Patent ID: 7802240

Claim:
A machine implemented method for compiling a program which is written in a first language having a first syntax associated therewith, the method comprising steps performed by a processor, the steps comprising: detecting, in a set of code within the program, an indication that the set of code contains a non-compliant identifier that is not intended to be compliant with the first syntax associated with the first language, wherein detecting an indication comprises detecting an introduction character in the set of code, wherein the introduction character precedes the non-compliant identifier and is a character that is not a legal identifier character in the first syntax associated with the first language, and wherein the non-compliant identifier is composed of one or more characters; and in response to detection of the indication, transforming the non-compliant identifier into a transformed identifier that is compliant with a second syntax associated with a second language, wherein transforming the non-compliant identifier comprises: (a) selecting a character of the non-compliant identifier; (b) determining whether the selected character is a legal identifier character in the first syntax associated with the first language; (c) in response to a determination that the selected character is a legal identifier character in the first syntax, representing the selected character in the transformed identifier; (d) in response to a determination that the selected character is not a legal identifier character in the first syntax, determining whether the selected character is an escape character; (e) in response to a determination that the selected character is an escape character, selecting a next character of the non-compliant identifier, and representing that next character in the transformed identifier; (f) selecting another character of the non-compliant identifier, if there is a character of the non-compliant identifier that has not been selected; and (g) repeating b-f until all characters of the non-compliant identifier have been selected.