Class Query
- java.lang.Object
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- org.jpl7.Query
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- All Implemented Interfaces:
java.lang.Iterable<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
,java.util.Iterator<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
public class Query extends java.lang.Object implements java.lang.Iterable<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>, java.util.Iterator<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
A Query instance is created by an application in order to query the Prolog database (or to invoke a built-in predicate). It is initialised with a Compound (or Atom) denoting the goal which is to be called, and also contains assorted private state relating to solutions. In some future version, it may contain details of the module in which the goal is to be called.A Query is either open or closed: when closed, it has no connection to the Prolog system; when open, it is linked to an active goal within a Prolog engine.
The Query class implements the Enumeration interface, through which one can obtain successive solutions. The Enumeration hasMoreElements() method returns true if the call or redo succeeded (otherwise false), and if the call or redo did succeed, the nextElement() method returns a Map representing variable bindings; the elements in the Map are Terms, indexed by the (String) names of the Variables with which they are associated. For example, if p(a) and p(b) are facts in the Prolog database, then the following is equivalent to printing all the solutions to the Prolog query p(X):
Variable X = new Variable("X"); Term arg[] = { X }; Query q = new Query("p", arg); while (q.hasMoreElements()) { Term bound_to_x = ((Map) q.nextElement()).get("X"); System.out.println(bound_to_x); }
Make sure to close the Query (using the close() method) if you do not need any further solutions which it may have. It is safe (although redundant) to close a Query whose solutions are already exhausted, or which is already closed. To obtain just one solution from a Query, use the oneSolution() method. To obtain all solutions, use the allSolutions() method. To obtain at most N solutions, use the nSolutions() method. To determine merely whether the Query is provable, use the hasSolution() method (i.e. has at least one solution).
Copyright (C) 2007 Paul SingletonCopyright (C) 1998 Fred Dushin
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
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Constructor Summary
Constructors Constructor Description Query(java.lang.String text)
This constructor builds a Query from the given Prolog source text.Query(java.lang.String text, Term arg)
Query(java.lang.String text, Term[] args)
If text denotes an atom, this constructor is shorthand for new Query(new Compound(name,args)), but if text denotes a term containing N query (?) symbols and there are N args, each query is replaced by its corresponding arg to provide the new Query's goal.Query(Term t)
This constructor creates a Query whose goal is the specified Term.
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Method Summary
All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods Modifier and Type Method Description java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
allSolutions()
calls the Query's goal to exhaustion and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found).static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
allSolutions(java.lang.String text)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text fragment, calls it to exhaustion, and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found).static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
allSolutions(java.lang.String text, Term[] params)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N accompanying Term params, this static method replaces each questionmark symbol by its respective param, calls the resulting goal to exhaustion, and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found).static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
allSolutions(Term goal)
This static method creates a Query whose goal is the given Term, calls it to exhaustion, and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found).void
close()
This method can be used to close an open query before its solutions are exhausted.java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
getSolution()
This method returns a java.util.Map, which represents a set of bindings from the names of query variables to terms within the solution.java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
getSubstWithNameVars()
Term
goal()
Returns the Term (Atom or Compound) which is the goal of this Queryboolean
hasMoreElements()
This method implements part of the java.util.Enumeration interface.boolean
hasMoreSolutions()
This method returns true if JPL was able to initiate a "call" of this Query within a Prolog engine.boolean
hasNext()
whether this Query has a (further) solutionboolean
hasSolution()
This method will attempt to call this Query's goal within an available Prolog engine.static boolean
hasSolution(java.lang.String text)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text and calls it at most once, returning true if a solution was found, else false.static boolean
hasSolution(java.lang.String text, Term[] params)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N params, each questionmark symbol is replaced by its corresponding arg to provide the new Query's goal: the resulting Query is called as described above.static boolean
hasSolution(Term goal)
This static method creates a Query (whose goal is the specified Term) and calls it at most once, returning true if a solution was found, else false.boolean
isOpen()
isOpen() returns true iff the query is open.java.util.Iterator<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
iterator()
a Query is its own Iteratorjava.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
next()
this Query's next solutionjava.lang.Object
nextElement()
This method implements part of the java.util.Enumeration interface.java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
nextSolution()
This method returns a java.util.Map, which represents a binding from the names of query variables to terms within the solution.java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
nSolutions(long n)
calls the Query's goal to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found).static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
nSolutions(java.lang.String text, long n)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text fragment, calls it to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found).static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
nSolutions(java.lang.String text, Term[] params, long n)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N accompanying params, this static method replaces each questionmark symbol by its respective param, calls the resulting goal to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found).static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[]
nSolutions(Term goal, long n)
This static method creates a Query whose goal is the given Term, calls it to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found).java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
oneSolution()
Returns the first solution, if any, as a (possibly empty) Map of variablename-to-term bindings, else null.static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
oneSolution(java.lang.String text)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text fragment, and calls it at most once, returning the first solution, if there is one, as a (possibly empty) Map, else null.static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
oneSolution(java.lang.String text, Term[] params)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N params, each questionmark symbol is replaced by its respective param to provide the goal of this query: the resulting goal is then called (at most once) and the first solution, if there is one, is returned as a (possibly empty) Map, else null.static java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>
oneSolution(Term goal)
This static method creates a Query (whose goal is the specified Term) and calls it at most once, returning the first solution, if there is one, as a (possibly empty) Map, else null.void
open()
This method returns true if JPL was able to initiate a "call" of this Query within the Prolog engine.void
remove()
this method (required by Iterator interface) is a no-opjava.lang.String
toString()
Returns a crude String representation of a Query.
