External Rule References Handling

The Grammar External Rule References project properties section controls how external rule references in ABNF grammars are handled by the various tools of the environment.

External rule references handling is controlled by translation rules. To configure those rules, select your project in the Navigator view, open the contextual menu and select Properties (or simply press Alt-Enter):

Translation Rules

Each translation rule has a name and a context in which it applies. The context is one of:

Runtime - the rule is used when a grammar is loaded by one of the debugging/testing tools (interpreter, single-stepper, coverage, etc.).
ABNF to GrXML Conversion - the rule is used when a grammar is converted to GrXML.
ABNF to GSL Conversion - the rule is used when a grammar is converted to GSL.
GrXML to ABNF Conversion - the rule is used when a GrXML grammar is converted to the ABNF format.
GSL to ABNF Conversion - the rule is used when a GSL grammar is converted to the ABNF format.

To add a new rule, press the Add... button. The following dialog box appears:

A rule name must be chosen, as well as the context (the Apply When drop-down menu).

The rule must also specify a condition and an action. The condition determines whether a rule can be applied to a given external rule reference. The action specifies how to convert the rule reference.

A condition can be one of the following:

Extension is X - the rule applies when the external rule references a resource whose extension is X.
Filename is X - the rule applies when the external rule references a resource whose name (excluding any protocol, host, or folder) is X.
Path is X - the rule applies when the external rule references a resource whose path (everything except the resource name) is X.
Full Path is X - the rule applies when the external rule references a resource X.

An action can be one of the following:

Extension is X - the rule changes the external rule reference extension to X.
Filename is X - the rule changes the external rule reference name (excluding any protocol, host, or folder) to X.
Path is X - the rule changes the path of the external rule reference (everything except the resource name) to X.
Full Path is X - the rule changes the external rule reference to X.

To edit an existing rule, select the rule and press the Edit... button. The same dialog box appears. To delete a rule, select the rule and press the Delete button.

Translation rules are tried in the order they are specified. To change the order of the rules, select a rule and click on the Up or Down button to move it up or down in the list.