ECLiPSe 7.2 Release Notes

Version 7.2 (DRAFT)

Not yet frozen, features may still be added...

Constraint Solvers

library(eplex_highs): The LP/MIP Solver Interface library(eplex) now also works with the free HiGHS solver.

Other Libraries

New Libraries

Library Enhancements

lib(format): Complete implementation of traditional format/2,3 predicate, conforming to PIP-0110.
lib(m_tree234): Implemented iterators and performance improvements.
lib(test_util): Added features to unit testing library (naming and skipping tests, comparing stream output).

Language Enhancements

Cyclic Terms

The system can now write and read cyclic terms, using attribute notation. In write_term/2,3, this is controlled by the cycles(Bool) option.

	?- X = f(X), write_term(X, [nl]).
	f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(f(...))))))))))))))))))))

        ?- X = f(X), write_term(X, [cycles, nl]).
	_121{= : f(_121)}

	?- write_term(X{= : f(X)}, [cycles, nl]).
	_150{= : f(_150)}

Built-in Predicates

write_term/2,3, open/4 and set_stream_property/3

The write_term/2,3 built-in understands a number of new options (following PIP-0105). These can also be used to set stream-defaults for other output predicates:

anonymous(Vars) - print given variables as _
cycles(Bool) - detect and print cyclic terms using attribute syntax
float_precision(Prec) - limit number of decimal digits printed in floats
integer_base(Base) - base (radix) for integer printing
partial(Bool) - if necessary, insert space to separate tokens
portable(Bool) - ignore most operators, but keep list syntax
spacing(Style) - control layout spacing
text_max(Max) - limit print length of atoms and strings

current_prolog_flag/2 and set_prolog_flag/2

These have been moved out of the ISO-compatibility libraries and are now available as ECLiPSe-built-ins. They are simply aliases for get_flag/2 and set_flag/2 -- all flags are now accessible by both sets of predicates, independent of language choice (eclipse_language/iso).

printf/2,3

Accept non-floats in floating point formats (e/E/f/g) and convert via float/2.

read_term/2,3

New options

annotated(-AnnTerm) - returns the annotated form of the term read
line(-Line) - returns the starting line number of the term read

Miscellaneous

When printing floats precisely (writeq, etc), 16 digits may now be printed instead of 17, if sufficient.
The 'unknown' flag now controls behaviour on calling undefined predicates also in an eclipse_language context.
The 'unknown_option' flag has been added. It controls the behaviour on encountering unknown options in certain built-ins (error/warning/ignore).

General

Release Notes