4tH compiler

4tH compiler is an open source compiler, with a little difference. Instead of the standard Forth engine it features a conventional compiler.

4tH compiler is a minimal compiler that can create bytecode, standalone executables or C-embeddable bytecode.

It supports over 85% of the ANS Forth CORE wordset and features conditional compilation, pipes, files, assertions, forward declarations, recursion, include files, etc.

It comes with an RPN calculator, line editor, compiler, decompiler, C-source generators, and a virtual machine.

What is new in this release:

• The library files now support logfiles, automated date parsing, LZ77 file compression and CSV file creation.
• The last defined word can be compiled anonymously.
• Object orientation now supports regular methods.
• The Sourceforge "Block reserved extension words" were added.
• New peephole optimizers were added to the compiler, allowing automatic compile time calculations.
• exec_4th() can be optimized for GCC by using the compiler switch -DUSEGCCGOTO.
• The word 'SMOVE' was added.

What is new in version 3.61.2:

• Specific code can be executed after a failed 'WHILE' just before exiting the loop.
• Binary strings can be tagged individually.
• The library files now support UTF-8 to GBK/2 conversion (and vice versa), infix formula translation, string pattern matching, finite state machines, statistical functions, enhanced command line parsing and the full range of ANS Forth floating point words for ZEN float.
• The preprocessor now supports string parsing with custom delimiters, macros within macros, and a string stack.
• A Markov engine and an infix-to-postfix converter were added to the examples.

What is new in version 3.61.1:

• A peephole optimizer was added.
• The library files now support a tiny database management system, double number multiplication, double number division, LaTeX file generation, and the XCHAR wordset.
• SEEK can now be used to reposition the file to the end.
• The words 2NIP and [FORCE] were added.
• Several obscure bugs were fixed.
• Support for 64-bit architectures was greatly improved.
• On Linux, compilation is now staged.
• A nuclear test simulation was added to the preprocessor examples.

What is new in version 3.61.0:

• The words 'DELETE-FILE' and 'ENVIRON@' have been added.
• The library files now support writing OpenOffice, KOffice, and Microsoft XML spreadsheets, different sorting algorithms, the creation of floating point interpreters, GTK-server, Forth compatible floating point I/O for ZEN float, portable bitmap graphics and Turtle graphics.
• Files can now be deleted and environment variables can be queried.
• The maximum symbol length is increased to 23 characters.
• Two tiny spreadsheet programs were added to the examples.

What is new in version 3.5d release 3:

• The words '[/]' and '[SIGN]' have been added.
• The preprocessor was expanded and now takes the DIR4TH environment variable into account.
• The library files now support ANS Forth compatible versions of all floating point input and output words.
• The library file getenv.4th was rewritten.
• The library file row.4th was changed.
• A chapter on library dependencies was added to the manual.