def F_ID(v: Val): Val = v
def F_RIGHT(f: Val => Val) = (v:Val) => Right(f(v))
def F_LEFT(f: Val => Val) = (v:Val) => Left(f(v))
def F_ALT(f1: Val => Val, f2: Val => Val) = (v:Val) => v match {
  case Right(v) => Right(f2(v))
  case Left(v) => Left(f1(v))
}
def F_SEQ(f1: Val => Val, f2: Val => Val) = (v:Val) => v match {
  case Sequ(v1, v2) => Sequ(f1(v1), f2(v2))
}
def F_SEQ_Empty1(f1: Val => Val, f2: Val => Val) = 
  (v:Val) => Sequ(f1(Empty), f2(v))
def F_SEQ_Empty2(f1: Val => Val, f2: Val => Val) = 
  (v:Val) => Sequ(f1(v), f2(Empty))
def F_ERROR(v: Val): Val = throw new Exception("error")

// simplification of regular expressions returning also a
// rectification function; no simplification under STAR 
def simp(r: Rexp): (Rexp, Val => Val) = r match {
  case ALT(r1, r2) => {
    val (r1s, f1s) = simp(r1)
    val (r2s, f2s) = simp(r2)
    (r1s, r2s) match {
      case (ZERO, _) => (r2s, F_RIGHT(f2s))
      case (_, ZERO) => (r1s, F_LEFT(f1s))
      case _ => if (r1s == r2s) (r1s, F_LEFT(f1s))
                else (ALT (r1s, r2s), F_ALT(f1s, f2s)) 
    }
  }
  case SEQ(r1, r2) => {
    val (r1s, f1s) = simp(r1)
    val (r2s, f2s) = simp(r2)
    (r1s, r2s) match {
      case (ZERO, _) => (ZERO, F_ERROR)
      case (_, ZERO) => (ZERO, F_ERROR)
      case (ONE, _) => (r2s, F_SEQ_Empty1(f1s, f2s))
      case (_, ONE) => (r1s, F_SEQ_Empty2(f1s, f2s))
      case _ => (SEQ(r1s,r2s), F_SEQ(f1s, f2s))
    }
  }
  case r => (r, F_ID)
}