Contents

• 1  Acknowledgements
• 2  Introduction
• 3  Using GNU Prolog
  • 3.1  Introduction
  • 3.2  The GNU Prolog interactive interpreter
    • 3.2.1  Starting/exiting the interactive interpreter
    • 3.2.2  The interactive interpreter read-execute-write loop
    • 3.2.3  Consulting a Prolog program
    • 3.2.4  Interrupting a query
    • 3.2.5  The line editor
  • 3.3  Adjusting the size of Prolog stacks
  • 3.4  The GNU Prolog compiler
    • 3.4.1  Different kinds of codes
    • 3.4.2  Compilation scheme
    • 3.4.3  Using the compiler
    • 3.4.4  Running an executable
    • 3.4.5  Generating a new interactive interpreter
    • 3.4.6  The hexadecimal predicate name encoding
• 4  Debugging
  • 4.1  Introduction
  • 4.2  The procedure box model
  • 4.3  Debugging predicates
    • 4.3.1  Running and stopping the debugger
    • 4.3.2  Leashing ports
    • 4.3.3  Spy-points
  • 4.4  Debugging messages
  • 4.5  Debugger commands
  • 4.6  The WAM debugger
• 5  Format of definitions
  • 5.1  General format
  • 5.2  Types and modes
  • 5.3  Errors
    • 5.3.1  General format and error context
    • 5.3.2  Instantiation error
    • 5.3.3  Type error
    • 5.3.4  Domain error
    • 5.3.5  Existence error
    • 5.3.6  Permission error
    • 5.3.7  Representation error
    • 5.3.8  Evaluation error
    • 5.3.9  Resource error
    • 5.3.10  Syntax error
    • 5.3.11  System error
• 6  Prolog directives and control constructs
  • 6.1  Prolog directives
    • 6.1.1  Introduction
    • 6.1.2  dynamic/1
    • 6.1.3  public/1
    • 6.1.4  multifile/1
    • 6.1.5  discontiguous/1
    • 6.1.6  ensure_linked/1
    • 6.1.7  built_in/0, built_in/1, built_in_fd/0, built_in_fd/1
    • 6.1.8  include/1
    • 6.1.9  ensure_loaded/1
    • 6.1.10  op/3
    • 6.1.11  char_conversion/2
    • 6.1.12  set_prolog_flag/2
    • 6.1.13  initialization/1
    • 6.1.14  foreign/2, foreign/1
  • 6.2  Prolog control constructs
    • 6.2.1  true/0, fail/0, !/0
    • 6.2.2  (',')/2 - conjunction, (;)/2 - disjunction, (->)/2 - if-then
    • 6.2.3  call/1
    • 6.2.4  catch/3, throw/1
• 7  Prolog built-in predicates
  • 7.1  Type testing
    • 7.1.1  var/1, nonvar/1, atom/1, integer/1, float/1, number/1, atomic/1,
      compound/1, callable/1, list/1, partial_list/1, list_or_partial_list/1
  • 7.2  Term unification
    • 7.2.1  (=)/2 - Prolog unification
    • 7.2.2  unify_with_occurs_check/2
    • 7.2.3  (\=)/2 - not Prolog unifiable
  • 7.3  Term comparison
    • 7.3.1  Standard total ordering of terms
    • 7.3.2  (==)/2 - term identical, (\==)/2 - term not identical,
      (@<)/2 - term less than, (@=<)/2 - term less than or equal to,
      (@>)/2 - term greater than, (@>=)/2 - term greater than or equal to
    • 7.3.3  compare/3
  • 7.4  Term processing
    • 7.4.1  functor/3
    • 7.4.2  arg/3
    • 7.4.3  (=..)/2 - univ
    • 7.4.4  copy_term/2
    • 7.4.5  setarg/4, setarg/3
  • 7.5  Variable naming/numbering
    • 7.5.1  name_singleton_vars/1
    • 7.5.2  name_query_vars/2
    • 7.5.3  bind_variables/2, numbervars/3, numbervars/1
    • 7.5.4  term_ref/2
  • 7.6  Arithmetic
