"* B is based on classical predicate logic with classical negation\n",
"* B is based on arithmetic and set theory, LP on (rational) trees aka uninterpreted functions\n",
"* B is strongly typed, but allows higher-order data types\n",
"* B allows arbitrary nesting of quantifiers and negation\n",
"\n",
"As B is based on classical negation and classical predicate logic (without induction), how can it deal with natural numbers, transitive closure, ...?\n",
"* Integer arithmetic is built-in, providing induction through the back door. One can construct bijections between user-defined sets and the integers or natural numbers.\n",
"* Transitive closure is built-in, providing another way to introduce induction or recursion.\n"
* B is based on classical predicate logic with classical negation
* B is based on arithmetic and set theory, LP on (rational) trees aka uninterpreted functions
* B is strongly typed, but allows higher-order data types
* B allows arbitrary nesting of quantifiers and negation
As B is based on classical negation and classical predicate logic (without induction), how can it deal with natural numbers, transitive closure, ...?
* Integer arithmetic is built-in, providing induction through the back door. One can construct bijections between user-defined sets and the integers or natural numbers.
* Transitive closure is built-in, providing another way to introduce induction or recursion.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
## Append in B
The logic program
```
append([],L,L) <-
append([H|X],Y,[H|Z]) <- append(X,Y,Z)
```
can be encoded in various ways in B.
### Built-in Sequence Operator
B has built-in sequences, which are special cases of functions, which are special cases of relations, which are sets of pairs.
The sequence [4,5,6] is represented by the relation {(1,4),(2,5),(3,6)}:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
[4,5,6] = {(1,4),(2,5),(3,6)}
```
%% Output
$\mathit{TRUE}$
TRUE
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:dot expr_as_graph [4,5,6]
```
%% Output
<Dot visualization: expr_as_graph [[4,5,6]]>
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
The built-in concatenation operator can be used to append sequences:
One can also write the append as a B function. Note that B is strongly typed (and user defined functions cannot yet be polymorphic), hence we have to provide the type for the arguments to the function.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
app = %(x,y).(x:seq(INTEGER) & y:seq(INTEGER) | x \/ {i,e | (i-size(x),e) : y}) & app([1,2],[3,4]) = res
Model = {((∅↦{TRUE})↦{TRUE}),((∅↦{FALSE})↦{FALSE}),(({FALSE}↦{TRUE})↦{FALSE,TRUE}),(({TRUE}↦{TRUE})↦{TRUE}),(({FALSE}↦{FALSE})↦{FALSE}),(({TRUE}↦{FALSE})↦{FALSE,TRUE}),(({FALSE,TRUE}↦{TRUE})↦{FALSE,TRUE}),(({FALSE,TRUE}↦{FALSE})↦{FALSE,TRUE})}
" - works well for animation, data validation, disproving\n",
" - limitations appear for symbolic model checking (IC3,...)\n",
" - Future work: improve combination with Z3/Kodkod, improve list representation (maybe use a bit-vector like representation, and CLP(FD) cardinality variable) \n",
" "
"- CHR: can complement ProB's default backend\n",
" - currently only very limited propagations (>, >=, x=y+c, ...)\n",
" - very difficult to control and avoid propagation loops"
]
},
{
...
...
@@ -4420,6 +4422,60 @@
" res = SIGNAL \\ nxt[SIGNAL]"
]
},
{
"cell_type": "code",
"execution_count": 6,
"metadata": {},
"outputs": [
{
"data": {
"text/latex": [
"$\\mathit{x} = \\mathbb N \\wedge \\mathit{y} = NAT$"
B provides the booleans, strings and integers as built-in datatypes. (Strings are not available in Event-B.)
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
BOOL
```
%% Output
$\{\mathit{FALSE},\mathit{TRUE}\}$
{FALSE,TRUE}
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
"this is a string"
```
%% Output
$\text{"this is a string"}$
"this is a string"
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
1024
```
%% Output
$1024$
1024
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Users can define their own datatype in a B machine.
