Introduction

In NWG/RFC #80 we mentioned the needs for data reconfiguration along with a complier/executor version of a Form Machine to perform those manipulations.

This note proposes a different approach to the Form Machine. Specifically, we describe a syntax-driven interpreter that operates on a grammar which is an ordered set of replacement rules. Following the interpreter description are some "real-world" examples of required data reconfigurations that must occur between RAND consoles and the Remote Job System on the UCLA 360/91. Lastly, we suggest that the Protocol Manager mentioned in NWG/RFC #80 can be simplified by using the Form Machine and two system forms (specified a priori in the code).

Caveat: The Form Machine is not intended to be a general purpose programming language. Note the absence of declaration statements, etc.