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A generalized control structure and its formal definition

Author:

David Lorge ParnasAuthors Info & Claims

Communications of the ACM, Volume 26, Issue 8

Pages 572 - 581

https://doi.org/10.1145/358161.358168

Published: 01 August 1983 Publication History

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Abstract

A new programming language control structure as well as an improved approach to a formal definition of programming languages are presented. The control structure can replace both iteration and conditional structures. Because it is a semantic generalization of those structures, a single statement using the new control structure can implement the functions of loops, conditionals, and also programs that would require several conventional constructs. As a consequence of this increased capability, it is possible to write algorithms that are simpler, more efficient, and more clearly correct than those that can be written with earlier structured-programming control structures. In order to provide a precise definition of the new constructs, a new version of relational semantics, called LD-relations is presented. An algebra of these relations is developed and used to define the meaning of the new constructs. A short discussion of program development and the history of control structures is included.

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Parnas, D.L An alternative control structure and its formal definition. IBM Tech. Rept. TR FSD-81-0012, IBM Corp., Bethesda, Md, 1981.

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Alawad MLin M(2017)Sketching Computation with Stochastic Processing EnginesACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems10.1145/300765213:3(1-19)Online publication date: 14-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3007652
Yuan BParhi K(2017)VLSI Architectures for the Restricted Boltzmann MachineACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems10.1145/300719313:3(1-19)Online publication date: 12-May-2017
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Panda PSengupta ARoy K(2017)Energy-Efficient and Improved Image Recognition with Conditional Deep LearningACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems10.1145/300719213:3(1-21)Online publication date: 9-Feb-2017
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Index Terms

A generalized control structure and its formal definition
1. Software and its engineering
  1. Software creation and management
    1. Software development techniques
  2. Software notations and tools
    1. Formal language definitions
    2. General programming languages
      1. Language features
        Control structures
2. Theory of computation

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Published In

Communications of the ACM Volume 26, Issue 8

Aug. 1983

50 pages

ISSN:0001-0782

EISSN:1557-7317

DOI:10.1145/358161

Editor:
Peter J. Danning
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 August 1983

Published in CACM Volume 26, Issue 8

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Alawad MLin M(2017)Sketching Computation with Stochastic Processing EnginesACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems10.1145/300765213:3(1-19)Online publication date: 14-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3007652
Yuan BParhi K(2017)VLSI Architectures for the Restricted Boltzmann MachineACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems10.1145/300719313:3(1-19)Online publication date: 12-May-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3007193
Panda PSengupta ARoy K(2017)Energy-Efficient and Improved Image Recognition with Conditional Deep LearningACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems10.1145/300719213:3(1-21)Online publication date: 9-Feb-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3007192
Page AJafari AShea CMohsenin T(2017)SPARCNetACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems10.1145/300544813:3(1-32)Online publication date: 12-May-2017
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Singh NLawford MMaibaum TWassyng A(2017)Use of Tabular Expressions for Refinement AutomationModel and Data Engineering10.1007/978-3-319-66854-3_13(167-182)Online publication date: 6-Sep-2017
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Tchier F(2015)Nondeterministic semantics of compound diagramsDiscrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems - Series S10.3934/dcdss.2015.8.13578:6(1357-1371)Online publication date: Dec-2015
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Singh NLawford MMaibaum TWassyng AThang HPhuong LDe Raedt LDeville YBui MLinh TOanh NSang DNgoc N(2015)Stateflow to Tabular ExpressionsProceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Information and Communication Technology10.1145/2833258.2833285(312-319)Online publication date: 3-Dec-2015
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Pang LWang CLawford MWassyng A(2015)Formal verification of function blocks applied to IEC 61131-3Science of Computer Programming10.1016/j.scico.2015.10.005113:P2(149-190)Online publication date: 1-Dec-2015
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Equivalence of formal semantics definition methods

The formal definition of a real-time language

A multi-processing implementation-oriented formal definition of Ada in SEMANOL

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