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module_interface(+Module)

Create the module Module and start defining its interface.
Module
Atom.

This built-in predicate is obsolete!

Description

This is a directive that can occur only in a compiled file. If Module is an existing module, it is first erased. Then a new module is created and all following code up to the next begin_module/1 or module_interface/1 directive or the file end defines the interface part of this module. The module interface can contain both queries and predicate definitions, however usually only those predicates need to be defined in the interface that must be always compiled in order to read the module body. For instance, macro transformation predicates for macros used in the file must be compiled, otherwise the parser cannot parse the file. If another module uses this module by means of the use_module/1 predicate, all queries in the module interface except export/1 and global/1 will be executed in that module, and exported predicates will be imported into it.

Modes and Determinism

Exceptions

(4) instantiation fault
Module is not instantiated.
(5) type error
Module is not an atom.
(68) calling an undefined procedure
When called from Prolog.
(82) trying to access a locked module
Module is locked.

Examples

Success:
     [eclipse 2]: [user].
     :- module_interface(m).
     :- op(700, xf, there).
     :- export p/1.
     :- begin_module(m).
      p(X) :- writeln(X).
      user compiled 56 bytes in 0.03 seconds
     yes.
     [eclipse 3]: p(hello there).
     syntax error: postfix/infix operator expected
     | p(hello there).
     |             ^ here
     [eclipse 3]: use_module(m).

     yes.
     [eclipse 4]: p(hello there).
     hello there

     yes.

Error:
    module_interface(M).                 (Error 4).
    module_interface(1).                 (Error 5).
    module_interface(a_locked_module).   (Error 82).

See Also

module / 1, begin_module / 1, create_module / 1, erase_module / 1, current_module / 1