Re-wrote the Earley parser to use a parse-forest

It now knows how to resolve ambiguity! And in a memory-efficient way!

README.md

@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ These features may be implemented some day:
 - You can work with parse-trees instead of state-machines
 - The grammar is simple to read and write
 - There are no restrictions on grammar structure. Any grammar you write can be parsed.
-    - Some structures are faster than others. If you care about speed, you can learn them gradually while the parser is already working.
+    - Some structures are faster than others. If you care about speed, you can learn them gradually while the parser is already working
     - A well-written grammar is very fast
     - Note: Nondeterminstic grammars will run a little slower
     - Note: Ambiguous grammars (grammars that can be parsed in more than one way) are supported, but may cause significant slowdown if the ambiguity is too big)

examples/conf_nolex.py

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ parser = Lark(r"""
 
         %import common.WS_INLINE
         %ignore WS_INLINE
-    """)
+    """, lexer=None)
 
 def test():
     sample_conf = """

lark/common.py

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class UnexpectedToken(ParseError):
 
 
 def is_terminal(sym):
-    return isinstance(sym, tuple) or sym.isupper() or sym[0] == '$'
+    return isinstance(sym, Terminal) or sym.isupper() or sym[0] == '$'
 
 
 class LexerConf:
@@ -81,3 +81,26 @@ class TokenDef(object):
     def __repr__(self):
         return '%s(%r, %r)' % (type(self).__name__, self.name, self.pattern)
 
+
+class Terminal:
+    def __init__(self, data):
+        self.data = data
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return '%r' % self.data
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return isinstance(other, type(self)) and self.data == other.data
+    def __hash__(self):
+        return hash(self.data)
+
+
+class Terminal_Regexp(Terminal):
+    def __init__(self, data):
+        Terminal.__init__(self, data)
+        self.match = re.compile(data).match
+
+class Terminal_Token(Terminal):
+    def match(self, other):
+        return self.data == other.type
+

lark/lark.py

@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ class Lark:
 
 
     def lex(self, text):
+        if not hasattr(self, 'lexer'):
+            self.lexer = self._build_lexer()
         stream = self.lexer.lex(text)
         if self.options.postlex:
             return self.options.postlex.process(stream)

lark/load_grammar.py

@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ TOKENS = {
     '_DOT': r'\.',
     'RULE': '!?[_?]?[a-z][_a-z0-9]*',
     'TOKEN': '_?[A-Z][_A-Z0-9]*',
-    'STRING': r'"(\\"|\\\\|[^"])*?"',
-    'REGEXP': r'/(?!/)(\\/|\\\\|[^/])*?/',
+    'STRING': r'"(\\"|\\\\|[^"\n])*?"',
+    'REGEXP': r'/(?!/)(\\/|\\\\|[^/\n])*?/',
     '_NL': r'(\r?\n)+\s*',
     'WS': r'[ \t]+',
     'COMMENT': r'//[^\n]*',
@@ -377,11 +377,15 @@ class Grammar:
                     else:
                         options = RuleOptions.new_from(options, create_token=name)
                     name = tokens_to_convert[name]
+                    inner = Token('RULE', name + '_inner')
+                    new_rule_defs.append((name, T('expansions', [T('expansion', [inner])]), None))
+                    name = inner
 
-                for exp in chain( tree.find_data('expansion'), tree.find_data('expr') ):
-                    for i, sym in enumerate(exp.children):
-                        if sym in tokens_to_convert:
-                            exp.children[i] = Token(sym.type, tokens_to_convert[sym])
+                else:
+                    for exp in chain( tree.find_data('expansion'), tree.find_data('expr') ):
+                        for i, sym in enumerate(exp.children):
+                            if sym in tokens_to_convert:
+                                exp.children[i] = Token(sym.type, tokens_to_convert[sym])
 
                 new_rule_defs.append((name, tree, options))
 

lark/parser_frontends.py

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ import sre_parse
 
 from .lexer import Lexer, ContextualLexer, Token
 
-from .common import is_terminal, GrammarError, ParserConf
-from .parsers import lalr_parser, earley, nearley
+from .common import is_terminal, GrammarError, ParserConf, Terminal_Regexp, Terminal_Token
+from .parsers import lalr_parser, old_earley, nearley, earley
 from .tree import Transformer
 
 class WithLexer:
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ class Nearley(WithLexer):
         return res[0]
 
