Right I think we were working with PER (tagless) to match a complex multi-layer protocol. Can't share the exemple but let's say asn.1 helped generate saner code than the handrolled one AND allowed other languages to decode...
I understand what you're saying though. Memories of using this were... unpleasant. I think the 'best' alternative for me would be RecordFlux. Ada-like syntax, generation of AoRTE-provable SPARK code, and recently the expressivity of the tool has increased. And the whole thing is in python, easily extensible to build things from the type description: generators, fuzzers, advanced specific parsers (need only one field and want the control fields' positions and sizes), wireshark plugins, Postgres extensions...
I really like what they're doing there. Might be the one of the low-effort (for the user!) lead-bullets for safer software.
I understand what you're saying though. Memories of using this were... unpleasant. I think the 'best' alternative for me would be RecordFlux. Ada-like syntax, generation of AoRTE-provable SPARK code, and recently the expressivity of the tool has increased. And the whole thing is in python, easily extensible to build things from the type description: generators, fuzzers, advanced specific parsers (need only one field and want the control fields' positions and sizes), wireshark plugins, Postgres extensions...
I really like what they're doing there. Might be the one of the low-effort (for the user!) lead-bullets for safer software.