Hi Peter, There are several source filters that make select changes and modules that give select Perl 6 features to Perl 5. All in all, there's a lot there -- I've written Perl6::Contexts, for example, which diddles the bytecode to give Perl 5 programs most of the new contexts from Perl 6. In fact, I kind of even wrote a book on doing this stuff... http://www.perl6now.com. If you download the code listings, you'll get examples of a couple dozen of these modules. As far as your example of $array[idx], see Perl6::Variables. I have non-release version on Perl6::Variables in my CPAN area, SWALTERS, that adds more of the Perl 6 changes.
I know this isn't the approach you had in mind, but I thought I'd mention it, as there is actually stuff there to play with. Fundamentally, regexen to transform a Perl program aren't a bad idea, but this approach, of fixing up Perl 5, is less likely to introduce bugs into the code and keeps the production-ready environment that Perl 5 is. Transforming the code isn't a bad idea where there are transformations, but in many cases, there aren't. I suppose that could be a fatal error, but people would still be trying to "convert" their Perl 5 programs, much as when people where converting to C from B, and any failure scenario would create a flood of help requests, bug reports, etc. I hope this helps! Best regards, -scott On 0, Peter Schwenn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Perl6 Language, > > I am Perl user from near year 0. For me the easiest way to learn (, > track, and get to the point of contributing to) Perl6 would be a Perl > grammar (a regex rule set in, preferably, Perl6) that transforms any > Perl5 script into a Perl6. Of couse, besides learning Perl6 for a > regex'r or Perl5'r such as myself, and tracking, and documenting 6, it > would have huge use for Perl5 users making or considering the > transition. > > > For example one can infer the structure and some of the rules from > http://svn.openfoundry.org/pugs/docs/other/porting_howto which is > however written out in informal (not regex) rules such as $array[idx] -> > @array[idx] > > > > Is there such a Perl5->Perl6 translator underway? > > > Sincerely, > Peter Schwenn > > www.schwenn.com > > p.s. I'm not yet up to originating a good one, but believe I could make > contributions in extending and checking it. > > p.s. A Perl5 starting point might be better since running it on itself > would provide and initiate at least 2 major test modes. > > p.s. The developing form of such a grammar could likely lead to > a grammar package which facilitates rule sets for languages in > other domains, in terms of illuminating means of choosing among modes > for rule ordering, collecting, scoping, re-application, recursion, > exclusion and so forth. >