One distinguishes between explicitly specified enumerated sets and deferred sets.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
::load
MACHINE MyBasicSets
SETS Trains = {thomas, gordon}; Points
END
```
%% Output
Loaded machine: MyBasicSets
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
For animation and constraint solving purposes, ProB will instantiate deferred sets to some finite set (the size of which can be controlled and is partially inferred).
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
Points
```
%% Output
$\{\mathit{Points1},\mathit{Points2}\}$
{Points1,Points2}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Pairs ###
B also has pairs of values, which can be written in two ways:
B provides many operators which return values, such as the usual arithmetic operators but also many operators for sets, relations and functions.
For example set union and set difference:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
(1..3 \/ 5..10) \ (2..6)
```
%% Output
$\{1,7,8,9,10\}$
{1,7,8,9,10}
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
(1..3 ∪ 5..10) \ (2..6)
```
%% Output
$\{1,7,8,9,10\}$
{1,7,8,9,10}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
The range of a relation or function:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
dom({(thomas↦1),(gordon↦2)})
```
%% Output
$\{thomas,gordon\}$
{thomas,gordon}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Function application:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
{(thomas↦1),(gordon↦2)} (thomas)
```
%% Output
$1$
1
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Relational inverse (.~) and relational image .[.] :
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
{(thomas↦1),(gordon↦2)}~[2..3]
```
%% Output
$\{\mathit{gordon}\}$
{gordon}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
## Predicates
ProB can also be used to evaluate predicates (B distinguishes between expressions which have a value and predicates which are either true or false).
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
2>3
```
%% Output
$FALSE$
FALSE
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
3>2
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
TRUE
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Within predicates you can use **open** variables, which are implicitly existentially quantified.
ProB will display the solution for the open variables, if possible.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
x*x=100
```
%% Output
$\mathit{TRUE}$
**Solution:**
* $\mathit{x} = -10$
TRUE
Solution:
x = −10
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
We can find all solutions to a predicate by using the set comprehension notation.
Note that by this we turn a predicate into an expression.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
{x|x*x=100}
```
%% Output
$\{-10,10\}$
{−10,10}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Substitutions ###
B also has a rich syntax for substitutions, aka statements.
For example ```x := x+1``` increments the value of x by 1.
We will not talk about substitutions in the rest of this presentation.
The major differences between classical B and Event-B lie in the area of substitutions, machine composition and refinement.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
## Definition of Constraint Solving ##
Constraint solving is determine whether a predicate with open/existentially quantified variables is satisfiable and providing values for the open variables in case it is.
We have already solved the predicate ```x*x=100``` above, yielding the solution ```x=-10```.
The difference to **proof** is that in constraint solving one has to produce a solution (aka a model). The difference to **execution** is that not all variables are known.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
## Constraint Solving Applications ##
Constraint solving has many applications in formal methods in general and B in particular.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
#### Animation ####
It is required to animate implicit specifications.
Take for example an event
```
train_catches_up = any t1,t2,x where t1:dom(train_position) & t2:dom(train_position) &
train_position(t1) < train_position(t2) &
x:1..(train_position(t2)-train_position(t1)-1) then
train_position(t1) := train_position(t1)+x end
```
To determine whether the event is enabled, and to obtain values for the parameters of the event in a given state of the model, we have to solve the following constraint:
{S,E,N,D,M,O,R,Y} ⊆ 0 ‥ 9 ∧ S > 0 ∧ M > 0 ∧ card({S,E,N,D,M,O,R,Y}) = 8 ∧ S * 1000 + E * 100 + N * 10 + D + M * 1000 + O * 100 + R * 10 + E = M * 10000 + O * 1000 + N * 100 + E * 10 + Y
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
{S,E,N,D, M,O,R, Y} ⊆ 0..9 & S >0 & M >0 &
card({S,E,N,D, M,O,R, Y}) = 8 &
S*1000 + E*100 + N*10 + D +
M*1000 + O*100 + R*10 + E =
M*10000 + O*1000 + N*100 + E*10 + Y
```
%% Output
$\mathit{TRUE}$
**Solution:**
* $\mathit{R} = 8$
* $\mathit{S} = 9$
* $\mathit{D} = 7$
* $\mathit{E} = 5$
* $\mathit{Y} = 2$
* $\mathit{M} = 1$
* $\mathit{N} = 6$
* $\mathit{O} = 0$
TRUE
Solution:
R = 8
S = 9
D = 7
E = 5
Y = 2
M = 1
N = 6
O = 0
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
We can find all solutions (to the unmodified puzzle) using a set comprehension and make sure that there is just a single solution:
Finally, a simple puzzle involving sets is to find a subset of numbers from 1..5 whose sum is 14:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
x <: 1..5 & SIGMA(y).(y:x|y)=14
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = \{2,3,4,5\}$
TRUE
Solution:
x = {2,3,4,5}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
## How to solve (set) constraints in B ##
We will now examine how one can perform constraint solving for B.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Booleans ###
If we have only booleans, constraint solving is equivalent to SAT solving.
