Introduce critical failure type

2 files changed, 31 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 24b5ea6..6705ffd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,3 +7,24 @@ The goal is to have a good enough parser generator for use in my other personal
 # The type of parsers
 
 Parsers are lambdas that receive some *input* and return either a *parsing* or a *failure*.
+
+A *parsing* denotes a successful execution of the parser on the given input.
+
+Failures can be either *normal-failure* or *critical-failure*.
+
+The distinction of failure types allows to discern between an input that needs to be
+parsed with another parser, and a syntax error.
+
+## Interaction with parser control flow
+
+### Choice (either)
+
+- parsing -> exit
+- normal-failure -> continue
+- critical-failure -> exit
+
+### Sequence (comp)
+
+- parsing -> continue
+- normal-failure -> exit
+- critical-failure -> exit
diff --git a/parser.lisp b/parser.lisp
index 30c68fd..04d3f2b 100644
--- a/parser.lisp
+++ b/parser.lisp
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@
   place
   message)
 
+(defstruct (normal-failure (:include failure)))
+
+(defstruct (critical-failure (:include failure)))
+
 (defun new (tree)
   (lambda (input)
     (make-parsing :tree tree :left input)))
@@ -27,16 +31,16 @@
 
 (defun fail (&optional (message "Unknown error."))
   (lambda (input)
-    (make-failure :place input :message message)))
+    (make-critical-failure :place input :message message)))
 
 (defun either (first-parser &rest other-parsers)
   (lambda (input)
     (labels ((either-rec (body)
                          (if (cdr body)
                            (let ((r (funcall (car body) input)))
-                             (if (parsing-p r)
-                               r
-                               (either-rec (cdr body))))
+                             (if (normal-failure-p r)
+                               (either-rec (cdr body))
+                               r))
                            (funcall (car body) input))))
       (either-rec (cons first-parser other-parsers)))))
 
@@ -46,8 +50,8 @@
       (let ((c (input::element input)))
         (if (funcall predicate c)
           (make-parsing :tree c :left (input::advance input))
-          (make-failure :place input :message "Predicate not satisfied.")))
-      (make-failure :place input :message "Reached end of input."))))
+          (make-normal-failure :place input :message "Predicate not satisfied.")))
+      (make-normal-failure :place input :message "Reached end of input."))))
 
 (defmacro comp (bindings &body body)
   (if (null bindings)