An Application-Oriented Programming Language for Sequential Machine Studies

Automat is an application-oriented programming language for the study of sequential machines represented as generalized transition tables. The system is implemented as an embedded extension of Snobol4, and includes a large number of operations on sets, partitions, and transition tables. A comprehensive utility system for finite-state machines is a major application of the language; programs implementing some recent results in minimization theory are described. Source programs in the intended application area written in AUTOMAT are seen to be substantially shorter than equivalent programs written in general-purpose languages.