Forked

Forked

Forked is a two-dimensional language created by User:MD XF, based on Triangular and written around the fork command.

Commands

General commands:

| no-op if not next to a fork
- no-op if not next to a fork
& exit (if only the original IP is running, see IP section)

Directionals:

v redirect down
^ redirect up
> redirect right
< redirect left
\ bounce IP
    if hit from left, bounce down and vice versa
    if hit from right, bounce up and vice versa
/ bounce IP
    if hit from left, bounce up and vice versa
    if hit from right, bounce down and vice versa

I/O:

$ read input as integer
~ read input as character (-1 if EOF)
% print ToS as integer
@ print ToS as character
? print ToS as integer and pop
! print ToS as character and pop

Stack:

i increment ToS
d decrement ToS
+ postfix ADD       pop values used, push result
' postfix SUBTRACT  pop values used, push result
_ postfix DIVIDE    pop values used, push result
* postfix MULTIPLY  pop values used, push result
= postfix ISEQUAL   pop values used, push result
m postfix MODULO    pop values used, push result
l postfix LESSTHAN  pop values used, push result
g postfix MORETHAN  pop values used, push result    (heh mlg)
0 push 0 to stack. 1 pushes 1, 2 pushes 2, etc.
A push 10 to stack. B pushes 11, ... F pushes 15.
" duplicate ToS
s swap top two stack values
p pop ToS
. pop the stack index stored in the ToS
, pop the stack index stored in the ToS, then the ToS

Memory:

P pop ToS into register
S stash ToS in register
U pull register to stack
O zero register

IP:

; IP fork (see IP section)
& destroy current IP
` bomb: destroy all instruction pointers except 0

Fork

: fork the program
; IP-fork the program
# random-fork the program

The fork is the only conditional. It may be entered from any direction, and changes the direction of the IP according to the value on the top of the stack. Jumps cannot be used to enter or exit forks.

-:  enters the fork from the East

 :- enters the fork from the West

 |
 :  enters the fork from the North

 :  enters the fork from the South
 |

If the value on the top of the stack is truthy, the instruction pointer turns right; otherwise it turns left.

Fork entered from…	New IP direction if truthy	New IP direction if falsy
West	North	South
East	South	North
North	East	West
South	West	East

Similar to entry points, a character (| for North/South or - for East/West) is required to be at both possible exit points. If | or - is not present at both exit points (right and left of the entry point), or the incorrect character is used for an exit, the program will terminate with a nonzero return value. For example:

  v
  |
  >--:

That will exit with error, as will this (even though the fork will doubtlessly redirect the IP North):

  v  |
  |  |
  >--:

This will also:

  v
  |  -----
  >--:
     >----

The random fork, #, acts exactly like the fork command :, except picks randomly between the two available directions.

IPs

Forked has an unlimited number of instruction pointers running synchronously, each named by their index. IP 0 is created at the first (upper left) character in the source code, travelling right.

If an IP hits the end of a playing field (a newline,) it will wrap around and continue going the same direction. For example:

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
foo bar foo bar foo bar foo bar foo bar

will be infinitely read as “blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah” (assuming b, l, a, and h do not change the direction).

The IP fork, ;, is the only way to create a new IP. It acts the same as :. The IPs are created at the two possible travel points of the IP after a fork - turns right and continues the old IP, turns left and creates the new. For example:

  v   |
  1   |  <- new IP created here, does not run
  >---;
      |  <- old IP continues running here
      |
      >-&  <- program terminates, IP is never used

Another example:

      >---%-&  <- print top of stack, delete IP 1 and jump to IP 0
  v   |
  1   |  <- new IP (1) created here
  >---;
      |  <- old IP (0) continues here
      |
      >---I-&  <- top of stack = 1, so IP 0 stops and IP 1 runs

Bomb example:

      >--%`&  <- print '1', destroy IP 1, set IP 0 here (top of stack = 1) and exit
  v   |
  1   |  <- new IP (1) created here
  >---;
      |  <- old IP (0) continues here
      |
      >---I  <- top of stack stack = 1, so IP 0 stops and IP 1 runs

Fork illustrations

This doesn’t do anything.

    v       direct down
    $       read input
    |       enter fork from top
&---:--&    split, go left if truthy, right if falsy

Neither does this.

  v
  $    >-----&
  |    |
  >----:        enter fork from left, fork up if falsy, down if truthy
       |
&------<

This runs infinitely in a very messy way but illustrates the language quite well.

  V
  |
  |
  |
/-:-\
| | |
| | |
| | |

(The code is read as v|||:-, then /|||/\|||\-:- infinitely.)

Examples (golfy)

Truth-machine:

   v
   $
>--v
|  |
^%-:-%&

Cat program:

>-v
@ ~
| | 
\-:-&

Reverse cat:

>-v
| ~
| |
\-:-v
&{!}<

External resources

• GitHub repository, featuring implementation and sample programs
• Online interpreter, courtesy of Programming Puzzles & Code Golf user Dennis