 
-class Earley(WithLexer):
+class OldEarley(WithLexer):
     def __init__(self, lexer_conf, parser_conf):
         WithLexer.__init__(self, lexer_conf)
 
         rules = [(n, self._prepare_expansion(x), a) for n,x,a in parser_conf.rules]
 
-        self.parser = earley.Parser(ParserConf(rules, parser_conf.callback, parser_conf.start))
+        self.parser = old_earley.Parser(ParserConf(rules, parser_conf.callback, parser_conf.start))
 
     def _prepare_expansion(self, expansion):
         return [(sym,) if is_terminal(sym) else sym for sym in expansion]
@@ -100,13 +100,13 @@ def tokenize_text(text):
     return new_text
 
 
-class Earley_NoLex:
+class OldEarley_NoLex:
     def __init__(self, lexer_conf, parser_conf):
         self.token_by_name = {t.name:t for t in lexer_conf.tokens}
 
         rules = [(n, list(self._prepare_expansion(x)), a) for n,x,a in parser_conf.rules]
 
-        self.parser = earley.Parser(ParserConf(rules, parser_conf.callback, parser_conf.start))
+        self.parser = old_earley.Parser(ParserConf(rules, parser_conf.callback, parser_conf.start))
 
     def _prepare_expansion(self, expansion):
         for sym in expansion:
@@ -125,6 +125,43 @@ class Earley_NoLex:
         assert len(res) ==1 , 'Ambiguious Parse! Not handled yet'
         return res[0]
 
+class Earley_NoLex:
+    def __init__(self, lexer_conf, parser_conf):
+        self.token_by_name = {t.name:t for t in lexer_conf.tokens}
+
+        rules = [(n, list(self._prepare_expansion(x)), a) for n,x,a in parser_conf.rules]
+
+        self.parser = earley.Parser(rules, parser_conf.start, parser_conf.callback)
+
+    def _prepare_expansion(self, expansion):
+        for sym in expansion:
+            if is_terminal(sym):
+                regexp = self.token_by_name[sym].pattern.to_regexp()
+                width = sre_parse.parse(regexp).getwidth()
+                if width != (1,1):
+                    raise GrammarError('Scanless parsing (lexer=None) requires all tokens to have a width of 1 (terminal %s: %s is %s)' % (sym, regexp, width))
+                yield Terminal_Regexp(regexp)
+            else:
+                yield sym
+
+    def parse(self, text):
+        new_text = tokenize_text(text)
+        return self.parser.parse(new_text)
+
+class Earley(WithLexer):
+    def __init__(self, lexer_conf, parser_conf):
+        WithLexer.__init__(self, lexer_conf)
+
+        rules = [(n, self._prepare_expansion(x), a) for n,x,a in parser_conf.rules]
+
+        self.parser = earley.Parser(rules, parser_conf.start, parser_conf.callback)
+
+    def _prepare_expansion(self, expansion):
+        return [Terminal_Token(sym) if is_terminal(sym) else sym for sym in expansion]
+
+    def parse(self, text):
+        tokens = list(self.lex(text))
+        return self.parser.parse(tokens)
 
 def get_frontend(parser, lexer):
     if parser=='lalr':

lark/parsers/earley.py

@@ -1,25 +1,42 @@
 "This module implements an Earley Parser"
 
+# The parser uses a parse-forest to keep track of derivations and ambiguations.
+# When the parse ends successfully, a disambiguation stage resolves all ambiguity
+# (right now ambiguity resolution is not developed beyond the needs of lark)
+# Afterwards the parse tree is reduced (transformed) according to user callbacks.
+# I use the no-recursion version of Transformer and Visitor, because the tree might be
+# deeper than Python's recursion limit (a bit absurd, but that's life)
+#
 # The algorithm keeps track of each state set, using a corresponding Column instance.
 # Column keeps track of new items using NewsList instances.
 #
 # Author: Erez Shinan (2017)
 # Email : erezshin@gmail.com
 
