I am trying to generate a syntax tree, for a given string with simple math operators (+, -, *, /, and parenthesis). Given the string "1 + 2 * 3":

It should return an array like this:

["+",
 [1,
  ["*",
   [2,3]
  ]
 ]
]

I made a function to transform "1 + 2 * 3" in [1,"+",2,"*",3].

The problem is: I have no idea to give priority to certain operations.

My code is:

function isNumber(ch){
    switch (ch) {
        case '0':
        case '1':
        case '2':
        case '3':
        case '4':
        case '5':
        case '6':
        case '7':
        case '8':
        case '9':
        case '.':
            return true;
        break;
        default:
            return false;
            break;
    }
}

function generateSyntaxTree(text){
    if (typeof text != 'string') return [];
    var code = text.replace(new RegExp("[ \t\r\n\v\f]", "gm"), "");
    var codeArray = [];
    var syntaxTree = [];

    // Put it in its on scope
    (function(){
        var lastPos = 0;
        var wasNum = false;
        for (var i = 0; i < code.length; i++) {
            var cChar = code[i];
            if (isNumber(cChar)) {
                if (!wasNum) {
                    if (i != 0) {
                        codeArray.push(code.slice(lastPos, i));
                    }
                    lastPos = i;
                    wasNum = true;
                }
            } else {
                if (wasNum) {
                    var n = Number(code.slice(lastPos, i));
                    if (isNaN(n)) {
                        throw new Error("Invalid Number");
                        return [];
                    } else {
                        codeArray.push(n);
                    }
                    wasNum = false;
                    lastPos = i;
                }
            }
        }
        if (wasNum) {
            var n = Number(code.slice(lastPos, code.length));
            if (isNaN(n)) {
                throw new Error("Invalid Number");
                return [];
            } else {
                codeArray.push(n);
            }
        }
    })();

    // At this moment, codeArray = [1,"+",2,"*",3]

    return syntaxTree;
}

alert('Returned: ' + generateSyntaxTree("1 + 2 * 3"));