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Termination of logic programs with block declarations running in several modes

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Principles of Declarative Programming (ALP 1998, PLILP 1998)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1490))

Abstract

We show how termination of logic programs with delay declarations can be proven. Three features are distinctive of this work: (a) we assume that predicates can be used in several modes; (b) we show that block declarations, which are a very simple delay construct, are sufficient; (c) we take the selection rule into account, assuming it to be as in most Prolog implementations. Our method is based on identifying the so-called robust predicates, for which the textual position of an atom using this predicate is irrelevant. The method can be used to verify existing programs, and to assist in writing new programs. As a byproduct, we also show how programs can be proven to be free from occur-check and floundering.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Kent at Canterbury, CT2 7NF, Canterbury, UK

    Jan-Georg Smaus & Andy King

  2. University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK

    Pat Hill

Authors
  1. Jan-Georg Smaus
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  2. Pat Hill
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  3. Andy King
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Editor information

Catuscia Palamidessi Hugh Glaser Karl Meinke

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© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Smaus, JG., Hill, P., King, A. (1998). Termination of logic programs with block declarations running in several modes. In: Palamidessi, C., Glaser, H., Meinke, K. (eds) Principles of Declarative Programming. ALP PLILP 1998 1998. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1490. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0056608

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0056608

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-65012-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49766-0

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