    • 7.6.1  Evaluation of an arithmetic expression
    • 7.6.2  (is)/2 - evaluate expression
    • 7.6.3  (=:=)/2 - arithmetic equal, (=\=)/2 - arithmetic not equal,
      (<)/2 - arithmetic less than, (=<)/2 - arithmetic less than or equal to,
      (>)/2 - arithmetic greater than, (>=)/2 - arithmetic greater than or equal to
  • 7.7  Dynamic clause management
    • 7.7.1  Introduction
    • 7.7.2  asserta/1, assertz/1
    • 7.7.3  retract/1
    • 7.7.4  retractall/1
    • 7.7.5  clause/2
    • 7.7.6  abolish/1
  • 7.8  Predicate information
    • 7.8.1  current_predicate/1
    • 7.8.2  predicate_property/2
  • 7.9  All solutions
    • 7.9.1  Introduction
    • 7.9.2  findall/3
    • 7.9.3  bagof/3, setof/3
  • 7.10  Streams
    • 7.10.1  Introduction
    • 7.10.2  current_input/1
    • 7.10.3  current_output/1
    • 7.10.4  set_input/1
    • 7.10.5  set_output/1
    • 7.10.6  open/4, open/3
    • 7.10.7  close/2, close/1
    • 7.10.8  flush_output/1, flush_output/0
    • 7.10.9  current_stream/1
    • 7.10.10  stream_property/2
    • 7.10.11  at_end_of_stream/1, at_end_of_stream/0
    • 7.10.12  stream_position/2
    • 7.10.13  set_stream_position/2
    • 7.10.14  seek/4
    • 7.10.15  character_count/2
    • 7.10.16  line_count/2
    • 7.10.17  line_position/2
    • 7.10.18  stream_line_column/3
    • 7.10.19  set_stream_line_column/3
    • 7.10.20  add_stream_alias/2
    • 7.10.21  current_alias/2
    • 7.10.22  add_stream_mirror/2
    • 7.10.23  remove_stream_mirror/2
    • 7.10.24  current_mirror/2
    • 7.10.25  set_stream_type/2
    • 7.10.26  set_stream_eof_action/2
    • 7.10.27  set_stream_buffering/2
  • 7.11  Constant term streams
    • 7.11.1  Introduction
    • 7.11.2  open_input_atom_stream/2, open_input_chars_stream/2,
      open_input_codes_stream/2
    • 7.11.3  close_input_atom_stream/1, close_input_chars_stream/1,
      close_input_codes_stream/1
    • 7.11.4  open_output_atom_stream/1, open_output_chars_stream/1,
      open_output_codes_stream/1
    • 7.11.5  close_output_atom_stream/2, close_output_chars_stream/2,
      close_output_codes_stream/2
  • 7.12  Character input/output
    • 7.12.1  get_char/2, get_char/1, get_code/1, get_code/2
    • 7.12.2  get_key/2, get_key/1 get_key_no_echo/2, get_key_no_echo/1
    • 7.12.3  peek_char/2, peek_char/1, peek_code/1, peek_code/2
    • 7.12.4  unget_char/2, unget_char/1, unget_code/2, unget_code/1
    • 7.12.5  put_char/2, put_char/1, put_code/1, put_code/2, nl/1, nl/0
  • 7.13  Byte input/output
    • 7.13.1  get_byte/2, get_byte/1
    • 7.13.2  peek_byte/2, peek_byte/1
    • 7.13.3  unget_byte/2, unget_byte/1
    • 7.13.4  put_byte/2, put_byte/1
  • 7.14  Term input/output
    • 7.14.1  read_term/3, read_term/2, read/2, read/1
    • 7.14.2  read_atom/2, read_atom/1, read_integer/2, read_integer/1,
      read_number/2, read_number/1
    • 7.14.3  read_token/2, read_token/1
    • 7.14.4  syntax_error_info/4
    • 7.14.5  last_read_start_line_column/2
    • 7.14.6  write_term/3, write_term/2, write/2, write/1, writeq/2, writeq/1,