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Constructor Detail
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Query
public Query(Term t)
This constructor creates a Query whose goal is the specified Term. The Query is initially closed. NB Creating an instance of the Query class does not result in a call to a Prolog engine. NB The goal can be a Compound or an Atom (Atom extends Compound), but cannot be an instance of jpl.Float, jpl.Integer or jpl.Variable.- Parameters:
t
- the goal of this Query
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Query
public Query(java.lang.String text, Term[] args)
If text denotes an atom, this constructor is shorthand for new Query(new Compound(name,args)), but if text denotes a term containing N query (?) symbols and there are N args, each query is replaced by its corresponding arg to provide the new Query's goal.- Parameters:
text
- the name of the principal functor of this Query's goalargs
- the arguments of this Query's goal
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Query
public Query(java.lang.String text, Term arg)
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Query
public Query(java.lang.String text)
This constructor builds a Query from the given Prolog source text. Throws PrologException containing error(syntax_error(_),_) if text is invalid.- Parameters:
text
- the Prolog source text of this Query
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Method Detail
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goal
public final Term goal()
Returns the Term (Atom or Compound) which is the goal of this Query- Returns:
- a Term representing the goal of this Query
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iterator
public java.util.Iterator<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>> iterator()
a Query is its own Iterator- Specified by:
iterator
in interfacejava.lang.Iterable<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
- See Also:
Iterable.iterator()
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hasNext
public boolean hasNext()
whether this Query has a (further) solution- Specified by:
hasNext
in interfacejava.util.Iterator<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
- See Also:
Iterator.hasNext()
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next
public java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> next()
this Query's next solution- Specified by:
next
in interfacejava.util.Iterator<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
- See Also:
Iterator.next()
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remove
public void remove()
this method (required by Iterator interface) is a no-op- Specified by:
remove
in interfacejava.util.Iterator<java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>>
- See Also:
Iterator.remove()
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isOpen
public final boolean isOpen()
isOpen() returns true iff the query is open.- Returns:
- true if the query is open, otherwise false.
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hasMoreSolutions
public final boolean hasMoreSolutions()
This method returns true if JPL was able to initiate a "call" of this Query within a Prolog engine. It is designed to be used with the nextSolution() method to retrieve one or more substitutions in the form of Maps. To iterate through all the solutions to a Query, for example, one might writeQuery q = // obtain Query reference while (q.hasMoreSolutions()) { Map solution = q.nextSolution(); // process solution... }
- Returns:
- true if the Prolog query succeeds; otherwise false.
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open
public final void open()
This method returns true if JPL was able to initiate a "call" of this Query within the Prolog engine. It is designed to be used with the getSolution() and close() methods to retrieve one or more substitutions in the form of Maps.Query q = // obtain Query reference Map soln; q.open(); while ((soln = q.getSolution()) != null) { // process solution... }
If this method is called on an already-open Query, or if the query cannot be set up for whatever reason, then a JPLException will be thrown.
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getSolution
public final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> getSolution()
This method returns a java.util.Map, which represents a set of bindings from the names of query variables to terms within the solution.For example, if a Query has an occurrence of a jpl.Variable, say, named "X", one can obtain the Term bound to "X" in the solution by looking up "X" in the Map.
