Syntax: Line and Program Structure

Status: Reviewed (2026-03-10 review pass)

Requirements:

• line endings: \n and \r\n
• optional block delete /
• optional skip levels /0 .. /9
• optional N line number at block start
• words are case-insensitive
• support file/program metadata forms such as leading %...
• preserve comments as parse items where applicable
• support unquoted program/subprogram names using only [A-Za-z0-9_]
• document the unquoted-name restriction explicitly for users
• support quoted subprogram names and targets such as "LIB/DRILL_CYCLE"
• preserve quoted subprogram target text verbatim
• block length baseline: 512 characters per block, excluding line ending

Reviewed decisions:

• leading %... program metadata line is wanted
• Siemens-style underscore-heavy names are wanted through the unquoted-name rule [A-Za-z0-9_]
• quoted subprogram names and targets are wanted and may contain path-like text such as "LIB/DRILL_CYCLE"
• quoted path-like names are syntax-level preserved strings; later execution policy may interpret them as file/path-like targets
• block length baseline is 512 characters per block, excluding line ending
• skip-level syntax and behavior must be stated explicitly in requirements

Examples:

• valid: %MAIN
• valid: %_N_MAIN_MPF
• valid: PROC MAIN
• valid: PROC _N_MAIN_SPF
• valid: PROC "LIB/DRILL_CYCLE"
• invalid unquoted name examples if these are used as identifiers:
  • PROC MAIN-PROG
  • PROC MAIN.PROG

Open follow-up questions:

• exact accepted %... metadata character policy beyond the current baseline still needs a dedicated program-name review