-from ..common import ParseError, UnexpectedToken, is_terminal
+from functools import cmp_to_key
+
+from ..utils import compare
+from ..common import ParseError, UnexpectedToken, Terminal
 from .grammar_analysis import GrammarAnalyzer
+from ..tree import Tree, Visitor_NoRecurse, Transformer_NoRecurse
+
 
 class EndToken:
     type = '$end'
 
+class Derivation(Tree):
+    def __init__(self, rule, items=None):
+        Tree.__init__(self, 'drv', items or [])
+        self.rule = rule
+
 END_TOKEN = EndToken()
 
 class Item(object):
-    def __init__(self, rule, ptr, start, data):
+    def __init__(self, rule, ptr, start, tree):
         self.rule = rule
         self.ptr = ptr
         self.start = start
-        self.data = data
+        self.tree = tree if tree is not None else Derivation(self.rule)
 
     @property
     def expect(self):
@@ -29,8 +46,10 @@ class Item(object):
     def is_complete(self):
         return self.ptr == len(self.rule.expansion)
 
-    def advance(self, data):
-        return Item(self.rule, self.ptr+1, self.start, self.data + [data])
+    def advance(self, tree):
+        assert self.tree.data == 'drv'
+        new_tree = Derivation(self.rule, self.tree.children + [tree])
+        return Item(self.rule, self.ptr+1, self.start, new_tree)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return self.start is other.start and self.ptr == other.ptr and self.rule == other.rule
@@ -38,8 +57,8 @@ class Item(object):
         return hash((self.rule, self.ptr, id(self.start)))
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        before = map(str, self.rule.expansion[:self.ptr])
-        after = map(str, self.rule.expansion[self.ptr:])
+        before = list(map(str, self.rule.expansion[:self.ptr]))
+        after = list(map(str, self.rule.expansion[self.ptr:]))
         return '<(%d) %s : %s * %s>' % (id(self.start), self.rule.origin, ' '.join(before), ' '.join(after))
 
 
@@ -56,15 +75,18 @@ class NewsList(list):
         return self[i:]
 
 
+
 class Column:
     "An entry in the table, aka Earley Chart"
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, i):
+        self.i = i
         self.to_reduce = NewsList()
         self.to_predict = NewsList()
         self.to_scan = NewsList()
         self.item_count = 0
 
         self.added = set()
+        self.completed = {}
 
     def add(self, items):
         """Sort items into scan/predict/reduce newslists
@@ -76,29 +98,24 @@ class Column:
         for item in items:
 
             if item.is_complete:
-
-                # (We must allow repetition of empty rules)
-                if item.rule.expansion:
-
-                    # This is an important test to avoid infinite-loops,
-                    # For example for the rule:
-                    #   a: a | "b"
-                    # If we can detect these cases statically, we can remove
-                    # this test an gain a tiny performance boost
-                    #
-                    if item in added:
-                        continue
-                    added.add(item)
-
-                self.to_reduce.append(item)
-            else:
-                if is_terminal(item.expect):
-                    self.to_scan.append(item)
+                # XXX TODO Potential bug: What happens if there's ambiguity in an empty rule?
+                if item.rule.expansion and item in self.completed:
+                    old_tree = self.completed[item].tree
+                    if old_tree.data != 'ambig':
+                        new_tree = old_tree.copy()
+                        new_tree.rule = old_tree.rule
+                        old_tree.set('ambig', [new_tree])
+                    old_tree.children.append(item.tree)
                 else:
-                    if item in added:
-                        continue
+                    self.completed[item] = item
+                    self.to_reduce.append(item)
+            else:
+                if item not in added:
                     added.add(item)
-                    self.to_predict.append(item)
+                    if isinstance(item.expect, Terminal):
+                        self.to_scan.append(item)
+                    else:
+                        self.to_predict.append(item)
 
             self.item_count += 1    # Only count if actually added
 
@@ -106,17 +123,16 @@ class Column:
         return bool(self.item_count)
 
 class Parser:
-    def __init__(self, parser_conf):
-
-        self.analysis = GrammarAnalyzer(parser_conf.rules, parser_conf.start)
-        self.start = parser_conf.start
+    def __init__(self, rules, start, callback):
+        self.analysis = GrammarAnalyzer(rules, start)
+        self.start = start
 