      write_canonical/2, write_canonical/1, display/2, display/1, print/2,
      print/1
    • 7.14.7  format/3, format/2
    • 7.14.8  portray_clause/2, portray_clause/1
    • 7.14.9  get_print_stream/1
    • 7.14.10  op/3
    • 7.14.11  current_op/3
    • 7.14.12  char_conversion/2
    • 7.14.13  current_char_conversion/2
  • 7.15  Input/output from/to constant terms
    • 7.15.1  read_term_from_atom/3, read_from_atom/2, read_token_from_atom/2
    • 7.15.2  read_term_from_chars/3, read_from_chars/2, read_token_from_chars/2
    • 7.15.3  read_term_from_codes/3, read_from_codes/2, read_token_from_codes/2
    • 7.15.4  write_term_to_atom/3, write_to_atom/2, writeq_to_atom/2,
      write_canonical_to_atom/2, display_to_atom/2, print_to_atom/2,
      format_to_atom/3
    • 7.15.5  write_term_to_chars/3, write_to_chars/2, writeq_to_chars/2,
      write_canonical_to_chars/2, display_to_chars/2, print_to_chars/2,
      format_to_chars/3
    • 7.15.6  write_term_to_codes/3, write_to_codes/2, writeq_to_codes/2,
      write_canonical_to_codes/2, display_to_codes/2, print_to_codes/2,
      format_to_codes/3
  • 7.16  DEC-10 compatibility input/output
    • 7.16.1  Introduction
    • 7.16.2  see/1, tell/1, append/1
    • 7.16.3  seeing/1, telling/1
    • 7.16.4  seen/0, told/0
    • 7.16.5  get0/1, get/1, skip/1
    • 7.16.6  put/1, tab/1
  • 7.17  Term expansion
    • 7.17.1  Definite clause grammars
    • 7.17.2  expand_term/2, term_expansion/2
    • 7.17.3  phrase/3, phrase/2
  • 7.18  Logic, control and exceptions
    • 7.18.1  abort/0, stop/0, top_level/0, break/0, halt/1, halt/0
    • 7.18.2  once/1, (\+)/1 - not provable, call/2-11, call_with_args/1-11, call_det/2
    • 7.18.3  repeat/0
    • 7.18.4  for/3
  • 7.19  Atomic term processing
    • 7.19.1  atom_length/2
    • 7.19.2  atom_concat/3
    • 7.19.3  sub_atom/5
    • 7.19.4  char_code/2
    • 7.19.5  lower_upper/2
    • 7.19.6  atom_chars/2, atom_codes/2
    • 7.19.7  number_atom/2, number_chars/2, number_codes/2
    • 7.19.8  name/2
    • 7.19.9  atom_hash/2
    • 7.19.10  new_atom/3, new_atom/2, new_atom/1
    • 7.19.11  current_atom/1
    • 7.19.12  atom_property/2
  • 7.20  List processing
    • 7.20.1  append/3
    • 7.20.2  member/2, memberchk/2
    • 7.20.3  reverse/2
    • 7.20.4  delete/3, select/3
    • 7.20.5  permutation/2
    • 7.20.6  prefix/2, suffix/2
    • 7.20.7  sublist/2
    • 7.20.8  last/2
    • 7.20.9  length/2
    • 7.20.10  nth/3
    • 7.20.11  max_list/2, min_list/2, sum_list/2
    • 7.20.12  sort/2, sort0/2, keysort/2 sort/1, sort0/1, keysort/1
  • 7.21  Global variables
    • 7.21.1  Introduction
    • 7.21.2  g_assign/2, g_assignb/2, g_link/2
    • 7.21.3  g_read/2
    • 7.21.4  g_array_size/2
    • 7.21.5  g_inc/3, g_inc/2, g_inco/2, g_inc/1, g_dec/3, g_dec/2, g_deco/2, g_dec/1
    • 7.21.6  g_set_bit/2, g_reset_bit/2, g_test_set_bit/2, g_test_reset_bit/2
    • 7.21.7  Examples
  • 7.22  Prolog state
    • 7.22.1  set_prolog_flag/2
    • 7.22.2  current_prolog_flag/2
    • 7.22.3  set_bip_name/2
    • 7.22.4  current_bip_name/2
    • 7.22.5  write_pl_state_file/1, read_pl_state_file/1
