The VAS formalism in VASE

Abstract

This paper discusses the visual algebraic specification (VAS) formalism and its supporting interactive environment (VASE). The VAS formalism is intended for the definition of visual syntax and semantics and is aimed at generating language specific environments. The collection construct of VAS is emphasized in that it supports the convenient specification of language constructs involving arbitrarily many items. The VAS formalism and supporting environment are discussed by use of an example in which the syntax, semantics and interaction of a toy language are specified.