         self.postprocess = {}
         self.predictions = {}
         for rule in self.analysis.rules:
             if rule.origin != '$root':  # XXX kinda ugly
                 a = rule.alias
-                self.postprocess[rule] = a if callable(a) else getattr(parser_conf.callback, a)
+                self.postprocess[rule] = a if callable(a) else (a and getattr(callback, a))
                 self.predictions[rule.origin] = [x.rule for x in self.analysis.expand_rule(rule.origin)]
 
     def parse(self, stream, start=None):
@@ -124,16 +140,15 @@ class Parser:
         start = start or self.start
 
         def predict(nonterm, i):
-            assert not is_terminal(nonterm), nonterm
-            return [Item(rule, 0, i, []) for rule in self.predictions[nonterm]]
+            assert not isinstance(nonterm, Terminal), nonterm
+            return [Item(rule, 0, i, None) for rule in self.predictions[nonterm]]
 
         def complete(item):
             name = item.rule.origin
-            item.data = self.postprocess[item.rule](item.data)
-            return [i.advance(item.data) for i in item.start.to_predict if i.expect == name]
+            return [i.advance(item.tree) for i in item.start.to_predict if i.expect == name]
 
         def process_column(i, token, cur_set):
-            next_set = Column()
+            next_set = Column(i)
 
             while True:
                 to_predict = {x.expect for x in cur_set.to_predict.get_news()
@@ -147,21 +162,20 @@ class Parser:
                 for item in to_reduce:
                     cur_set.add( complete(item) )
 
-
             if token is not END_TOKEN:
-                for item in cur_set.to_scan.get_news():
-                    match = item.expect[0](token) if callable(item.expect[0]) else item.expect[0] == token.type
-                    if match:
+                to_scan = cur_set.to_scan.get_news()
+                for item in to_scan:
+                    if item.expect.match(token):
                         next_set.add([item.advance(stream[i])])
 
             if not next_set and token is not END_TOKEN:
-                expect = {i.expect[-1] for i in cur_set.to_scan}
+                expect = {i.expect for i in cur_set.to_scan}
                 raise UnexpectedToken(token, expect, stream, i)
 
             return cur_set, next_set
 
         # Main loop starts
-        column0 = Column()
+        column0 = Column(0)
         column0.add(predict(start, column0))
 
         cur_set = column0
@@ -171,10 +185,83 @@ class Parser:
         last_set, _ = process_column(len(stream), END_TOKEN, cur_set)
 
         # Parse ended. Now build a parse tree
-        solutions = [n.data for n in last_set.to_reduce
+        solutions = [n.tree for n in last_set.to_reduce
                      if n.rule.origin==start and n.start is column0]
 
         if not solutions:
             raise ParseError('Incomplete parse: Could not find a solution to input')
-
-        return solutions
+        elif len(solutions) == 1:
+            tree = solutions[0]
+        else:
+            tree = Tree('ambig', solutions)
+
+        ResolveAmbig().visit(tree) 
+        return ApplyCallbacks(self.postprocess).transform(tree)
+        
+
+
+class ApplyCallbacks(Transformer_NoRecurse):
+    def __init__(self, postprocess):
+        self.postprocess = postprocess
+
+    def drv(self, tree):
+        children = tree.children
+        callback = self.postprocess[tree.rule]
+        if callback:
+            return callback(children)
+        else:
+            return Tree(rule.origin, children)
+
+def _compare_rules(rule1, rule2):
+    assert rule1.origin == rule2.origin
+    c = compare( len(rule1.expansion), len(rule2.expansion))
+    if rule1.origin.startswith('__'):   # XXX hack! We need to set priority in parser, not here
+        return c
+    else:
+        return -c
+
+def _compare_drv(tree1, tree2):
+    if not (isinstance(tree1, Tree) and isinstance(tree2, Tree)):
+        return compare(tree1, tree2)
+
+    c = _compare_rules(tree1.rule, tree2.rule)
+    if c:
+        return c
+
+    # rules are "equal", so compare trees
+    for t1, t2 in zip(tree1.children, tree2.children):
+        c = _compare_drv(t1, t2)
+        if c:
+            return c
+
+    return compare(len(tree1.children), len(tree2.children))
+
+
+class ResolveAmbig(Visitor_NoRecurse):
+    def ambig(self, tree):
+        best = max(tree.children, key=cmp_to_key(_compare_drv))
+        assert best.data == 'drv'
+        tree.set('drv', best.children)
+        tree.rule = best.rule   # needed for applying callbacks
+
+
+# RULES = [
+#     ('a', ['d']),
+#     ('d', ['b']),
+#     ('b', ['C']),
+#     ('b', ['b', 'C']),
+#     ('b', ['C', 'b']),
+# ]
+# p = Parser(RULES, 'a')
+# for x in p.parse('CC'):
+#     print x.pretty()
+
+#---------------
+# RULES = [
+#     ('s', ['a', 'a']),
+#     ('a', ['b', 'b']),
+#     ('b', ['C'], lambda (x,): x),
+#     ('b', ['b', 'C']),
+# ]
+# p = Parser(RULES, 's', {})
+# print p.parse('CCCCC').pretty()

