Large applications often embed a scripting language as a way to increase their flexibility. Programmers can use a scripting language for writing configuration files, for coordinating and controlling components, or for extending the functionality of an application at runtime. Lua is a scripting language designed to be simple, portable, to have a small footprint, and to be very easy to embed. Lua is best known as the most commonly used language for scripting games, but has found use in applications as diverse as Cisco routers, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, intrusion detection tools, and settop boxes for digital television. Lua is also an expressive, multiparadigm language that programmers can use to write full applications. In this course, you will learn how to program in the Lua language and how to embed Lua in C applications. You will also learn how the Lua virtual machine works, and how the design of the language is reflected in the engineering of its implementation.
If you are on Windows, you can get the Lua interpreter (an executable,
a DLL, and a library for linking C code with Lua) here.
Just unpack it and call lua.exe in the command prompt.
The main textbook for this course is Programming in Lua, third edition, which covers Lua 5.2. Most of what we will be covering in this class is also compatible with Lua 5.1, so students using the second edition of Programming in Lua should have few issues. Even the first edition of the book, covering Lua 5.0, is mostly valid.
The reference manual for Lua 5.2 is also an important resource when doing the programming exercises. Consulting the manual is the best way to find out how a built-in function works.
For the parts of the course that cover the implementation of Lua, the authoritative source is the Lua source code itself, but there is some documentation that can help: The Implementation of Lua 5.0, a paper that describes implentation details of the Lua 5.0 virtual machine, most of which are still applicable to Lua 5.2, and A No-Frills Introduction the Lua 5.1 VM Instructions, a comprehensive reference of the virtual machine instructions for Lua 5.1, most of which are unchanged in Lua 5.2.
Lecture notes for the classes will be posted here, after each class:
You can also download the Lua source files for each class:
cl.exe Visual Studio command-line compilercl.exe Visual Studio command-line compilercl.exe Visual Studio command-line compilerI will not grade the homework, but doing it is recommended, as it is good preparation for the final exam.
The answer key for the final exam is here.
If you have any questions about the course, please contact me at my email.
Last update: 2016-05-18 10:58