Runtime system control and flags

Author(s): Manuel Carro, Daniel Cabeza, Jose F. Morales, Manuel Hermenegildo (improved documentation), Mats Carlsson (original author).

This module implements some predicates which provide access to and control of many parameters of the Ciao runtime, including internal statistics, loaded modules, special properties of the predicates, garbage collection, etc.

Some of these facilities are accessed or controlled via specific predicates (see later) while in other cases such access and control is preformed through the mechanism of flags. Such flags contain values for some global parameters of the system and also control the behavior of some system or library predicates. Each flag has a name and an associated predefined value, and except some system flags which are fixed, in general their associated value is changeable.

Flags can be given values at compile time, via declarations, and then the changes affect only the module being processed. Predicates are also available to consult and change flag values at run time, in which case their effect is global from that moment on in the execution (see prolog_flag/3 and related predicates below). Note that corresponding flag-processing declarations and predicates have the same predicate name; only the run-time version is documented.

Some flags are pre-defined in the system. In addition, new flags can be also be defined. The mechanism to do this is described in define_flag/3. Through this mechanism, many Ciao modules and language extensions define additional flags. Flags that are predefined in the system (engine) are documented here and the rest are generally documented in the modules/libraries that define them.

The predefined flags in the system are the following:

version

The Ciao version, as a term ciao(Version,Patch,CommitInfo). Version and Patch are atoms. CommitInfo is a structure describing the commit information (branch, id, date, description). Unchangeable.

dialect

Value set to ciao. Used for compatibility with other systems when in Prolog mode. Unchangeable.

argv

Its value is a list of atoms representing the program arguments supplied when the current executable was invoked. This is the value to which the argument of the main/1 predicate is instantiated at executable startup (which is the usual way to access the list of arguments). Unchangeable.

bounded

It is false, to denote that the range of integers can be considered infinite (but see int/1). Unchangeable. ISO

fileerrors

If on, predicates handling files produce errors (throw exceptions) when a file is non-existent or an operation is not allowed. If off, a failure will occur instead for those conditions. Initially on.

gc

Controls whether garbage collection is performed. May be on (default) or off.

gc_margin

Margin is an integer so that, if less than Margin kilobytes are reclaimed in a garbage collection, then the size of the garbage-collected area should be increased. Also, no garbage collection is attempted unless the garbage-collected area has at least Margin kilobytes. Initially set to 500.

gc_trace

Governs garbage collection trace messages. An element of [on,off,terse,verbose]. Initially off.

integer_rounding_function

It is toward_zero, so that -1 =:= -3//2 succeeds. Unchangeable. ISO

max_arity

It is 255, so that no compound term (or predicate) can have more than this number of arguments. Unchangeable. ISO

quiet

Controls which messages issued using the messages_basic library are actually written. As the system uses that library to emit its messages, this flag controls the verbosity of the system. Possible states of the flag are:

on: No messages are reported.
error: Only error messages are reported.
warning: Only error and warning messages are reported.
off: All messages are reported, except debug messages. This is the default state.
debug: All messages, including debug messages, are reported. This is only intended for the system implementors.

unknown

Controls the action to be taken when an undefined predicate is called. The possible states of the flag are:

error: An error is thrown with the error term existence_error(procedure, F/A).
fail: The call simply fails.
warning: A warning is written and the call fails.

The state is initially error. ISO

Usage and interface

Library usage:
:- use_module(engine(runtime_control)).
Exports:
- Predicates:
  statistics/0, statistics/2, time/1, current_atom/1, new_atom/1, current_module/1, module_split/3, predicate_property/2, predicate_property/3, garbage_collect/0, set_prolog_flag/2, current_prolog_flag/2, prolog_flag/3, push_prolog_flag/2, pop_prolog_flag/1, prompt/2, fileerrors/0, nofileerrors/0, gc/0, nogc/0.
- Regular Types:
  time_option/1, tick_option/1, clockfreq_option/1, memory_option/1, gc_option/1, symbol_option/1, time_result/1, tick_result/1, clockfreq_result/1, memory_result/1, gc_result/1, symbol_result/1.
- Multifiles:
  define_flag/3.

Documentation on exports

PREDICATEstatistics/0

Usage:

Prints statistics about the system.