Internally, ProB has an interpreter which does **not** translate to CNF (conjunctive normal form), but is otherwise similar to DPLL: deterministic propagations are carried out first (unit propagation) and there are heuristics to choose the next boolean variable to enumerate.
(We do not translate to CNF also because of well-definedness issues.)
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Integers ###
Let us take the integer constraint ```x*x=100``` which we saw earlier.
This constraint is actually more complicated than might appear at first sight: the constraint is not linear and the domain of x is not bounded. Indeed, B supports mathematical integers without any bit size restriction.
So, let us first look at some simpler constraints, where the domains of the variables are all bounded.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Let us look at the simple constraint ```X:0..3 & Y:0..3 & X+Y=2```.
As you can see there are three solutions for this constraint:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
{X,Y|X:0..3 & Y:0..3 & X+Y=2}
```
%% Output
$\{(0\mapsto2),(1\mapsto1),(2\mapsto0)\}$
{(0↦2),(1↦1),(2↦0)}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
We will now study how such constraints can be solved.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
#### Solving constraints by translating to SAT ####
Given that we know the *domain* of X and Y in the constraint ``` X:0..3 & Y:0..3 & X+Y=2```, we can represent the integers by binary numbers and convert the constraint to a **SAT** problem.
The number 2 is ```10``` in binary and we can represent X and Y each by two bits X0,X1 and Y0,Y1.
We can translate the addition to a propositional logic formula:
Bit1 | Bit0
-----|-----
X1 | X0
+ Y1 | Y0
|
Z1 | Z0
Let us find one solution to this constraint, by encoding addition using an additional carry bit ```CARRY0```:
(CARRY0=TRUE => (X1=FALSE & Y1=FALSE)) & // no overflow
(CARRY0=FALSE => (X1=FALSE or Y1=FALSE)) & // no overflow
Z0=FALSE & Z1=TRUE})
```
%% Output
|Nr|X0|X1|Y0|Y1|Z0|Z1|CARRY0|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|1|FALSE|FALSE|FALSE|TRUE|FALSE|TRUE|FALSE|
|2|FALSE|TRUE|FALSE|FALSE|FALSE|TRUE|FALSE|
|3|TRUE|FALSE|TRUE|FALSE|FALSE|TRUE|TRUE|
Nr X0 X1 Y0 Y1 Z0 Z1 CARRY0
1 FALSE FALSE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE
2 FALSE TRUE FALSE FALSE FALSE TRUE FALSE
3 TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE FALSE TRUE TRUE
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
In ProB, we can use **Kodkod** backend to achieve such a translation to SAT.
- Kodkod (https://github.com/emina/kodkod) is the API to the **Alloy** (http://alloytools.org) constraint analyzer and takes relational logic predicates and translates them to SAT.
- The SAT problem can be solved by any SAT solver (Sat4J, minisat, glucose,...).
- ProB translates parts of B to the Kodkod API and translates the results back to B values.
- Prior to the translation, ProB performs an interval analysis to determine possible ranges for the integer decision variables.
The details were presented at FM'2012 (Plagge, L.).