Variable x = new Variable("X"); Query q = // obtain Query reference (with x in the Term array) while (q.hasMoreSolutions()) { Map solution = q.nextSolution(); // make t the Term bound to "X" in the solution Term t = (Term) solution.get("X"); // ... }
Programmers should obey the following rules when using this method. This method will throw a JPLException if Query is not open.- Returns:
- A Map representing a substitution, or null
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getSubstWithNameVars
public final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> getSubstWithNameVars()
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nextSolution
public final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> nextSolution()
This method returns a java.util.Map, which represents a binding from the names of query variables to terms within the solution.For example, if a Query has an occurrence of a jpl.Variable, say, named "X", one can obtain the Term bound to "X" in the solution by looking up "X" in the Map.
Variable x = new Variable("X"); Query q = // obtain Query reference (with x in the Term array) while (q.hasMoreSolutions()) { Map solution = q.nextSolution(); // make t the Term bound to "X" in the solution Term t = (Term) solution.get("X"); // ... }
Programmers should obey the following rules when using this method. This method will throw a JPLException if Query is not open.- Returns:
- A Map representing a substitution.
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hasMoreElements
public final boolean hasMoreElements()
This method implements part of the java.util.Enumeration interface. It is a wrapper for hasMoreSolutions.- Returns:
- true if the Prolog query yields a (or another) solution, else false.
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nextElement
public final java.lang.Object nextElement()
This method implements part of the java.util.Enumeration interface. It is a wrapper for nextSolution.- Returns:
- A Map representing a substitution.
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close
public final void close()
This method can be used to close an open query before its solutions are exhausted. It is called automatically when solutions are exhausted. Calling close() on an already closed Query has no effect.Here is one way to get the first three solutions to a Query:
Query q = new Query(predicate, args); Map<String, Term> sub1 = q.nextSolution(); Map<String, Term> sub2 = q.nextSolution(); Map<String, Term> sub3 = q.nextSolution(); q.close();
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allSolutions
public final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] allSolutions()
calls the Query's goal to exhaustion and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found).- Returns:
- an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more
variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in
the order in which they were found) NB in JPL 1.0.1, this
method (inconsistently) returned null when a Query had no
solutions; in JPL 2.x onwards it returns an empty array (thus the
length of the array is, in every case, the quantity of
solutions).
NB in JPL 1.0.1, bindings were keyed (awkwardly) by Variable instances; in JPL 2.x onwards they are keyed by the (String) names of variables, which is consistent with the Term type being just a concrete syntax for terms (and hence queries).
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allSolutions
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] allSolutions(Term goal)
This static method creates a Query whose goal is the given Term, calls it to exhaustion, and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found). Throws JPLException if goal is neither a jpl.Atom nor a jpl.Compound.- Parameters:
goal
- the goal of this Query- Returns:
- an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found)
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allSolutions
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] allSolutions(java.lang.String text)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text fragment, calls it to exhaustion, and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found). Throws PrologException containing error(syntax_error(_),_) if text is invalid.- Parameters:
text
- a Prolog source text fragment denoting a goal- Returns:
- an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found)
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allSolutions
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] allSolutions(java.lang.String text, Term[] params)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N accompanying Term params, this static method replaces each questionmark symbol by its respective param, calls the resulting goal to exhaustion, and returns an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found). Otherwise, if text denotes an atom, this static method creates a Query where text is the name of the goal and params are the args; the resulting goal is then called as above. This letter mode is redundant, deprecated (informally), and retained only for backward compatibility.- Parameters:
text
- the Prolog source text of a goal, in which questionmarks are regarded as substitutible parametersparams
- terms to be substituted for the respective questionmarks in the query text- Returns:
- an array of zero or more Maps of zero or more variablename-to-term bindings (each Map represents a solution, in the order in which they were found)
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nSolutions
public final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] nSolutions(long n)
calls the Query's goal to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found).- Returns:
- an array of Maps (possibly none), each of which is a solution (in
the order in which they were found) of the Query; at most 'n'
solutions will be found and returned. NB in JPL 1.0.1,
this method (inconsistently) returned null when a Query had no
solutions; in JPL 2.x onwards it returns an empty array (thus the
length of the array is, in every case, the quantity of
solutions).
NB in JPL 1.0.1, bindings were keyed (awkwardly) by Variable instances; in JPL 2.x onwards they are keyed by the (String) names of variables, which is consistent with the Term type being just a concrete syntax for terms (and hence queries).