  • 7.23  Program state
    • 7.23.1  consult/1, '.'/2 - program consult
    • 7.23.2  load/1
    • 7.23.3  listing/1, listing/0
  • 7.24  System statistics
    • 7.24.1  statistics/0, statistics/2
    • 7.24.2  user_time/1, system_time/1, cpu_time/1, real_time/1
  • 7.25  Random number generator
    • 7.25.1  set_seed/1, randomize/0
    • 7.25.2  get_seed/1
    • 7.25.3  random/1
    • 7.25.4  random/3
  • 7.26  File name processing
    • 7.26.1  absolute_file_name/2
    • 7.26.2  decompose_file_name/4
    • 7.26.3  prolog_file_name/2
  • 7.27  Operating system interface
    • 7.27.1  argument_counter/1
    • 7.27.2  argument_value/2
    • 7.27.3  argument_list/1
    • 7.27.4  environ/2
    • 7.27.5  make_directory/1, delete_directory/1, change_directory/1
    • 7.27.6  working_directory/1
    • 7.27.7  directory_files/2
    • 7.27.8  rename_file/2
    • 7.27.9  delete_file/1, unlink/1
    • 7.27.10  file_permission/2, file_exists/1
    • 7.27.11  file_property/2
    • 7.27.12  temporary_name/2
    • 7.27.13  temporary_file/3
    • 7.27.14  date_time/1
    • 7.27.15  host_name/1
    • 7.27.16  os_version/1
    • 7.27.17  architecture/1
    • 7.27.18  shell/2, shell/1, shell/0
    • 7.27.19  system/2, system/1
    • 7.27.20  spawn/3, spawn/2
    • 7.27.21  popen/3
    • 7.27.22  exec/5, exec/4
    • 7.27.23  fork_prolog/1
    • 7.27.24  create_pipe/2
    • 7.27.25  wait/2
    • 7.27.26  prolog_pid/1
    • 7.27.27  send_signal/2
    • 7.27.28  sleep/1
    • 7.27.29  select/5
  • 7.28  Sockets input/output
    • 7.28.1  Introduction
    • 7.28.2  socket/2
    • 7.28.3  socket_close/1
    • 7.28.4  socket_bind/2
    • 7.28.5  socket_connect/4
    • 7.28.6  socket_listen/2
    • 7.28.7  socket_accept/4, socket_accept/3
    • 7.28.8  hostname_address/2
  • 7.29  Linedit management
    • 7.29.1  get_linedit_prompt/1
    • 7.29.2  set_linedit_prompt/1
    • 7.29.3  add_linedit_completion/1
    • 7.29.4  find_linedit_completion/2
  • 7.30  Source reader facility
    • 7.30.1  Introduction
    • 7.30.2  sr_open/3
    • 7.30.3  sr_change_options/2
    • 7.30.4  sr_close/1
    • 7.30.5  sr_read_term/4
    • 7.30.6  sr_current_descriptor/1
    • 7.30.7  sr_get_stream/2
    • 7.30.8  sr_get_module/3
    • 7.30.9  sr_get_file_name/2
    • 7.30.10  sr_get_position/3
    • 7.30.11  sr_get_include_list/2
    • 7.30.12  sr_get_include_stream_list/2
    • 7.30.13  sr_get_size_counters/3
    • 7.30.14  sr_get_error_counters/3
    • 7.30.15  sr_set_error_counters/3
    • 7.30.16  sr_error_from_exception/2
    • 7.30.17  sr_write_message/8, sr_write_message/6, sr_write_message/4
    • 7.30.18  sr_write_error/6, sr_write_error/4, sr_write_error/2
• 8  Finite domain solver and built-in predicates
  • 8.1  Introduction
    • 8.1.1  Finite Domain variables
  • 8.2  FD variable parameters
    • 8.2.1  fd_max_integer/1
    • 8.2.2  fd_vector_max/1
    • 8.2.3  fd_set_vector_max/1
  • 8.3  Initial value constraints
    • 8.3.1  fd_domain/3, fd_domain_bool/1
    • 8.3.2  fd_domain/2
  • 8.4  Type testing
    • 8.4.1  fd_var/1, non_fd_var/1, generic_var/1, non_generic_var/1
