Ability to run parsers for symbols like A*, A+, {A ","}+ and A? without introducing a dummy non-terminal

.vscode/launch.json

@@ -4,6 +4,41 @@
     // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
     "version": "0.2.0",
     "configurations": [
+        {
+            "type": "java",
+            "name": "$GENERATED_PARSER$244372483",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "mainClass": "org.rascalmpl.test.parser.$GENERATED_PARSER$244372483",
+            "projectName": "rascal"
+        },
+        {
+            "type": "java",
+            "name": "$GENERATED_PARSER$279786030",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "mainClass": "org.rascalmpl.test.parser.$GENERATED_PARSER$279786030",
+            "projectName": "rascal"
+        },
+        {
+            "type": "java",
+            "name": "TopLevelStarListEmpty",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "mainClass": "org.rascalmpl.test.parser.TopLevelStarListEmpty",
+            "projectName": "rascal"
+        },
+        {
+            "type": "java",
+            "name": "TopLevelStarList",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "mainClass": "org.rascalmpl.test.parser.TopLevelStarList",
+            "projectName": "rascal"
+        },
+        {
+            "type": "java",
+            "name": "NonTerminalStarListEmpty",
+            "request": "launch",
+            "mainClass": "org.rascalmpl.test.parser.NonTerminalStarListEmpty",
+            "projectName": "rascal"
+        },
         {
             "type": "java",
             "name": "RascalCheck",

src/org/rascalmpl/exceptions/JavaCompilation.java

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public class JavaCompilation extends RuntimeException {
 	private final long column;
 
 	public JavaCompilation(String message, long line, long column, String source, Exception cause) {
-		super("Java compilation failed due to " + message, cause);
+		super("Java compilation failed due to " + message + " at " + line + ", " + column, cause);
 		this.source = source;
 		this.line = line;
 		this.column = column;

src/org/rascalmpl/exceptions/RuntimeExceptionFactory.java

@@ -696,6 +696,10 @@ public static Throw jsonParseError(ISourceLocation file, int line, int col, Stri
 	public static Throw parseError(ISourceLocation loc, AbstractAST ast, StackTrace trace) {
 		return new Throw(VF.constructor(ParseError, loc), ast != null ? ast.getLocation() : null, trace);
 	}	
+
+	public static Throw parseError(ISourceLocation loc, ISourceLocation caller, StackTrace trace) {
+		return new Throw(VF.constructor(ParseError, loc), caller, trace);
+	}
 
 	// pathNotFound
 

src/org/rascalmpl/exceptions/Throw.java

@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@
  * of exception values, not different kind of Java classes.
  */
 public final class Throw extends ControlException {
+	public static final String RASCAL_FILL_IN_LATER = "rascalfillinlater";
 	private static final long serialVersionUID = -7290501865940548332L;
 	private final IValue exception;
-	private volatile ISourceLocation loc;
-	private volatile StackTrace trace;
+	private ISourceLocation loc;
+	private StackTrace trace;
 
 	/**
 	 * Make a new Rascal exception.
@@ -50,26 +51,23 @@ public final class Throw extends ControlException {
 	public Throw(IValue value, ISourceLocation loc, StackTrace trace) {
 		super(toString(value, 4096));
 		this.exception = value;
-		this.loc = loc;
+		this.loc = loc != null ? loc : URIUtil.rootLocation(RASCAL_FILL_IN_LATER);
 		if(trace == null) {
 			trace = StackTrace.EMPTY_STACK_TRACE;
 		}
 		this.trace = trace;
 	}
 
 	/**
-     * Make a new Rascal exception.
+     * Make a new Rascal exception, where location and trace
+	 * are to be filled in later by the runtime, automatically.
      * 
      * @param value The Rascal exception value
-     * @param loc A source location, or null if unavailable
-     * @param trace A stack trace, or null
      */
     public Throw(IValue value) {
         super(toString(value, 4096));
         this.exception = value;
-        // TODO: convert top stack frame location to rascal loc 
-        this.loc = URIUtil.rootLocation("TODO");
-        // TODO: convert JVM trace to Rascal trace..
+        this.loc = URIUtil.rootLocation(RASCAL_FILL_IN_LATER);
         this.trace = StackTrace.EMPTY_STACK_TRACE;
     }
 
@@ -106,7 +104,7 @@ public StackTrace getTrace() {
 	 * @param trace The new trace, or null for an empty trace
 	 */
 	public void setTrace(StackTrace trace) {
-		if(trace == null) {
+		if (trace == null) {
 			trace = StackTrace.EMPTY_STACK_TRACE;
 		}
 		this.trace = trace;
@@ -130,6 +128,7 @@ public ISourceLocation getLocation() {
 	 * @param loc The source location, or null
 	 */
 	public void setLocation(ISourceLocation loc) {
+		assert loc != null;
 		this.loc = loc;
 	}
 

src/org/rascalmpl/interpreter/result/JavaMethod.java

@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ public Result<IValue> call(Type[] actualStaticTypes, IValue[] actuals, Map<Strin
 
 		try {
 			ctx.pushEnv(getName());
-
+			ctx.setCurrentAST(getAst()); // otherwise it becomes the final parameter of the call site
 			Environment env = ctx.getCurrentEnvt();
 			Map<Type, Type> renamings = Collections.emptyMap();
 
@@ -327,10 +327,11 @@ public IValue invoke(Object[] oActuals) {
 				trace.addAll(th.getTrace());
 
 				ISourceLocation loc = th.getLocation();
-				if (loc == null || loc.getScheme().equals("TODO")) {
+				if (loc == null || loc.getScheme().equals(Throw.RASCAL_FILL_IN_LATER)) {
+				  // this happens when Throw is created without a current AST location and a trace.
 				  loc = getAst().getLocation();
 				}
-				trace.add(loc, null);
+				trace.add(loc, name);
 
 				th.setLocation(loc);
 				trace.addAll(eval.getStackTrace());

src/org/rascalmpl/interpreter/result/RascalFunction.java

@@ -348,7 +348,6 @@ public Result<IValue> call(Type[] actualStaticTypes, IValue[] actuals, Map<Strin
                             // formals are now bound by side effect of the pattern matcher
                             try {
                                 bindKeywordArgs(keyArgValues);
-
                                 result = runBody();
                                 storeMemoizedResult(actuals, keyArgValues, result);
                                 return result;

src/org/rascalmpl/interpreter/utils/ReadEvalPrintDialogMessages.java

@@ -164,10 +164,10 @@ public static void throwMessage(PrintWriter out, Throw e, StandardTextWriter pre
                 prettyPrinter.write(e.getException(), lros);
             }
 		}
-		catch(/*IOLimitReachedException*/ RuntimeException iolrex){
+		catch (/*IOLimitReachedException*/ RuntimeException iolrex){
 			// This is fine, ignore.
 		}
-		catch(IOException ioex){
+		catch (IOException ioex){
 			// This can/should never happen.
 		}