To generate target code from optimized intermediate code.
   • Procedure: The final phase of the compiler involves converting intermediate code into machine code.
   • Expected Outcome: Students will understand the process of generating machine code from intermediate code and the challenges involved in this phase.

6. System Software Experiments

   • Assembler Design: Students will design a simple two-pass assembler.
   • Macro Processor Design: This experiment involves designing a macro processor to expand macros in source code.
   • Linker and Loader: The objective is to understand the role of linkers and loaders in system software.

Evaluation Criteria
The lab performance will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Accuracy of Results: The correctness of the output generated by the programs.
• Code Quality: The readability, efficiency, and structure of the code.
• Documentation: Proper documentation of the code and the procedure followed during the experiments.
• Viva-Voce: Understanding of the concepts demonstrated during a viva-voce examination.

Challenges and Solutions
Students often face challenges in understanding the theoretical concepts when implementing them practically. This lab manual addresses these challenges by providing detailed explanations and step-by-step procedures for each experiment. Additionally, troubleshooting tips and common errors are included to help students debug their programs effectively.

Conclusion
This lab manual is an essential resource for students pursuing a course in system software and compiler design. By completing the experiments, students will gain a deep understanding of how compilers and system software work, which is crucial for their success in the software development industry.

Appendix

• Tools Required: LEX, YACC, GCC Compiler, and any text editor.
• References: Textbooks on system software and compiler design, online tutorials, and documentation for LEX and YACC.

Important Notes

• Ensure that you save your work frequently.
• Always test your code with different inputs to ensure robustness.
• Collaborate with peers for better understanding, but avoid copying code.

Table: Summary of Experiments

Experiment	Objective	Tool Used	Outcome
Lexical Analysis	Token generation from input stream	LEX	Understanding of lexical analysis
Syntax Analysis	Parse tree generation from tokens	YACC	Knowledge of syntax tree construction
Intermediate Code	Conversion to intermediate code	GCC	Insight into intermediate code representation
Code Optimization	Optimizing intermediate code	Manual	Understanding of code optimization techniques
Code Generation	Generating machine code from intermediate	GCC	Knowledge of final code generation

This table summarizes the key aspects of each experiment, providing a quick reference for students.