By targeting an abstract "P-Machine," the compiler remains machine-independent. To port Pascal to a new system, one only needs to write a P-Code interpreter or a P-Code-to-native-code translator for that specific hardware.
Written in Pascal, this program translates Pascal source code into P-Code.
Compile pcom.p and pint.p using an existing Pascal compiler. PASCAL Implementation: P4 Compiler Compiler and...
The definitive guide to this system is Pascal Implementation: The P4 Compiler and Interpreter by Steven Pemberton and Martin Daniels. It provides the complete, documented source code for both the compiler and interpreter.
Run the pint interpreter, providing the prr file as input to execute the program. Key Resources and Documentation By targeting an abstract "P-Machine," the compiler remains
To use the P4 system for compiler implementation, you follow these steps:
P4 served as the foundation for several major Pascal implementations, most notably the UCSD p-System . Pascal Implementation: A Book and Sources - CWI Compile pcom
Also written in Pascal, it acts as a virtual machine that assembles and executes the P-Code output. Implementation and Bootstrapping Process