AI::Prolog::Engine - Run queries against a Prolog database.


AI-Prolog documentation Contained in the AI-Prolog distribution.

Index


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NAME

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AI::Prolog::Engine - Run queries against a Prolog database.

SYNOPSIS

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 my $engine = AI::Prolog::Engine->new($query, $database).
 while (my $results = $engine->results) {
     print "$result\n";
 }

DESCRIPTION

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AI::Prolog::Engine is a Prolog engine implemented in Perl.

The new() function actually bootstraps some Prolog code onto your program to give you access to the built in predicates listed in the AI::Prolog::Builtins (AI::Prolog::Builtins) documentation.

This documentation is provided for completeness. You probably want to use AI::Prolog.

CLASS METHODS

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new($query, $database)

This creates a new Prolog engine. The first argument must be of type AI::Prolog::Term and the second must be a database created by AI::Prolog::Parser::consult.

 my $database = Parser->consult($some_prolog_program);
 my $query    = Term->new('steals(badguy, X).');
 my $engine   = Engine->new($query, $database);
 Engine->formatted(1);
 while (my $results = $engine->results) {
    print $results, $/;
 }

The need to have a query at the same time you're instantiating the engine is a bit of a drawback based upon the original W-Prolog work. I will likely remove this drawback in the future.

formatted([$boolean])

The default value of formatted is true. This method, if passed a true value, will cause results to return a nicely formatted string representing the output of the program. This string will loosely correspond with the expected output of a Prolog program.

If false, all calls to result will return Perl data structures instead of nicely formatted output.

If called with no arguments, this method returns the current formatted value.

 Engine->formatted(1); # turn on formatting
 Engine->formatted(0); # turn off formatting (default)

 if (Engine->formatted) {
     # test if formatting is enabled
 }

Note: if you choose to use the AI::Prolog interface instead of interacting directly with this class, that interface will set formatted to false. You will have to set it back in your code if you do not wish this behavior:

 use AI::Prolog;
 my $logic = AI::Prolog->new($prog_text);
 $logic->query($query_text);
 AI::Logic::Engine->formatted(1); # if you want formatted to true
 while (my $results = $logic->results) {
    print "$results\n";
 }

raw_results([$boolean])

The default value of raw_results is false. Setting this property to a true value automatically sets formatted to false. results will return the raw data structures generated by questions when this property is true.

 Engine->raw_results(1); # turn on raw results
 Engine->raw_results(0); # turn off raw results (default)

 if (Engine->raw_results) {
     # test if raw results is enabled
 }

trace($boolean)

Set this to a true value to turn on tracing. This will trace through the engine's goal satisfaction process while it's running. This is very slow.

 Engine->trace(1); # turn on tracing
 Engine->trace(0); # turn off tracing

INSTANCE METHODS

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results()

This method will return the results from the last run query, one result at a time. It will return false when there are no more results. If formatted is true, it will return a string representation of those results:

 while (my $results = $engine->results) {
    print "$results\n";
 }

If formatted is false, $results will be an object with methods matching the variables in the query. Call those methods to access the variables:

 AI::Prolog::Engine->formatted(0);
 $engine->query('steals(badguy, STUFF, VICTIM).');
 while (my $r = $engine->results) {
     printf "badguy steals %s from %s\n", $r->STUFF, $r->VICTIM;
 }

If necessary, you can get access to the full, raw results by setting raw_results to true. In this mode, the results are returned as an array reference with the functor as the first element and an additional element for each term. Lists are represented as array references.

 AI::Prolog::Engine->raw_results(1);
 $engine->query('steals(badguy, STUFF, VICTIM).');
 while (my $r = $engine->results) {
    # do stuff with $r in the form:
    # ['steals', 'badguy', $STUFF, $VICTIM]
 }

query($query)

If you already have an engine object instantiated, call the query() method for subsequent queries. Internally, when calling new(), the engine bootstraps a set of Prolog predicates to provide the built ins. However, this process is slow. Subsequent queries to the same engine with the query() method can double the speed of your program.

 my $engine   = Engine->new($query, $database);
 while (my $results = $engine->results) {
    print $results, $/;
 }
 $query = Term->new("steals(ovid, X).");
 $engine->query($query);
 while (my $results = $engine->results) {
    print $results, $/;
 }

BUGS

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None known.

AUTHOR

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Curtis "Ovid" Poe, <moc tod oohay ta eop_divo_sitruc>

Reverse the name to email me.

This work is based on W-Prolog, http://goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au/~winikoff/wp/, by Dr. Michael Winikoff. Many thanks to Dr. Winikoff for granting me permission to port this.