%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve kodkod x:0..2 & y:0..2 & x+y=2
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = 2$
* $y = 0$
TRUE
Solution:
x = 2
y = 0
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
We can find all solutions and check that we find exactly the three expected solutions:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve kodkod {x,y|x:0..2 & y:0..2 & x+y=2}=res
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $res = \{(0\mapsto2),(1\mapsto1),(2\mapsto0)\}$
TRUE
Solution:
res = {(0↦2),(1↦1),(2↦0)}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
#### Translation to SMTLib ####
At iFM'2016 we (Krings, L.) presented a translation to SMTLib format to use either the **Z3** or **CVC4** SMT solver.
Compared to the Kodkod backend, no translation to SAT is performed, SMTLib supports **integer** predicates and integer operators in the language.

%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Here is ProB's SMTLib/Z3 API calls for the constraint ``` X:0..3 & Y:0..3 & X+Y=2```:
1000000*P+100000*A+10000*S+1000*S+100*I+10*O+N & card({K, I, S, P, A, O, N}) = 7
```
%% Output
Execution time: 0.213287097 seconds
$\mathit{TRUE}$
**Solution:**
* $\mathit{P} = 4$
* $\mathit{A} = 1$
* $\mathit{S} = 3$
* $\mathit{I} = 0$
* $\mathit{K} = 2$
* $\mathit{N} = 9$
* $\mathit{O} = 8$
TRUE
Solution:
P = 4
A = 1
S = 3
I = 0
K = 2
N = 9
O = 8
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:time :solve z3 {K,P} <: 1..9 & {I,S,A,O,N} <: 0..9 & (1000*K+100*I+10*S+S) * (1000*K+100*I+10*S+S) = 1000000*P+100000*A+10000*S+1000*S+100*I+10*O+N & card({K, I, S, P, A, O, N}) = 7
```
%% Output
:time: :solve: Computation not completed: no solution found (but one might exist)
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:time :solve kodkod {K,P} <: 1..9 & {I,S,A,O,N} <: 0..9 & (1000*K+100*I+10*S+S) * (1000*K+100*I+10*S+S) = 1000000*P+100000*A+10000*S+1000*S+100*I+10*O+N & card({K, I, S, P, A, O, N}) = 7
```
%% Output
Error from ProB: ProB reported Errors
Warning: Kodkod SAT Solver Timeout for Problem Id: 0
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Result for KISS*KISS=PASSION puzzle:
Solver | Runtime
-------|-------
ProB Default | 0.01 sec
Kodkod Backend | 1 sec
Z3 Backend | ? > 100 sec
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Unbounded integers ###
The SAT translation via Kodkod/Alloy requires to determine the bid width.
It cannot be applied to unbounded integers.
Even for bounded integers it is quite tricky to get the bid widths correct: one needs also to take care of intermediate results. Alloy can detect incorrect models where an overflow occured, but to our understanding not where an overflow prevented a model (e.g., use inside negation or equivalence, see ```#(V.SS->V.SS)=0 iff no V.SS``` in paper at ABZ conference).
SMTLib is more tailored towards proof than towards model finding; as such it has typically no/less issues with unbounded values.
The ProB default solver can also deal with unbounded integers: it tries to narrow down domains to finite ones. If this fails, an unbounded variable is enumerated (partially) and an **enumeration warning** is generated. In case a solution is found, this warning is ignored, otherwise the result of ProB's analysis is **UNKNOWN**.
Some inconsistencies cannot be detected by interval/domain propagation; here it helps to activate ProB's CHR module which performs some additional inferences.
Let us perform some experiments. Both ProB and Z3 can solve the following:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve z3 x*x=100
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = -10$
TRUE
Solution:
x = −10
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Here is an example where ProB generates an enumeration warning, but finds a solution:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
x>100 & x mod 2000 = 1 & x mod 3000 = 1
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = 6001$
TRUE
Solution:
x = 6001
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve z3 x>100 & x mod 2000 = 1 & x mod 3000 = 1
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = 6001$
TRUE
Solution:
x = 6001
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Here ProB generates an enumeration warning and does not find a solution, hence the result is **UNKNOWN**. Here Z3 finds a solution.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve prob x>100 & x mod 2000 = 1 & x mod 3000 = 1 & (x+x) mod 4501 = 0
```
%% Output
:solve: Computation not completed: no solution found (but one might exist)
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve z3 x>100 & x mod 2000 = 1 & x mod 3000 = 1 & (x+x) mod 4501 = 0
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = 6756001$
TRUE
Solution:
x = 6756001
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Here is an inconsistency which cannot be detected by CLP(FD)'s interval propagation.