lark/parsers/grammar_analysis.py

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class Rule(object):
         self.alias = alias
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return '<%s : %s>' % (self.origin, ' '.join(map(unicode,self.expansion)))
+        return '<%s : %s>' % (self.origin, ' '.join(map(str,self.expansion)))
 
 class RulePtr(object):
     def __init__(self, rule, index):

lark/parsers/old_earley.py

@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+"This module implements an Earley Parser"
+
+# The algorithm keeps track of each state set, using a corresponding Column instance.
+# Column keeps track of new items using NewsList instances.
+#
+# Author: Erez Shinan (2017)
+# Email : erezshin@gmail.com
+
+from ..common import ParseError, UnexpectedToken, is_terminal
+from .grammar_analysis import GrammarAnalyzer
+
+class EndToken:
+    type = '$end'
+
+END_TOKEN = EndToken()
+
+class Item(object):
+    def __init__(self, rule, ptr, start, data):
+        self.rule = rule
+        self.ptr = ptr
+        self.start = start
+        self.data = data
+
+    @property
+    def expect(self):
+        return self.rule.expansion[self.ptr]
+
+    @property
+    def is_complete(self):
+        return self.ptr == len(self.rule.expansion)
+
+    def advance(self, data):
+        return Item(self.rule, self.ptr+1, self.start, self.data + [data])
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return self.start is other.start and self.ptr == other.ptr and self.rule == other.rule
+    def __hash__(self):
+        return hash((self.rule, self.ptr, id(self.start)))
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        before = map(str, self.rule.expansion[:self.ptr])
+        after = map(str, self.rule.expansion[self.ptr:])
+        return '<(%d) %s : %s * %s>' % (id(self.start), self.rule.origin, ' '.join(before), ' '.join(after))
+
+
+class NewsList(list):
+    "Keeps track of newly added items (append-only)"
+
+    def __init__(self, initial=None):
+        list.__init__(self, initial or [])
+        self.last_iter = 0
+
+    def get_news(self):
+        i = self.last_iter
+        self.last_iter = len(self)
+        return self[i:]
+
+
+class Column:
+    "An entry in the table, aka Earley Chart"
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.to_reduce = NewsList()
+        self.to_predict = NewsList()
+        self.to_scan = NewsList()
+        self.item_count = 0
+
+        self.added = set()
+
+    def add(self, items):
+        """Sort items into scan/predict/reduce newslists
+
+        Makes sure only unique items are added.
+        """
+
+        added = self.added
+        for item in items:
+
+            if item.is_complete:
+
+                # (We must allow repetition of empty rules)
+                # if item.rule.expansion:
+
+                    # This is an important test to avoid infinite-loops,
+                    # For example for the rule:
+                    #   a: a | "b"
+                    # If we can detect these cases statically, we can remove
+                    # this test an gain a tiny performance boost
+                    #
+                    # if item in added:
+                    #     continue
+                    # added.add(item)
+
+                self.to_reduce.append(item)
+            else:
+                if is_terminal(item.expect):
+                    self.to_scan.append(item)
+                else:
+                    if item in added:
+                        continue
+                    added.add(item)
+                    self.to_predict.append(item)
+
+            self.item_count += 1    # Only count if actually added
+
+    def __nonzero__(self):
+        return bool(self.item_count)
+
+class Parser:
+    def __init__(self, parser_conf):
