Input Principle

The slice program reads inputfile (or from STDIN if inputfile is not given or equal ``"-"'') and divides its already prepared ASCII contents into possibly overlapping areas, called slices. These slices are determined by enclosing blocks defined by begin and end delimiters which have to be already in the file. These block delimiters use the syntax

  [NAME: ... :NAME]

or alternatively (if there is no misinterpretation possible, i.e. no overlapping or stacked slices)

  [NAME: ... :]

The NAME identifier has to match against the regular expression ``"[_A-Z0-9]+"'', i.e. NAME is a string consisting only of uppercase letters, digits or underscore characters.

There can be as many such slice definitions as you like and there can be more than one slice with the same name. The resulting slice is the union of all equal named slices. Actually use this to spread a big slice over disjunct peaces of inputfile.

Output Selection Scheme

The final output data gets calculated by a slice term consisting of slice names and set theory operators. The following syntax is recognized (in order of LR(1) grammar parsing) for slice terms:

SLICE_TERM ::= "NAME"

The slice NAME itself. This name has to match against the regex ``"[_A-Z0-9*{}]+"''. Here two cases are possible: "NAME" is either a plain slice name consisting only of uppercase letters, digits or an underscore character. Or it is a wildcarded slice name indicated by an asterisk character.

The first variant just expands to the union of all slices named exactly "NAME". The second variant expands to the union of all slices which match against the wildcard pattern "NAME". Here the asterisk has the semantical meaning of none or any number of characters. There is one special case, when the asterisk is immediately followed by characters enclosed within braces, it means none or any number of characters, but not this sequence of characters.

SLICE_TERM ::= "!NAME" | "~NAME"

The complement of slice NAME (i.e. ALL\NAME).

In formula: {x in ALL: x not in NAME}

SLICE_TERM ::= "NAME1xNAME2", "NAME1^NAME2"

The exclusive-or relation between slice NAME1 and slice NAME2. In set theory also called symmetric difference: (NAME1uNAME2)\(NAME1nNAME2) or alternatively (NAME1n!NAME2)u(!NAME1nNAME2).

In formula: {x in ALL: (x in NAME1 or x in NAME2) and not (x in NAME1 and x in NAME2)}.

SLICE_TERM ::= "NAME1\NAME2", "NAME1-NAME2"

The difference of slice NAME1 and slice NAME2, i.e. NAME1 minus NAME2.

In formula: {x in ALL: x in NAME1 and x not in NAME2}

SLICE_TERM ::= "NAME1nNAME2" | "NAME1%NAME2"

The intersection of slice NAME1 and slice NAME2.

In formula: {x in ALL: x in NAME1 and x in NAME2}

SLICE_TERM ::= "NAME1uNAME2", "NAME1+NAME2"

The union of slice NAME1 and slice NAME2.

In formula: {x in ALL: x in NAME1 or x in NAME2}

SLICE_TERM ::= "(" SLICE_TERM ")"

A grouped slice term. Use this to force a different order of evaluation. By default, all operators are left-associative, except complement which is right-associative. Operators are listed below from lowest to highest precedence:

    -  u  x  n  !
    

Advanced Selection: Slice Levels

Because slices can be overlapping and stacked, a definition level is assigned to each slice while the input is parsed. These levels range from 1 to the maximum encountered (the level 0 is the whole file, i.e. "ALL"). When a slice begins, it is assigned the lowest free level, beginning with level 1. As long as one level is in use, it cannot be assigned again until the end delimiter of the corresponding slice is seen.

An example:

     [A:[B::B]:A][C:[D:[E::C]:D][F::E]:F]
  3                     E-----------E
  2      B--B        D--------D
  1   A--------A  C--------C     F-----F
  0

Here slice A is assigned level 1. Then B is assigned level 2 because level 1 is still in use by A. Then the end of B is reached, level 2 is freed. Then the end of A is reached and level 1 is also free now, so C is assigned level 1 again. Now only level 1 is in use, so D is assigned level 2. Then E is assigned level 3. Then the end of C is seen and level 1 freed. Then the end of D is seen and level 2 is freed. Now F begins and because only level 3 is in use, it gets level 1 assigned. Then the end of E frees level 3 and the end of F frees level 1. Finally no levels are still in use. This indicates that the slicing is correct.

If there are any used levels left at the end of this process this indicates an input error and slice responds with an error message displaying the still open slices.

This complicated level mechanism is needed for granular set operations where particular slices should be included or excluded only. So, to make life easier, a few pseudo-slices are automatically defined:

"DEFn"

The union of all user-defined slices at exactly level n (0 <= n <= oo).

"UNDEFn"

The union of all non-user-defined slices at exactly level n (0 <= n <= oo). This actually is just "!DEFn".

"DEF"

The union of all user-defined slices at all levels, beginning at level 1. This actually is the union of all "DEFn" slices.

"UNDEF"

The union of all non-user-defined slices at all levels, beginning with 1. This actually is just "!DEF".

"ALL"

The whole file. This actually is just "UNDEF0", because at level 0 there are no user defined slices, so all is undefined.

NAME"@"

This is the slice NAME minus the union of all "DEFn" slices with min(NAME) <= n <= oo. Here min(NAME) is the lowest level plus one where NAME ever occurred. You can read this as ``NAME without all other slices at higher levels which overwrite it''. This sounds a little bit crazy, but actually is the most important construct. Try to understand it or your slice terms become very complicated.