A Choice-Point Library for Backtrack Programming

Implementing a compiler for a language with nondeterministic features is known to be a difficult task. This paper presents two new functions setChoicePoint and fail that extend the C language to efficiently handle choice point management. Originally, these two functions were designed to compile the ELAN strategy language. However, they can be used by programmers for general programming in C. We illustrate their use by presenting the classical 8-queens problem and giving some experimental results. Algorithms and implementation techniques are sufficiently detailed to be easily modified and re-implemented.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1998
• Where: ICLP
• Authors: Pierre-Etienne Moreau
• Keywords: Automated Reasoning, Choice Point Management, Classical 8-queens Problem, ELAN Strategy Language, ICLP 1998