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nSolutions
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] nSolutions(Term goal, long n)
This static method creates a Query whose goal is the given Term, calls it to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found). Throws JPLException if goal is neither a jpl.Atom nor a jpl.Compound.- Parameters:
goal
- the goal of this Query
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nSolutions
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] nSolutions(java.lang.String text, long n)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text fragment, calls it to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found). Throws PrologException containing error(syntax_error(_),_) if text is invalid.- Parameters:
text
- a Prolog source text fragment denoting a goal
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nSolutions
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term>[] nSolutions(java.lang.String text, Term[] params, long n)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N accompanying params, this static method replaces each questionmark symbol by its respective param, calls the resulting goal to exhaustion or until N solutions are found, whichever is sooner, and returns an array containing (as possibly empty Maps of variablename-to-term bindings) every found solution (in the order in which they were found). Otherwise, if text denotes an atom, this static method creates a Query where text is the name of the goal and params are the args; the resulting goal is then called as above. This latter mode is redundant, deprecated (informally), and retained only for backward compatibility.- Parameters:
text
- the Prolog source text of a goal, in which questionmarks are regarded as substitutible parametersparams
- terms to be substituted for the respective questionmarks in the query text
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oneSolution
public final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> oneSolution()
Returns the first solution, if any, as a (possibly empty) Map of variablename-to-term bindings, else null. This method will throw a JPLException if this Query is already open (and the Query will remain open as before). Otherwise, upon return, the Query will be closed.- Returns:
- the first solution, if the query has one, as a (possibly empty) Map. If the return value is null, this means that the Query has no solutions.
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oneSolution
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> oneSolution(Term goal)
This static method creates a Query (whose goal is the specified Term) and calls it at most once, returning the first solution, if there is one, as a (possibly empty) Map, else null. The goal can be a jpl.Atom or a jpl.Compound, but cannot be an instance of jpl.Float, jpl.Integer or jpl.Variable.- Parameters:
goal
- the goal of this Query
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oneSolution
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> oneSolution(java.lang.String text)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text fragment, and calls it at most once, returning the first solution, if there is one, as a (possibly empty) Map, else null. Throws PrologException containing error(syntax_error(_),_) if text is invalid.- Parameters:
text
- a Prolog source text fragment denoting a goal
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oneSolution
public static final java.util.Map<java.lang.String,Term> oneSolution(java.lang.String text, Term[] params)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N params, each questionmark symbol is replaced by its respective param to provide the goal of this query: the resulting goal is then called (at most once) and the first solution, if there is one, is returned as a (possibly empty) Map, else null. Otherwise, if text denotes an atom, this static method creates a Query where text is the name of the goal and params are the args; the resulting goal is then called as above. This latter mode is redundant, deprecated (informally), and retained only for backward compatibility.- Parameters:
text
- the Prolog source text of a goal, in which questionmarks are regarded as substitutible parametersparams
- terms to be substituted for the respective questionmarks in the query text
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hasSolution
public final boolean hasSolution()
This method will attempt to call this Query's goal within an available Prolog engine.- Returns:
- the provability of the Query, i.e. 'true' if it has at least one
solution, 'false' if the call fails without finding a solution.
Only the first solution (if there is one) will be found; any bindings will be discarded, and the Query will be closed.
This method will throw a JPLException if this Query is already open.
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hasSolution
public static final boolean hasSolution(Term goal)
This static method creates a Query (whose goal is the specified Term) and calls it at most once, returning true if a solution was found, else false. The goal can be a jpl.Atom or a jpl.Compound, but cannot be an instance of jpl.Float, jpl.Integer or jpl.Variable.- Parameters:
goal
- the goal of this Query
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hasSolution
public static final boolean hasSolution(java.lang.String text)
This static method creates a Query from the given Prolog source text and calls it at most once, returning true if a solution was found, else false. Throws PrologException containing error(syntax_error(_),_) if text is invalid.- Parameters:
text
- the goal of this Query, as Prolog source text
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hasSolution
public static final boolean hasSolution(java.lang.String text, Term[] params)
If text denotes (in traditional Prolog source syntax) a term containing N questionmark (?) symbols and there are N params, each questionmark symbol is replaced by its corresponding arg to provide the new Query's goal: the resulting Query is called as described above. Otherwise, if text denotes an atom, this static method creates a Query where text is the name of its goal and args are its args; it then calls this goal (at most once) and returns true if a solution was found, else false. This latter mode is redundant, deprecated (informally), and retained only for backward compatibility.- Parameters:
text
- the Prolog source text of a goal, in which questionmarks are regarded as substitutible parametersparams
- terms to be substituted for the respective questionmarks in the query text
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toString
public java.lang.String toString()
Returns a crude String representation of a Query.- Overrides:
toString
in classjava.lang.Object
- Returns:
- a crude String representation of a Query
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