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

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AI-Prolog documentation Contained in the AI-Prolog distribution.

package AI::Prolog::Engine;
$REVISION = '$Id: Engine.pm,v 1.13 2005/08/06 23:28:40 ovid Exp $';
$VERSION  = '0.4';
use strict;
use warnings;
use Carp qw( confess carp );

use Scalar::Util qw/looks_like_number/;
use Hash::Util 'lock_keys';

use aliased 'AI::Prolog::Term';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::Term::Cut';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::Term::Number';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::TermList';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::TermList::Step';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::TermList::Primitive';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::KnowledgeBase';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::Parser';
use aliased 'AI::Prolog::ChoicePoint';

use AI::Prolog::Engine::Primitives;

use constant OnceMark => 'OnceMark';

# The engine is what executes prolog queries.
# Author emeritus:  Dr. Michael Winikoff
# Translation to Perl:  Curtis "Ovid" Poe

# $prog An initial program - this will be extended
# $term The query to be executed

# This governs whether tracing is done
sub trace {
    my $self = shift;
    if (@_) {
        $self->{_trace} = shift;
        return $self;
    }
    return $self->{_trace};
}

sub halt {
    my $self = shift;
    if (@_) {
        $self->{_halt} = shift;
        return $self;
    }
    return $self->{_halt};
}

my $FORMATTED = 1;

sub formatted {
    my $self = shift;
    if (@_) {
        $FORMATTED = shift;
        return $self;
    }
    return $FORMATTED;
}

my $RAW_RESULTS;

sub raw_results {
    my $self = shift;
    if (@_) {
        $RAW_RESULTS = shift;
        if ($RAW_RESULTS) {
            $self->formatted(0);
        }
        return $self;
    }
    return $RAW_RESULTS;
}

my $BUILTIN = 0;

sub _adding_builtins {
    my $self = shift;
    if (@_) {
        $BUILTIN = shift;
        return $self;
    }
    return $BUILTIN;
}

sub new {
    my ( $class, $term, $prog ) = @_;
    my $self = bless {

        # The stack holds choicepoints and a list of variables
        # which need to be un-bound upon backtracking.
        _stack          => [],
        _db             => KnowledgeBase->new,
        _goal           => TermList->new( $term, undef ),    # TermList
        _call           => $term,                            # Term
        _run_called     => undef,
        _cp             => undef,
        _retract_clause => undef,
        _trace       => 0,       # whether or not tracing is done
        _halt        => 0,       # will stop the aiprolog shell
        _perlpackage => undef,
        _step_flag   => undef,
    } => $class;
    lock_keys %$self;

    # to add a new primitive, use the binding operator (:=) to assign a unique
    # index to the primitive and add the corresponding definition to
    # @PRIMITIVES.
    eval {
        $self->_adding_builtins(1);
        $self->{_db} = Parser->consult( <<'        END_PROG', $prog );
            ne(X, Y) :- not(eq(X,Y)).
            if(X,Y,Z) :- once(wprologtest(X,R)) , wprologcase(R,Y,Z).
            wprologtest(X,yes) :- call(X). wprologtest(X,no). 
            wprologcase(yes,X,Y) :- call(X). 
            wprologcase(no,X,Y) :- call(Y).
            not(X)  :- if(X,fail,true). 
            or(X,Y) :- call(X).
            or(X,Y) :- call(Y).
            true. 
            % the following are handled internally.  Don't use the
            % := operator.  Eventually, I'll make this a fatal error.
            % See AI::Prolog::Engine::Builtins to see the code for these
            !          :=  1.
            call(X)    :=  2. 
            fail       :=  3. 
            consult(X) :=  4.
            assert(X)  :=  5.
            retract(X) :=  7.
            retract(X) :- retract(X).
            listing    :=  8.
            listing(X) :=  9.
            print(X)   := 10.
            write(X)   := 10.
            println(X) := 11.
            writeln(X) := 11.
            nl         := 12. 
            trace      := 13.
            notrace    := 13.
            is(X,Y)    := 15.
            gt(X,Y)    := 16.
            lt(X,Y)    := 17.
            ge(X,Y)    := 19.
            le(X,Y)    := 20.
            halt       := 22.
            var(X)     := 23.
            %seq(X)     := 30.
            help       := 31.
            help(X)    := 32.
            gensym(X)  := 33.
            perlcall2(X,Y) := 34.
            eq(X,X).
            not(X) :- X, !, fail.
            not(X).
            %if(X, Yes, _ ) :- seq(X), !, seq(Yes).
            %if(X, _  , No) :- seq(No).
            %if(X, Yes) :- seq(X), !, seq(Yes).
            %if(X, _  ).
            %or(X,Y) :- seq(X).
            %or(X,Y) :- seq(Y).
            once(X) :- X , !.
        END_PROG
        $self->_adding_builtins(0);
    };
    if ($@) {
        croak("Engine->new failed.  Cannot parse default program: $@");
    }
    $self->{_retract_clause} = $self->{_db}->get("retract/1");
    $self->{_goal}->resolve( $self->{_db} );
    return $self;
}

sub query {
    my ( $self, $query ) = @_;
    $self->{_stack}      = [];
    $self->{_run_called} = undef;
    $self->{_goal}       = TermList->new($query);
    $self->{_call}       = $query;
    $self->{_goal}->resolve( $self->{_db} );
    return $self;
}

sub _stack { shift->{_stack} }
sub _db    { shift->{_db} }
sub _goal  { shift->{_goal} }
sub _call  { shift->{_call} }

