MILESTONES.md

Project1Group2

Milestone 1

Brief description of your planned DSL idea

• Create a DSL that would allow user with some programming experience set up and deploy discord bots
• Users would be able to set up multiple bots for multiple servers
• DSL would wrap around Discord.js library

Ideas so far for main language features

• Ability to set bot name

create bot FredBot

• Create basic variables

create string a_string= "hello"
create string todo_list = ["todo1", "todo2"]
create boolean a_boolean = true

• Create commands

create command add_to_list(item): 
    todo_list.add(item)

create command remove_from_list(index): 
    todo_list.remove(index)

• Use previosly created commands in other commands in nested way

create command is_guess_correct(start, end, guess): 
    create number random_number = random(start, end)
    return random_number == guess

create command test_guess(): 
    create number start = 0
    create number end = 10
    create number guess = 5
    create boolean is_correct = is_guess_correct(start, end, guess)
    # or pass the values directly: create boolean is_correct = is_guess_correct(0, 10, 5)
    if is_correct:
        print("correct")
    else:
        print("incorrect")

• Looping

create command print_1_10(): 
    create number a_number = 1
    10 times:
        print(a_number)
        a_number += 1

create command print_list(): 
    # normal loop
    # index is optional to get the index of the loop kinda like how .map() in javascript allows you to get the index optionally
    todo_list.length times index:
        print(todo_list[index])

    # or 

    # for each loop for lists
    todo_list.each(item):
        print(item)

• Add events that can trigger and repeat

# Time is a standard library that we will implement
use cron from Time
create command create_timer(): 
    cron("0 0 0 * * *", print_1_10)

• Add bots to servers using list of discord tokens

# add both to all servers in list
add bot FredBot to servers [DISCORD_TOKEN_1, DISCORD_TOKEN_2]

• Will provide a standard library of various functionalities built into the language

# example of importing a function from the Math standard library (we will support a bunch of common Math functions)
use random from Math

Example Program:

create bot FredBot

create string a_string= "hello"
create string todo_list = ["todo1", "todo2"]
create boolean a_boolean = true

# this is a comment

create command print_1_10(): 
    create number a_number = 1
    10 times:
        print(a_number)
        a_number += 1

create command print_list(): 
    # normal loop
    # index is optional to get the index of the loop kinda like how .map() in javascript allows you to get the index optionally
    todo_list todo_list.length times index:
        print(todo_list[index])

    # or 

    # for each loop for lists
    todo_list.each(item):
        print(item)

create command add_to_list(item): 
    todo_list.add(item)

create command remove_from_list(index): 
    todo_list.remove(index)

# example of importing a function from the Math standard library (we will support a bunch of common Math functions)
use random from Math

create command is_guess_correct(start, end, guess): 
    create number random_number = random(start, end)
    return random_number == guess

create command test_guess(): 
    create number start = 0
    create number end = 10
    create number guess = 5
    create boolean is_correct = is_guess_correct(start, end, guess)
    # or pass the values directly: create boolean is_correct = is_guess_correct(0, 10, 5)
    if is_correct:
        print("correct")
    else:
        print("incorrect")

# add event that calls repeats
# Time is a standard library that we will implement
use cron from Time
create command create_timer(): 
    cron("0 0 0 * * *", print_1_10)

# add both to all servers in list
add bot FredBot to servers [DISCORD_TOKEN_1, DISCORD_TOKEN_2]

Notes of any important changes/feedback from TA discussion

• TA suggested enriching our language by adding variables, standard math functions and ability to call previosly created functions
• TA suggested a good way to test complexity of the language is to see if the user is capable of creating a simple game like rock/paper/scissors or slot machine

Any planned follow-up tasks or features still to design

• Still need to discuss the limitations of the language
• Planning to further develop language example to be more natural english

Milestone 2

Planned division of responsibilities

• Split up into small teams when starting to implement:
  • team for lexer/parser
  • team for ast tree design
  • team for compiler

Roadmap

• make discord bot based on popular discord bots

  • use this to help further restrict and simplify our language

• First draft of DST

  • Have grammar ready and code examples
  • Pick a simple goal that our language can accomplish and write psuedo code with our language that fulfills said goal
  • Give DST to user with code example and see if they can explain what the code example does and get feedback
    • can they understand what the code does/makes? why or why not?
  • Give DST to users and see if they are able to achieve goal using our language
    • were they able to do it? how long did it take?
  • get feedback from user

• implementation

  • After getting feedback, start with actual implementation of language

Draft Grammar

Setting program start/end
`start bot` `end bot`--> keywords
Variables 
`var name = <value>`
Loops:
Only use WHILE
`while (counter<10) {}`
Binary logic:
Numerical comparison (>, ==, <, <=, >=, !=)
AND/OR/NOT
If/else
If (true) {}
else  {}
Commands: → “/” commands
`command <name>(arg, arg2, …): {STATEMENTS+}`
If a command is added to the bot (via `addCommand(command1, “command1”)`) then it cannot be called from within another command
STATEMENTS:
Can be variable initialization
Binary logic
if/else
Loop
Math operation
Adding commands as `/` callable
`addCommand(command1, “command1”)`
Math operations:
operators: +, -, *, /
NUM operator NUM
Array operations
Adding elements: push(<arrayName>, <value>)
Removing elements: remove(<arrayName>, <index>)
Accessing elements: get(<arrayname>, <index>)
Access length of array: len(<arrayName>
In-built functions
print(<text> : string)Setting program start/end

TA feedback (already applied to draft grammar):

• Types can be removed
• Array operations good
• Figure out what specific bot we want -> write example program -> cut off what we dont need
• Zone in on what specific bot we want to make and specialize our DSL on that
  • Looked at the most popular bots and found some trends. Used this info to decide on bot ideas for now