ProB can detect it with CHR (Constraint Handling Rules) enabled, but without the module the result is **UNKNOWN**.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve z3 x>y & y>x
```
%% Output
$FALSE$
FALSE
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve prob x>y &y>x
```
%% Output
:solve: Computation not completed: no solution found (but one might exist)
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Summary for Integer Arithmetic ###
Solver | Unbounded | Model Finding | Inconsistency Detection (Unbounded)
------|------------|---------------|---
ProB CLP(FD) | yes | very good | limited with CHR
ProB Z3 | yes | reasonable | very good
ProB Kodkod | no | good | -
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
## Set Constraints ##
After booleans, integers and enumerated set elements, let us now move to constraint solving involving set variables.
### Translation to SAT ###
The Kodkod/Alloy backend translates sets bit vectors. The size of the vector is the number of possible elements.
Take for example the following constraint:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
x ⊆ 1..2 & y ⊆ 1..2 & x ∪ y = 1..2 & 1:x & x ⊂ y
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = \{1\}$
* $y = \{1,2\}$
TRUE
Solution:
x = {1}
y = {1,2}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
| Element | x | y | x ∪ y |
| ------------- |-------------| -----| -----|
| 1 | x1 | y1 | x1 or y1
| 2 | x2 | y2 | x2 or y2 |
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:table {x1,x2,y1,y2 | {x1,x2,y1,y2} <: BOOL &
(x1=TRUE or y1=TRUE) & (x2=TRUE or y2=TRUE) & // x ∪ y = 1..2
x1=TRUE & // 1:x
(x1=TRUE => y1=TRUE) & (x2=TRUE => y2=TRUE) & (x1/=y1 or x2/=y2) //x ⊂ y
This translation to SAT is exactly what the Kodkod backend does:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve kodkod x <: 1..2 & y<: 1..2 & x \/ y = 1..2 & 1:x & x <<: y
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = \{1\}$
* $y = \{1,2\}$
TRUE
Solution:
x = {1}
y = {1,2}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Limitations of translating set constraints to SAT:
- this cannot deal with **unbounded** sets: we need to know a finite type for each set, so that we can generate a finite bit vector
- this approach cannot usually deal with **higher order** sets (sets of sets), as the size of the bit vector would be prohibitively large
Given that:
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
card(POW(1..100))
```
%% Output
$1267650600228229401496703205376$
1267650600228229401496703205376
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
translating the following constraint to SAT would require a bit vector of length 1267650600228229401496703205376.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
x <: POW(1..100) & {100}:x & !y.(y:x => {card(y)}:x)
```
%% Output
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = \{\{100\},\{1\}\}$
TRUE
Solution:
x = {{100},{1}}
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Also, in the following constraint, the set x is unbounded and no translation to SAT is feasible (without a very clever analysis of the universal implications).
For the following set, ProB tries to expand it and then an enumeration warning occurs (also called a **virtual timeout**, ProB realises that no matter what time budget it would be given a timeout would occur).
The set is then kept symbolic and can again be used in various ways.
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
inf = {x|x>1000 & x mod 25 = 0} & 1025 ∈ inf & not(1000∈inf) & res = (900..1100) ∩ inf
res = ((900 ‥ 1100) ∩ {x∣x > 1000 ∧ x mod 25 = 0})
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
Internally, a symbolic representation is a **closure** in functional programming terms: all dependent variables are *compiled* into the closure: the closure can be passed as a value and evaluated without needing access to an environment. In Prolog this is represented as a tuple:
- closure(Parameters,Types,CompiledPredicate)
For example, a set {x|x>v} where v has the value 17 is compiled to:
- closure([x],[integer],```x>17```)
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
#### List representation ####
The list representation is used when a finite set is partially known and constraint solving has to determine the set.
x = {3,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,1,2,4,8,16,32,64}
y = {200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240,241,242,243,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,256}
n = 100
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
In the appendix there are more examples which analyse the performance for such examples.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
ProB employs the *Andorra* principle: deterministic computations are done first.
