Bliss Reference Manual

This document is the definitive reference manual for the BLISS programming language, as implemented for the PDP-10. It covers language syntax, definitions, data structures, and control expressions. BLISS is characterized as an 'implementation language' specifically designed for writing production software, such as compilers and operating systems, with a strong focus on clarity, correctness, and modifiability. The manual includes comprehensive details on:

• Language Basics: Modules, blocks, comments, and literals.
• Control and Data Structures: Expressions for sequencing, conditional branching, loops, and co-routine control, as well as mechanisms for defining data structures via explicit accessing algorithms.
• Declarations: Various methods for memory allocation and binding identifiers.
• Machine-Specific Features: Special functions, character manipulation, and direct insertion of PDP-10 machine language instructions.
• Implementation Details: Information on compilation control, run-time representation of programs (including stack structures), and internal compiler tables.
• Appendixes: Full syntax specifications, I/O codes, word formats, and a complete list of BLISS error messages.