Milestone 3

Concrete Grammar Design used for the user study

The grammar already includes feedback from the TA

# Setting program start/end (also reserved, key words)
`start bot` `end bot`

# Variables 
`var name = <value>`

# Loops:
`while (counter<10) {}`
`for (<item> in <arrayName>) {}`

# Numerical comparison
(>, ==, <, <=, >=, !=)

# Logical operators
`AND/OR/NOT`

# If/else (conditional statement)
`If (true) {}`
`else  {}`

# Math operations:
`operators: +, -, *, /`
`NUM operator NUM`

# Array operations
# Adding elements: 
`push(<arrayName>, <value>)`
# Removing elements: 
`remove(<arrayName>, <index>)`
# Accessing elements:
`get(<arrayname>, <index>)`
# Access length of array: 
`len(<arrayName>`
# Return the index of first match. Return -1 if can't find
find(<arrayName>, <value>)

# Commands. They will be callable from Discord using /<command name>
`command <name>(arg, arg2, …): {STATEMENTS+}`

# STATEMENTS:
# Can be variable initialization
# Binary logic
# if/else
# Loop
# Math operation
# Built in function

# In-built functions
# Bot will reply in channel with the input string
reply (<text> : string)
# Returns random number between min and max (inclusive) 
random (min, max)

# Allowed types in language
String
Number # will think of everything as float
Boolean
Array

TA feedback

• Due to time constraints, remove majority of built-in functions and focus on reply and random
• Special classes like User and Role can be removed for now. Only implement if there is enough time
• Goal for MVP is to implement a simple bot e.g. rock paper scissors, random item from array, etc.
• User studies looked good

User studies

Our user studies

Plan for week 4

• Lexer team start on implementing parser for everything that can be used outside of commands and loops
• Implementation team will start building architecture for the project

Milestone 4

Status of implementation

Lexer and Parser team

• This week Lexer & Parser team has completed implementation for majority of the features
• Main priority is now testing the parser and lexer Team Board bellow:

AST and Compiler team

• The team has completed implementation of features such as:
  • Generating .env config file
  • Comments
  • Variable declaration
  • Math operations
  • Binary operations
• Final features are yet to be implemented:
  • Parsing conditions
  • Parsing loops
  • Parsing functions Team Board bellow:

Plans for final user study

• Majority of the project will be finalized by Wednesday, October 12th
• The final user study will take place right after
• Goals:
  • Have at least 2 users
  • Provide documentation and basic instructions
  • Ask the users to implement a bot of their liking or provide some ideas for them, e.g. rock-paper-scissors bot, random item in array bot, etc.
  • Record user study
  • Note to what extent were the users able to utilize the language features
• The final video will include the user studies

Planned timeline for the remaining days

• Complete AST and Compiler team final tickets
• Testing
• Create a thorough documentation
• Main dates:
  • October 12th, complete majority of functionality
  • October 12th - October 14th, conduct final user study
  • October 14th-17th, work on the final video

TA feedback

• Attempt to do user study earlier to allow for some time to tweak the last few things
• Had a conversation about TS-morph
  • Bulk of evaluation will be done by TS-morph (like math operations)
  • The TA said it should be OK to use as long as other project details are up to standard

Milestone 5

Status of Implementation

• Parser and Lexer rules completed
• AST, Evaluator, Static Checks completed
• Parser, Lexer, Static checks tests added
• All tests pass
• Added Documentation and README.md overview
• Documentation
• Overview

Status/results of final user study

• Completed 3 user studies
• All users were able to write and compile EZD code and test the bots on the server
• Things users were confused about:
  • Conditionals and loops work only with variables
    • Many user wanted to do if (a > 10) instead of if (var_name)
  • Some were confused about the difference between ' and "
    • Some tried to set up strings with " but thanks to the syntax highlighting they were able to figure it out
  • Some users thought there should also be a way to string concatenation
    • Some tried to use a = a + "fff" however it was not supported in our language design
  • One user thought else if should be present
    • One user wanted to use else if but quickly realized that everything his bot needed to do could be done with just if and else

Reflecting on User studies

• One big point of confusion was the lack of binary expressions inside conditionals
  • After much deliberation among the team members we decided that we will still not allow binary expressions inside conditionals or loops
  • The main reasoning behind it is the posibility of more errors on run time
  • For instance:

  • arr = [TRUE, '1', FALSE]
    a = get(arr, 1)
    if (a > 10) {
      <code>
    }
    

  • This code will generate run time error since we won't know what the value of a is until we actually reach conditional statement
  • Thus, this might increase error-proneness
  • Furthermore, our current implementation can still do everything the users need even without allowing the binary expressions in conditionals
  • Hence, we decided to stick with our current implementation
• Another point of confusion was the lack of string concatenation
  • We added a new built-in function concat() which can take any type of arguments and return a string concatenation of them
  • More in documentation
• There was small confusion about lack of else if
  • After some deliberation, we decided to not include else if
  • Our current implementation allows for the same functionality even without elsee if
  • Furthermore, only 1 user wanted the change and was still able to write the code without else if
• Finally, some people were confused about ' vs "
  • As a team we decided to keep ' instead of using "
  • The functionality is the same whether it's ' or "
  • Furthermore, our syntax highlighter allows for the users to see if they make this mistake

Any changes to the language design

• After the user study, we added concat function
  • More information about it

Planned timeline for the remaining days

• Add integration tests on Friday night
• Complete the script for the video on Saturday
• Film video and voice-over on Saturday
• Complete editing and submit the video on Saturday

TA feedback

• TA was satisfied with progress
• Suggested we include user studies in the video