+
+        self.analysis = GrammarAnalyzer(parser_conf.rules, parser_conf.start)
+        self.start = parser_conf.start
+
+        self.postprocess = {}
+        self.predictions = {}
+        for rule in self.analysis.rules:
+            if rule.origin != '$root':  # XXX kinda ugly
+                a = rule.alias
+                self.postprocess[rule] = a if callable(a) else getattr(parser_conf.callback, a)
+                self.predictions[rule.origin] = [x.rule for x in self.analysis.expand_rule(rule.origin)]
+
+    def parse(self, stream, start=None):
+        # Define parser functions
+        start = start or self.start
+
+        def predict(nonterm, i):
+            assert not is_terminal(nonterm), nonterm
+            return [Item(rule, 0, i, []) for rule in self.predictions[nonterm]]
+
+        def complete(item):
+            name = item.rule.origin
+            item.data = self.postprocess[item.rule](item.data)
+            return [i.advance(item.data) for i in item.start.to_predict if i.expect == name]
+
+        def process_column(i, token, cur_set):
+            next_set = Column()
+
+            while True:
+                to_predict = {x.expect for x in cur_set.to_predict.get_news()
+                              if x.ptr}  # if not part of an already predicted batch
+                to_reduce = cur_set.to_reduce.get_news()
+                if not (to_predict or to_reduce):
+                    break
+
+                for nonterm in to_predict:
+                    cur_set.add( predict(nonterm, cur_set) )
+                for item in to_reduce:
+                    cur_set.add( complete(item) )
+
+
+            if token is not END_TOKEN:
+                for item in cur_set.to_scan.get_news():
+                    match = item.expect[0](token) if callable(item.expect[0]) else item.expect[0] == token.type
+                    if match:
+                        next_set.add([item.advance(stream[i])])
+
+            if not next_set and token is not END_TOKEN:
+                expect = {i.expect[-1] for i in cur_set.to_scan}
+                raise UnexpectedToken(token, expect, stream, i)
+
+            return cur_set, next_set
+
+        # Main loop starts
+        column0 = Column()
+        column0.add(predict(start, column0))
+
+        cur_set = column0
+        for i, char in enumerate(stream):
+            _, cur_set = process_column(i, char, cur_set)
+
+        last_set, _ = process_column(len(stream), END_TOKEN, cur_set)
+
+        # Parse ended. Now build a parse tree
+        solutions = [n.data for n in last_set.to_reduce
+                     if n.rule.origin==start and n.start is column0]
+
+        if not solutions:
+            raise ParseError('Incomplete parse: Could not find a solution to input')
+
+        return solutions

lark/reconstruct.py

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import re
 from collections import defaultdict
 
 from .tree import Tree
-from .common import is_terminal, ParserConf, PatternStr
+from .common import is_terminal, ParserConf, PatternStr, Terminal
 from .lexer import Token
 from .parsers import earley
 
@@ -26,21 +26,14 @@ class Reconstructor:
 
         token_res = {t.name:re.compile(t.pattern.to_regexp()) for t in _tokens}
 
-        class MatchData(object):
-            def __init__(self, data):
-                self.data = data
-
-            def __repr__(self):
-                return '%s(%r)' % (type(self).__name__, self.data)
-
-        class MatchTerminal(MatchData):
-            def __call__(self, other):
+        class MatchTerminal(Terminal):
+            def match(self, other):
                 if isinstance(other, Tree):
                     return False
                 return token_res[self.data].match(other) is not None
 
