VARIABLE

README.md

@@ -54,6 +54,18 @@ ok
 55 ok
 ```
 
+Propser also has a basic off-stack memory model using variables and pointers:
+```
+> VARIABLE FOO
+ok
+> 10 FOO !
+ok
+> FOO @
+ok
+> .
+10 ok
+```
+
 And, of course, it knows how to quit:
 
 ```
@@ -63,6 +75,6 @@ bye
 
 ## Future Plans
 
-* Implement `VARIABLE` and `CONSTANT` and the various `? ! @` related words
+* Implement `CONSTANT`
 * Implement loading libraries of pre-written functions both from the command-line and at run-time
 * Add much better readline behaviors in the interactive console (up-arrow for history, cursor movement...)

builtins.go

@@ -663,3 +663,56 @@ func (b *Builtins) Depth(s *Stack) func(string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 }
+
+// Variable adds a new word to the dictionary that returns a pointer to memory
+func (b *Builtins) Variable(c *Context) func(string) error {
+	return func(next string) error {
+		w := []byte{}
+		for i := 1; i < len(next); i = i + 1 {
+			switch next[i] {
+			case ' ':
+				next := c.Memory.NextFreeAddress()
+				if next == 0 {
+					// don't use the 0 cell, since we can't distinguish that from the uninitialized field
+					next = 1
+				}
+				c.Dictionary.AddWord(string(w), Word{Name: string(w), Variable: next})
+				j, _ := c.RStack.Pop()
+				c.RStack.Push(j + i - 1) // push the end-point onto the stack
+				return nil
+			default:
+				w = append(w, next[i])
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+// Store places a value in memory
+func (b *Builtins) Store(c *Context) func(string) error {
+	return func(_ string) error {
+		addr, err := c.Stack.Pop()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		val, err := c.Stack.Pop()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return c.Memory.Write(addr, []int{val})
+	}
+}
+
+// Fetch returns a value from memory and puts it on the stack
+func (b *Builtins) Fetch(c *Context) func(string) error {
+	return func(_ string) error {
+		addr, err := c.Stack.Pop()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		res := c.Memory.Read(addr, 1)
+		c.Stack.Push(res[0])
+		return nil
+	}
+}

eval.go

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ type Context struct {
 	IfStack    *Stack // tracks nested branches
 	Flags      Flags
 	Words      []string
+	Memory     Memory
 }
 
 // Eval evaulates a given line, recursively descending into given words as needed
@@ -78,6 +79,9 @@ func (c *Context) Exec(w Word, s string) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error during nested evaluation of word %+v: %w", w, err)
 		}
+	} else if w.Variable > 0 {
+		// it's a variable, let's get that address and put it on the stack
+		c.Stack.Push(w.Variable)
 	} else {
 		it, err := strconv.Atoi(w.Name)
 		if err == nil {

main.go

@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ func main() {
 			"Immediate": true,
 		},
 		Words: []string{},
+		Memory: Memory{
+			intern:   map[int]int{},
+			nextFree: 1,
+		},
 	}
 
 	b := &Builtins{}
@@ -78,6 +82,10 @@ func main() {
 	dict.AddWord("2DROP", Word{Name: "2DROP", Source: []string{"DROP", "DROP"}})
 	dict.AddWord("2DUP", Word{Name: "2DUP", Source: []string{"OVER", "OVER"}})
 	dict.AddWord("2OVER", Word{Name: "2OVER", Source: []string{"3", "PICK", "3", "PICK"}})
+	// memory access with variables
+	dict.AddWord("VARIABLE", Word{Name: "VARIABLE", Impl: b.Variable(&c)})
+	dict.AddWord("!", Word{Name: "!", Impl: b.Store(&c)})
+	dict.AddWord("@", Word{Name: "@", Impl: b.Fetch(&c)})
 	// debugging
 	dict.AddWord("WORDS", Word{Name: "WORDS", Impl: b.Words(os.Stdout, dict)})
 	dict.AddWord("SEE", Word{Name: "SEE", Impl: b.See(os.Stdout, &rstack, dict)})

words.go

@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@ type Dictionary map[string]Word
 
 // A Word defines a subroutine
 type Word struct {
-	Name        string
-	Impl        func(string) error
-	Source      []string
-	Immediate   bool
-	BranchCheck bool
+	Name        string             // Name of our word/variable
+	Impl        func(string) error // built-in implementation of the word
+	Source      []string           // source, if user-defined
+	Variable    int                // if this is a variable, the memory address
+	Immediate   bool               // is this word immediate?
+	BranchCheck bool               // is this word part of IF/ELSE/THEN?
 }
 
 // AddWord inserts a new word into the dictonary, overwriting any existing word by that name