parse and infinite loops (was: parse, again)

Hi Halvard & Rebols, <<Just a sec... Why does parse "" [to end to end] yield 'true? What happens when 'parse has done the first [to end]? Where is 'parse at then? And wouldn't it be simple for rebol to know that once 'parse has reached 'end, all further parse instructions must fail or be ignored? >> You would be the first one who would see the trouble with such a simplistic approach (how would you distinguish the cases): parse "a" ["a" opt "b" opt "c"] as opposed to parse "a" ["a" opt "b" "c"] The possibility of (infinite) loops is inevitable, if PARSE has to be universal enough (bitter but true). Simple infinite loops: [some [any skip]] [some [opt "a"]] [some [to end]] rule: [to end rule] [some none] [some []] The rule of thumb for not being bugged by such kind of bugs is to use rules that either consume at least something from input or, if they don't, then they should finish their work.

Ladislav Mecir skrev (Tuesday 06.11.2001, kl. 11.57):

>The rule of thumb for not being bugged by such kind of bugs is to use >rules >that either consume at least something from input or, if they don't, then >they should finish their work.

> >The rule of thumb for not being bugged by such kind of bugs is to use > >rules > >that either consume at least something from input or, if they don't, then > >they should finish their work. > > Ah! So [to end] doesn't actually consume whatever is left of parse's

Ladislav Mecir skrev (Tuesday 06.11.2001, kl. 11.57):

>The rule of thumb for not being bugged by such kind of bugs is to use >rules >that either consume at least something from input or, if they don't, then >they should finish their work.