sub dump_goal {
    my ($self) = @_;
    if ( $self->{_goal} ) {
        _print( "\n= Goals: " . $self->{_goal}->to_string );
        _print(
            "\n==> Try:  " . $self->{_goal}->next_clause->to_string . "\n" )
            if $self->{_goal}->next_clause;
    }
    else {
        _print("\n= Goals: null\n");
    }
}

sub results {
    my $self = shift;
    if ( $self->{_run_called} ) {
        return unless $self->backtrack;
    }
    else {
        $self->{_run_called} = 1;
    }
    $self->_run;
}

sub _run {
    my ($self) = @_;
    my $stackTop = 0;

    while (1) {
        $stackTop = @{ $self->{_stack} };

        if ( $self->{_goal} && $self->{_goal}->isa(Step) ) {
            $self->{_goal} = $self->{_goal}->next;
            if ( $self->{_goal} ) {
                $self->{_goal}->resolve( $self->{_db} );
            }
            $self->{_step_flag} = 1;
            $self->trace(1);
        }
        $self->dump_goal if $self->{_trace};
        $self->step      if $self->{_step_flag};

        unless ( $self->{_goal} ) {

            # we've succeeded.  return results
            if ( $self->formatted ) {
                return $self->_call->to_string;
            }
            else {
                my @results = $self->_call->to_data;
                return $self->raw_results
                    ? $results[1]
                    : $results[0];
            }
        }

        unless ( $self->{_goal} && $self->{_goal}{term} ) {
            croak("Engine->run fatal error.  goal->term is null!");
        }
        unless ( $self->{_goal}->{next_clause} ) {
            my $predicate = $self->{_goal}{term}->predicate;
            _warn("WARNING:  undefined predicate ($predicate)\n");
            next if $self->backtrack;    # if we backtracked, try again
            return;                      # otherwise, we failed
        }

        my $clause = $self->{_goal}->{next_clause};
        if ( my $next_clause = $clause->{next_clause} ) {
            push @{ $self->{_stack} } => $self->{_cp}
                = ChoicePoint->new( $self->{_goal}, $next_clause, );
        }
        my $vars      = [];
        my $curr_term = $clause->{term}->refresh($vars);
        if ( $curr_term->unify( $self->{_goal}->term, $self->{_stack} ) ) {
            $clause = $clause->{next};
            if ( $clause && $clause->isa(Primitive) ) {
                if (   !$self->do_primitive( $self->{_goal}->{term}, $clause )
                    && !$self->backtrack )
                {
                    return;
                }
            }
            elsif ( !$clause ) {    # matching against fact
                $self->{_goal} = $self->{_goal}->{next};
                if ( $self->{_goal} ) {
                    $self->{_goal}->resolve( $self->{_db} );
                }
            }
            else {                  # replace goal by clause body
                my ( $p, $p1, $ptail );    # termlists
                for ( my $i = 1; $clause; $i++ ) {

                    # will there only be one CUT?
                    if ( $clause->{term} eq Term->CUT ) {
                        $p = TermList->new( Cut->new($stackTop) );
                    }
                    else {
                        $p = TermList->new( $clause->{term}->refresh($vars) );
                    }

                    if ( $i == 1 ) {
                        $p1 = $ptail = $p;
                    }
                    else {
                        $ptail->next($p);
                        $ptail = $p;    # XXX ?
                    }
                    $clause = $clause->{next};
                }
                $ptail->next( $self->{_goal}->{next} );
                $self->{_goal} = $p1;
                $self->{_goal}->resolve( $self->{_db} );
            }
        }
        else {                          # unify failed.  Must backtrack
            return unless $self->backtrack;
        }
    }
}

sub backtrack {
    my $self = shift;
    _print(" <<== Backtrack: \n") if $self->{_trace};
    while ( @{ $self->{_stack} } ) {
        my $o = pop @{ $self->{_stack} };

        if ( UNIVERSAL::isa( $o, Term ) ) {
            $o->unbind;
        }
        elsif ( UNIVERSAL::isa( $o, ChoicePoint ) ) {
            $self->{_goal} = $o->{goal};

            # XXX This could be very dangerous if we accidentally try
            # to assign a term to itself!  See ChoicePoint->next_clause
            $self->{_goal}->next_clause( $o->{clause} );
            return 1;
        }
    }
    return;
}

sub _print {    # convenient testing hook
    print @_;
}

sub _warn {     # convenient testing hook
    warn @_;
}

use constant RETURN => 2;

sub do_primitive {    # returns false if fails
    my ( $self, $term, $c ) = @_;
    my $primitive = AI::Prolog::Engine::Primitives->find( $c->ID )
        or die sprintf "Cannot find primitive for %s (ID: %d)\n",
        $term->to_string, $c->ID;
    return unless my $result = $primitive->( $self, $term, $c );
    return 1 if RETURN == $result;
    $self->{_goal} = $self->{_goal}->next;
    if ( $self->{_goal} ) {
        $self->{_goal}->resolve( $self->{_db} );
    }
    return 1;
}

1;

__END__