eval_to_list(?Collection, ?Result)

Collection

A term to be interpreted as a collection

Result

The collection as list

Description

This is a constraint establishing equality between a collection-valued expression and a list containing the same elements as the collection. Evaluation delays if arguments are insufficiently instantiated.

A "collection" can be either of the following data terms:

List

The list is returned unchanged.

Array

The array is converted into a list, as with array_list/2.

Array[...]

Subscript-reference: Extract an element or sub-array from Array. If a single array element is extracted, this element must itself be a collection (array or list).

CollectionExpr1>>CollectionExpr2

The result is the concatenation of the two collections.

concat(CollectionExpr)

If the collection is nested (at least 2-dimensional), the top level of the structure is removed and the result is the concatenation of all its elements (which must be collections themselves).

eval(X)

If X is a list, array or collection expression, then eval(X) is equivalent to X alone. If X is uninstantiated, then eval(X) indicates that X might be instantiated to any collection expression term. Without the eval/1 wrapper, a free X is interpreted as an uninstantiated list.

Modes and Determinism

• eval_to_list(?, ?) is semidet

Fail Conditions

Examples

   ?- List=[a,b,c,d], eval_to_list(List, Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d]

   ?- Arr=[](a,b,c,d), eval_to_list(Arr, Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d]

   ?- Arr=[](a,b,c,d), eval_to_list(Arr[2..3], Result).
   Result = [b, c]


   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat, Result).
   Result = [[](a, b, c), [](d, e, f)]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(concat(Mat), Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d, e, f]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1], Result).
   Result = [a, b, c]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1,*], Result).
   Result = [a, b, c]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[*,2], Result).
   Result = [b, e]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1..2,2], Result).
   Result = [b, e]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1..2,2..3], Result).
   Result = [[](b, c), [](e, f)]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)),
			eval_to_list(concat(Mat[1..2,2..3]), Result).
   Result = [b, c, e, f]


   ?- NL = [a,b,[c,d]], eval_to_list(NL, Result).
   Result = [a, b, [c, d]]

   ?- NL = [a,b,[](c,d)], eval_to_list(NL, Result).
   Result = [a, b, [](c, d)]

   ?- NA = [](a,b,[c,d]), eval_to_list(NA, Result).
   Result = [a, b, [c, d]]

   ?- NA = [](a,b,[c,d]), eval_to_list(NA[3], Result).
   Result = [c, d]


   ?- Xs=[a,b], Yz=[](c,d), eval_to_list(Xs>>Yz, Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d]


   % Error cases where collections expected
   ?- eval_to_list(no_collection, Result).
   No (0.00s cpu)

   ?- eval_to_list(99, Result).
   No (0.00s cpu)

   ?- eval_to_list(concat([[1],2,[3]]), Result).
   No (0.00s cpu)


   % Cases with insufficient instantiation:

   ?- eval_to_list(Xs, R).
   R = Xs                % assumed to be a list (but no check)
   Yes

   ?- eval_to_list([1|Xs], R).
   R = [1|Xs]
   Yes

   ?- eval_to_list(Xs>>[3], R).
   R = R
   <delays until Xs instantiated>

   ?- eval_to_list([1]>>Ys, R).
   R = [1|Ys]                % assumed to be a list (but no check)
   Yes

   ?- eval_to_list([1]>>Ys, R).
   R = [1|Ys]                % assumed to be a list (but no check)
   Yes

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[I], R).
   R = R
   <delays until I instantiated>


   % Delayed instantiation of expression
   ?- eval_to_list(eval(X), [1,2,3]).
   X = X
   <delays until X instantiated>

   ?- eval_to_list(eval(X), Ys), X=[1]>>[2,3].
   Ys = [1, 2, 3]

   ?- eval_to_list(eval(X), [1,2,3]), X=[](1,2,3).
   Yes


   % Reverse direction
   ?- eval_to_list(Xs, [1,2,3]).
   Xs = [1,2,3]
   Yes

See Also