2.5 Translators and Facilities of Languages

2.5 Translators and Facilities of Languages

1. Low Level Coding

   • 1st Generation - Machine Code
     • Directly executable by the processor
     • Generation that "computers understand"
     • Difficult to program in, hard to understand, hard to debug
     • e.g. 000010101000011 (Binary)
   • 2nd Generation - Assembly Code
     • Use mnenomics (pattern of letters, ideas, or associations)
       • e.g. ROY G. BIV = Colours of the Spectrum (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.)
     • Easier to program in than 1st Generation but still difficult
     • 1 line of assembly code = 1 line of machine code
     • Needs to be translated into Machine Code for the computer to be able to execute it
     • Uses an assembler - Assembles Assembly Language
     • Most commonly used to program Device Drivers so they can control peripheral devices

2. High Level Coding

   • 3rd Generation
     • Easier to understand (for the programmer)
     • Easier to find errors, easier to de-bug
     • Use English-like keywords
     • One instruction translates to many machine code instructions
     • e.g. Java, Basic, Pascal
     • Translated using a Complier and Interpreter
   • 4th Generation
     • Known as Declarative Language
     • Facts and Rules are stated
     • Describes what computation should be performed and not how to use it
     • e.g. SQL (SELECT, FROM , WHERE) , Expert Systems, Artificial Language

3. Source Code - The program written in a high-level language before conversion to machine code

4. Object Code - The machine code produced by a computer

5. IDE (integrated Development Environment)

   • Software tool that provides many of the utilities required to develop a program in one place
   • 4 Components
     • Editor (for writing the code)
     • Debugging tools (Error Diagnostics)
     • Translators
     • Run-Time Environment
       • All the necessary facilities to run a program on a different platform, rather than creation of a program

6. Translators - A program that converts source code (High level) to machine code (Low level)

   • Compiler
     • Works through a source code, spot certain errors and translate all code at once nto a Machine Code file called Object Code. Object Code is sorted in a file to be executed
   • Interpreter
     • Works through the source code and translate it one command at a time then immediately execute it. When errors are found the process of execution will stop (Like in Python)

7. Linker - Program used with a compiler or assemblers