Discover FORTH : learning and programming the FORTH language

Description

Long considered a computer language of building blocks, FORTH has been optimized for speed and requires little com¬ puter support. Whether you are a beginner seeking informa¬ tion on this multi-faceted programming language or a serious programmer already using FORTH, this book is a reference that should not be overlooked. The text describes FORTH syntax, specifically applicable to both FORTH-79 and FIG-FORTH. Included are notes on logi¬ cal extensions and alternatives to the standard FORTH syntax. Hogan explains the history and uses of FORTH and provides a tightly structured synthesis of material from programming manuals, independent programmers, and the publications of the FORTH Interest Group. Many of his observations come from his own extensive use of FORTH in a major software project. Introduction I Chapter I: A Description of FORTH 3 Chapter 2: The FORTH Dictionarq II Chapter 3: The Stack 17 Chapter 4: FORTH Arithmetic 33 Chapter 5: Using FORTH 41 Chapter 6: Interpreting and Compiling 55 Chapter 7: Memorq Manipulations 61 Chapter 8: Mathematical Possibilities 77 Chapter 9: Control Structures 87 Chapter 10: Input and Output 97 Chapter II: Programming in FORTH 107 Chapter 12: And So: FORTH 117 Appendix A: Coding Sheet for FORTH Programming 122 Appendix B: FORTH-79 Standard — Glossarij of Words 123 Appendix C: ASCII Character Codes 135 Appendix D: Suggested Alternatives to the FORTH Sijntax 136 Appendix E: Error Messages 137 Appendix F: Some FORTH Extensions 139 Index 141