BARREN
BARREN is a small output-only imperative language. Most of its specifications came from a hypnopompic state.
Language overview
BARREN's memory consists of 64 cells, numbered 0-63. Each cell can be in one of 6 states: VOID, REVEALED, COVERED, STATIC, DYNAMIC, RECKONING. A single pointer is used to manipulate memory.
A BARREN program halts only if instructed. If a program runs out of instructions, it wraps around and starts executing from the first instruction again.
All instructions must be written in all-caps, separated by any amount of spaces or newlines.
Below is the list of available instructions supported by BARREN.
| Instruction | Description |
|---|---|
(address)
|
Moves the pointer to a specified cell. The address should be written in binary, with all 6 bits. For example, 000110 will move the pointer to cell 6.
|
"(address)
|
Moves the pointer to a specified cell. If the cell is VOID, skips past a matching " instruction.
|
"
|
Jumps back to the matching "(address) instruction.
|
(state)
|
Beginning of an if-statement. Checks if the current cell is in a specified state. |
RENDER
|
Else-statement. Optional. |
ALTER
| |
VEIL
|
Marks the end of an if-statement. |
HINDRANCE
| |
MERGE (address)
|
Output a character using the current cell and the specified cell. See MERGE table below. |
MERGE
|
Output a character using the current cell and itself. See MERGE table below. |
PATIENCE
|
No-op. |
AWAIT
| |
AGAIN
|
Output the same character that was output last. |
REPEAT
| |
SHIFT
|
SHIFTs the current cell. See conversion table below. |
MORPH
|
MORPHs the current cell. See conversion table below. |
TRANSMUTE
|
TRANSMUTEs the current cell. See conversion table below. |
EMERGE
|
Halts the program. |
SUBMERGE
|
MERGE table
| current cell | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VOID | REVEALED | COVERED | STATIC | DYNAMIC | RECKONING | ||
| specified cell | VOID |
|
M
|
Z
|
K
|
/
|
X
|
| REVEALED | P
|
H
|
G
|
V
|
.
|
L
| |
| COVERED | E
|
I
|
D
|
>
|
Q
|
U
| |
| STATIC | J
|
T
|
<
|
0
|
O
|
F
| |
| DYNAMIC | R
|
S
|
"
|
A
|
1
|
W
| |
| RECKONING | C
|
Y
|
?
|
B
|
N
|
:
| |
Conversion table
| current cell | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VOID | REVEALED | COVERED | STATIC | DYNAMIC | RECKONING | |
| SHIFT | RECKONING | COVERED | VOID | REVEALED | REVEALED | DYNAMIC |
| MORPH | DYNAMIC | RECKONING | STATIC | DYNAMIC | COVERED | COVERED |
| TRANSMUTE | COVERED | STATIC | RECKONING | VOID | STATIC | DYNAMIC |
Error handling
If a program encounters an illegal instruction, it will print out UNINTELLIGIBLE MUTTERING "(instruction)" AT LINE (line number) and then crash. The line number will be written in binary.
Sample programs
Hello world
MORPH SHIFT MERGE AWAIT 100011 TRANSMUTE 011010 MERGE 100011 SHIFT MERGE 000000 AGAIN TRANSMUTE 100011 MORPH 011010 MERGE 100011 000011 MERGE SHIFT MERGE 011010 011010 MERGE 100011 000100 MERGE 011010 000011 MERGE 000000 MORPH MERGE PATIENCE 000100 MORPH MERGE 000000 EMERGE
Prints HELLO WORLD.
Truth machine
MORPH TRANSMUTE STATIC MERGE SUBMERGE ALTER DYNAMIC MERGE "000000 REPEAT " VEIL HINDRANCE
Set to 0. TRANSMUTE can be erased to set it to 1.