  • 8.5  FD variable information
    • 8.5.1  fd_min/2, fd_max/2, fd_size/2, fd_dom/2
    • 8.5.2  fd_has_extra_cstr/1, fd_has_vector/1, fd_use_vector/1
  • 8.6  Arithmetic constraints
    • 8.6.1  FD arithmetic expressions
    • 8.6.2  Partial AC: (#=)/2 - constraint equal, (#\=)/2 - constraint not equal,
      (#<)/2 - constraint less than, (#=<)/2 - constraint less than or equal,
      (#>)/2 - constraint greater than, (#>=)/2 - constraint greater than or equal
    • 8.6.3  Full AC: (#=#)/2 - constraint equal, (#\=#)/2 - constraint not equal,
      (#<#)/2 - constraint less than, (#=<#)/2 - constraint less than or equal,
      (#>#)/2 - constraint greater than, (#>=#)/2 - constraint greater than or equal
    • 8.6.4  fd_prime/1, fd_not_prime/1
  • 8.7  Boolean and reified constraints
    • 8.7.1  Boolean FD expressions
    • 8.7.2  (#\)/1 - constraint NOT, (#<=>)/2 - constraint equivalent,
      (#\<=>)/2 - constraint different, (##)/2 - constraint XOR,
      (#==>)/2 - constraint imply, (#\==>)/2 - constraint not imply,
      (#/\)/2 - constraint AND, (#\/\)/2 - constraint NAND,
      (#\/)/2 - constraint OR, (#\\/)/2 - constraint NOR
    • 8.7.3  fd_cardinality/2, fd_cardinality/3, fd_at_least_one/1, fd_at_most_one/1,
      fd_only_one/1
  • 8.8  Symbolic constraints
    • 8.8.1  fd_all_different/1
    • 8.8.2  fd_element/3
    • 8.8.3  fd_element_var/3
    • 8.8.4  fd_atmost/3, fd_atleast/3, fd_exactly/3
    • 8.8.5  fd_relation/2, fd_relationc/2
  • 8.9  Labeling constraints
    • 8.9.1  fd_labeling/2, fd_labeling/1, fd_labelingff/1
  • 8.10  Optimization constraints
    • 8.10.1  fd_minimize/2, fd_maximize/2
• 9  Interfacing Prolog and C
  • 9.1  Calling C from Prolog
    • 9.1.1  Introduction
    • 9.1.2  foreign/2 directive
    • 9.1.3  The C function
    • 9.1.4  Input arguments
    • 9.1.5  Output arguments
    • 9.1.6  Input/output arguments
    • 9.1.7  Writing non-deterministic C code
    • 9.1.8  Example: input and output arguments
    • 9.1.9  Example: non-deterministic code
    • 9.1.10  Example: input/output arguments
  • 9.2  Manipulating Prolog terms
    • 9.2.1  Introduction
    • 9.2.2  Managing Prolog atoms
    • 9.2.3  Reading Prolog terms
    • 9.2.4  Unifying Prolog terms
    • 9.2.5  Creating Prolog terms
    • 9.2.6  Testing the type of Prolog terms
    • 9.2.7  Comparing Prolog terms
    • 9.2.8  Copying Prolog terms
    • 9.2.9  Comparing and evaluating arithmetic expressions
  • 9.3  Raising Prolog errors
    • 9.3.1  Managing the error context
    • 9.3.2  Instantiation error
    • 9.3.3  Type error
    • 9.3.4  Domain error
    • 9.3.5  Existence error
    • 9.3.6  Permission error
    • 9.3.7  Representation error
    • 9.3.8  Evaluation error
    • 9.3.9  Resource error
    • 9.3.10  Syntax error
    • 9.3.11  System error
  • 9.4  Calling Prolog from C
    • 9.4.1  Introduction
    • 9.4.2  Example: my_call/1 - a call/1 clone
    • 9.4.3  Example: recovering the list of all operators
  • 9.5  Defining a new C main() function
    • 9.5.1  Example: asking for ancestors
• References
• Index