-        class MatchTree(MatchData):
-            def __call__(self, other):
+        class MatchTree(Terminal):
+            def match(self, other):
                 try:
                     return self.data == other.data
                 except AttributeError:
@@ -90,7 +83,7 @@ class Reconstructor:
         for name, expansions in d.items():
             for expansion in expansions:
                 reduced = [sym if sym.startswith('_') or sym in expand1s else
-                           (MatchTerminal(sym) if is_terminal(sym) else MatchTree(sym),)
+                           MatchTerminal(sym) if is_terminal(sym) else MatchTree(sym)
                            for sym in expansion if not is_discarded_terminal(sym)]
 
                 rules.append((name, reduced, WriteTokens(name, expansion).f))
@@ -98,9 +91,9 @@ class Reconstructor:
 
 
     def _reconstruct(self, tree):
-        parser = earley.Parser(ParserConf(self.rules, {}, tree.data))
-
-        res ,= parser.parse(tree.children)  # XXX ambiguity?
+        # TODO: ambiguity?
+        parser = earley.Parser(self.rules, tree.data, {})
+        res = parser.parse(tree.children)
         for item in res:
             if isinstance(item, Tree):
                 for x in self._reconstruct(item):

lark/tree.py

@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@ class Tree(object):
             self.children[i:i+1] = kid.children
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
-        return self.data == other.data and self.children == other.children
+        try:
+            return self.data == other.data and self.children == other.children
+        except AttributeError:
+            return False
+
     def __hash__(self):
         return hash((self.data, tuple(self.children)))
 
@@ -57,10 +61,24 @@ class Tree(object):
                 if pred(c):
                     yield c
 
+    def iter_subtrees(self):
+        q = [self]
+
+        while q:
+            subtree = q.pop()
+            yield subtree
+            q += [c for c in subtree.children if isinstance(c, Tree)]
+
 
     def __deepcopy__(self, memo):
         return type(self)(self.data, deepcopy(self.children, memo))
 
+    def copy(self):
+        return type(self)(self.data, self.children)
+    def set(self, data, children):
+        self.data = data
+        self.children = children
+
 
 
 class Transformer(object):
@@ -81,7 +99,7 @@ class Transformer(object):
 
 
 class InlineTransformer(Transformer):
-    def _get_func(self, name):
+    def _get_func(self, name):  # use super()._get_func
         return inline_args(getattr(self, name)).__get__(self)
 
 
@@ -97,3 +115,35 @@ class Visitor(object):
 
     def __default__(self, tree):
         pass
+
+
+class Visitor_NoRecurse(Visitor):
+    def visit(self, tree):
+        subtrees = list(tree.iter_subtrees())
+
+        for subtree in reversed(subtrees):
+            getattr(self, subtree.data, self.__default__)(subtree)
+        return tree
+
+
+class Transformer_NoRecurse(Transformer):
+    def transform(self, tree):
+        subtrees = list(tree.iter_subtrees())
+
+        def _t(t):
+            # Assumes t is already transformed
+            try:
+                f = self._get_func(t.data)
+            except AttributeError:
+                return self.__default__(t)
+            else:
+                return f(t)
+
+        for subtree in reversed(subtrees):
+            subtree.children = [_t(c) if isinstance(c, Tree) else c for c in subtree.children]
+
+        return _t(tree)
+
+    def __default__(self, t):
+        return t
+

lark/utils.py

@@ -69,3 +69,14 @@ def inline_args(f):
             return f.__func__(self, *args)
         return _f
 
+
+try:
+    compare = cmp
+except NameError:
+    def compare(a, b):
+        if a == b:
+            return 0
+        elif a > b:
+            return 1
+        else:
+            return -1

tests/test_parser.py

@@ -73,6 +73,28 @@ class TestEarley(unittest.TestCase):
         l = Lark(grammar, parser='earley', lexer=None)
         l.parse(program)
 
+    def test_earley_scanless3(self):
+        "Tests prioritization and disambiguation for pseudo-terminals (there should be only one result)"
+
+        grammar = """
+        start: A A
+        A: "a"+
+        """
+
+        l = Lark(grammar, parser='earley', lexer=None)
+        res = l.parse("aaa")
+        self.assertEqual(res.children, ['aa', 'a'])
+
+    def test_earley_scanless4(self):
+        grammar = """
+        start: A A?
+        A: "a"+
+        """
+
+        l = Lark(grammar, parser='earley', lexer=None)
+        res = l.parse("aaa")
+        self.assertEqual(res.children, ['aaa'])
+
 def _make_parser_test(LEXER, PARSER):
     def _Lark(grammar, **kwargs):
         return Lark(grammar, lexer=LEXER, parser=PARSER, **kwargs)