Re: [eclipse-clp-users] how to generate *well-spaced* but accurate solutions using 'locate'

One further question: Is there a simple way of introducing randomness 
into the way ECLiPSe finds solutions?

The 'hierachical' approach (calling locate with low precision, and then 
again with high precision) seems to work for producing a smaller number 
of well-spaced solutions... but it always gives the same set of solutions.

Ideally I need a small number of well-spaced solutions which are more or 
less randomly distributed.

Cheers, Solly

Solly Brown wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I have a question about the best way to use the 'locate' predicate in a 
> real-valued domain where there are infinitely many solutions.
>
> In my domain I want to find a limited number of solutions (say 10-20) 
> which are well-spaced apart -- basically a 'representative sample' of 
> the infinite number of solutions possible.
>
> As a simple example, say I want to find positions (x,y) which lie on the 
> circle x^2+y^2=5. Ideally, I want to be able to find a (semi-random) 
> selection of solutions (say, 10 of them) spaced roughly evenly around 
> the circle.
>
> Using locate and backtracking doesn't work too well, because if I 
> specify a high precision then it has a huge number of solutions to wade 
> through. But if I lower the precision (in order to get fewer solutions) 
> then the resulting solutions are too coarse (the range of values is too 
> 'approximate', and I need exact values).
>
> So... any hints on the best way to tackle this problem? Should I attack 
> this in a hierarchical fashion: find 10 solutions with a low precision 
> value, and then run 'locate' again within these intervals at a higher 
> precision value? Or is there a smarter way of doing it, or perhaps some 
> builtin I have missed? I'm not terribly familiar with ECLiPSe so any 
> advice would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Solly
>
>
>
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