As there are multiple set representations, there are actually two kinds of deterministic computations:
- deterministic computations that generate an efficient representation, e.g., an AVL set representation
- and other deterministic computations
The ProB solver has a **WAITFLAG store** where choice points and enumerations are registered with a given priority.
- Priority 0 means that an efficient representation can be generated
- Priority 1 is a deterministic computation not guaranteed to produce an efficient representation
- Priority k is a choice point/enumeration which may generate k possible values
At each solving step one waitflag is activated, the one with the lowest priority.
CLP(FD) variables are also registered in the WAITFLAG store and are enumerated before a waitflag of the same priority is activated. For tie breaking one typically uses the **most attached constraints first** (ffc) heuristic.
#### Example ####
Let us examine how ```x = 1..n & y = 2*n..3*n & n = 100 & xy = x \/ y``` is solved.
- all constraints are registered
- in phase 0 ```n=100``` is run
- this means that ```1..n``` can be efficiently computed
- this means that ```x = 1..n``` triggers in phase 0
- then ```2*n``` and ```3*n``` can be computed, followed by ```2*n..3*n```
- this means that ```y = 2*n..3*n``` triggers in phase 0
- again, this means that ```x \/ y``` can be efficiently computed
- finally ```xy = x \/ y``` can be executed in phase 0
No enumeration was required. In this case ProB's constraint solver works similar to a topological sorting algorithm.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
#### Dealing with unbounded enumeration ####
Note: if an unbounded enumeration is encountered, the solver registers an **enumeration warning** in the current scope (every quantification / comprehension set results in a new inner scope). Depending on the kind of scope (existential/universal) and on whether a solution is found, the warning gets translated into an **UNKNOWN** result.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Functional Programming ###
Some functions are automatically detected as infinite by ProB, are kept symbolic but can be applied in several ways:
- works well for large sets and semi-deterministic computation
- works well for animation, data validation, disproving
- limitations appear for symbolic model checking (IC3,...)
- Future work: improve combination with Z3/Kodkod, improve list representation (maybe use a bit-vector like representation, and CLP(FD) cardinality variable)
- CHR: can complement ProB's default backend
- currently only very limited propagations (>, >=, x=y+c, ...)
- very difficult to control and avoid propagation loops
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Integrations of Approaches ###
ProB provides the joint application of the CLP(FD) and SMT backend (preference ```SMT_SUPPORTED_INTERPRETER```.
Constraints are posted both to ProB and Z3/CVC4, with the hope that Z3/CVC4 prune infeasible branches.
The main motivation was new symbolic validation techniques such as IC3.
The Kodkod integration also passes higher-order/unbounded constraints to ProB, after solving the first order finite constraints with Kodkod/Alloy.
However, this kind of integration is rarely useful (most of the generated solutions get rejected by ProB).
A more promising, fine-grained integration has been presented at PADL'18.
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
## Appendix ##
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
### Explicit Computations ####
What about explicit computations? How well does the SMTLib translation fare here?
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:solve z3 x = 1..1000 /\ (200..300)
```
%% Output
:solve: Computation not completed: no solution found (but one might exist)
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:time :solve z3 x = 1..40 /\ (6..15)
```
%% Output
Execution time: 0.224425596 seconds
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = \{6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15\}$
TRUE
Solution:
x = {6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15}
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:time :solve z3 x = 1..60 /\ (6..15)
```
%% Output
Execution time: 1.149180308 seconds
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = \{6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15\}$
TRUE
Solution:
x = {6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15}
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:time :solve z3 x = 1..80 /\ (6..15)
```
%% Output
:time: :solve: Computation not completed: no solution found (but one might exist)
%% Cell type:code id: tags:
``` prob
:time :solve prob x = 1..80 /\ (6..15)
```
%% Output
Execution time: 0.005873811 seconds
$TRUE$
**Solution:**
* $x = (6 \ldots 15)$
TRUE
Solution:
x = (6 ‥ 15)
%% Cell type:markdown id: tags:
In the following the inverse operator seems to pose problems to Z3: