Z version v0.12.1

Changelog

[0.12.1] - 2024-07-21

🚀 New Features

1. Pointer Dereferencing Support

• Added pointer dereferencing in PRINT statements: You can now use PRINT *ptr to dereference and print pointer values
• Added pointer dereferencing in MOV assignments: You can now use MOV dest *ptr to dereference pointers in assignments
• Enhanced semantics validation: Added proper validation for pointer dereferencing operations

2. Enhanced Code Generation

• Improved pointer handling: Better code generation for pointer operations
• Enhanced array operations: More robust array handling in generated C code
• Improved error messages: More descriptive error messages for pointer-related operations

🐛 Bug Fixes

1. Pointer Dereferencing

• Fixed pointer dereferencing in PRINT statements: Previously, PRINT *ptr would cause a semantics error
• Fixed pointer dereferencing in MOV assignments: Previously, MOV dest *ptr was not supported
• Fixed semantics analyzer: Added proper handling for pointer dereferencing syntax

2. Fibonacci Calculation

• Fixed FOR loop syntax: Corrected the FOR loop variable initialization issue
• Fixed loop variable scoping: Ensured FOR loop variables are properly declared and initialized
• Fixed Fibonacci algorithm: The Fibonacci sequence now calculates correctly (fib(10) = 55)

3. General Improvements

• Fixed type checking errors: Resolved various type checking issues in the codebase
• Improved code consistency: Enhanced code formatting and organization
• Better error handling: More robust error handling throughout the compiler

📚 Documentation Updates

1. Updated Example Code

• Comprehensive test suite: The example.z file now demonstrates all working features
• Pointer examples: Added working examples of pointer usage and dereferencing
• Algorithm examples: Added Fibonacci sequence calculation example

2. Code Quality Improvements

• Enhanced code comments: Added more descriptive comments throughout the codebase
• Improved variable naming: More consistent and descriptive variable names
• Better code organization: Improved structure and organization of the code

🔧 Technical Changes

1. Codegen.py

• Added support for pointer dereferencing in MOV assignments
• Enhanced pointer handling in PRINT statements
• Improved code generation for array operations

2. Semantics.py

• Added pointer dereferencing validation in PRINT handler
• Enhanced error messages for pointer operations
• Improved type checking for pointer operations

3. Example.z

• Updated to use working syntax for all features
• Added comprehensive test coverage
• Fixed Fibonacci calculation and pointer dereferencing

🎯 Known Limitations

1. Constants: The CONST keyword still causes recursion issues in the current compiler
2. Float/Double Types: Missing print_double function in codegen
3. PRINTSTR: Not implemented in codegen (using PRINT with string literals as workaround)
4. Discard Variables: The _ variable for discarding function return values has issues in semantics validation

📊 Performance Improvements

• Faster compilation: Optimized code generation and semantics analysis
• Reduced memory usage: More efficient handling of variables and arrays
• Better error reporting: More descriptive and helpful error messages

🔒 Security Enhancements

• Improved input validation: Better validation of pointer operations
• Enhanced error handling: More robust handling of edge cases
• Better memory management: Improved cleanup of temporary variables

📋 Breaking Changes

None. This release maintains backward compatibility with existing Z language code.

📖 Migration Guide

No migration required.