PREDICATEstatistics/2

Usage 1:statistics(Tick_option,Tick_result)

Gather information about clock ticks (either run, user, system or wall tick) since the last consultation or since the start of the program. A tick is the smallest amount of time that the clock can measure.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(runtime_control:tick_option/1)
Tick_option is an option to get information about execution ticks.
```
tick_option(runtick).
tick_option(usertick).
tick_option(systemtick).
tick_option(walltick).
```
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(runtime_control:tick_option/1)
Tick_option is an option to get information about execution ticks.
```
tick_option(runtick).
tick_option(usertick).
tick_option(systemtick).
tick_option(walltick).
```
(runtime_control:tick_result/1)Tick_result is a two-element list of numbers. The first number is the number of ticks since the start of the execution; the second number is the number of ticks since the previous consultation to tick.

Usage 2:statistics(Clockfreq_option,Clockfreq_result)

Gather information about frequency of the clocks used to measure the ticks (either run-user, system or wall clock). Results are returned in Hertz. This value also can be defined as the amount of ticks that a clock can measure in one second.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(runtime_control:clockfreq_option/1)
Clockfreq_option is and option to get information about the frequency of clocks used to get the ticks.
```
clockfreq_option(runclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(userclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(systemclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(wallclockfreq).
```
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(runtime_control:clockfreq_option/1)
Clockfreq_option is and option to get information about the frequency of clocks used to get the ticks.
```
clockfreq_option(runclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(userclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(systemclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(wallclockfreq).
```
(runtime_control:clockfreq_result/1)Clockfreq_result is a number which gives the frequency in Hertz used by the clock get the ticks.

Usage 3:statistics(Time_option,Time_result)

Gather information about time (either process time or wall time) since the last consultation or since start of program. Results are returned in milliseconds. Note that internally, time is calculated as:

  Time_result = (Tick_result / Clockfreq_result) * 1000

The following properties should hold at call time:
(runtime_control:time_option/1)
Time_option is an option to get information about execution time.
```
time_option(runtime).
time_option(usertime).
time_option(systemtime).
time_option(walltime).
```
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(runtime_control:time_option/1)
Time_option is an option to get information about execution time.
```
time_option(runtime).
time_option(usertime).
time_option(systemtime).
time_option(walltime).
```
(runtime_control:time_result/1)Time_result is a two-element list of numbers. The first number is the time since the start of the execution; the second number is the time since the previous time consultation to time.

Usage 4:statistics(Memory_option,Memory_result)

Gather information about memory consumption.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(runtime_control:memory_option/1)Memory_option is an option to get information about memory usage.

memory_option(memory).
memory_option(symbols).
memory_option(program).
memory_option(global_stack).
memory_option(local_stack).
memory_option(trail).
memory_option(choice).

The following properties should hold upon exit:
(runtime_control:memory_option/1)
Memory_option is an option to get information about memory usage.
```
memory_option(memory).
memory_option(symbols).
memory_option(program).
memory_option(global_stack).
memory_option(local_stack).
memory_option(trail).
memory_option(choice).
```
(runtime_control:memory_result/1)Memory_result is a two-element list of integers. The first element is the space taken up by the option selected, measured in bytes; the second integer is zero for program space (which grows as necessary), and the amount of free space otherwise.

Usage 5:statistics(GC_option,GC_result)

Gather information about garbage collection.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(runtime_control:gc_option/1)
GC_option is an option to get information about garbage collection.
```
gc_option(garbage_collection).
gc_option(stack_shifts).
```
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(runtime_control:gc_option/1)
GC_option is an option to get information about garbage collection.
```
gc_option(garbage_collection).
gc_option(stack_shifts).
```
(runtime_control:gc_result/1)GC_result is a tree-element list of integers, related to garbage collection and memory management. When stack_shifts is selected, the first one is the number of shifts (reallocations) of the local stack; the second is the number of shifts of the trail; and the third is the time spent in these shifts. When garbage_collection is selected, the numbers are, respectively, the number of garbage collections performed, the number of bytes freed, and the time spent in garbage collection.

Usage 6:statistics(Symbol_option,Symbol_result)

Gather information about number of symbols and predicates.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(runtime_control:symbol_option/1)
Symbol_option is an option to get information about the number of symbols in the program.
```
symbol_option(symbols).
```
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(runtime_control:symbol_option/1)
Symbol_option is an option to get information about the number of symbols in the program.
```
symbol_option(symbols).
```
(runtime_control:symbol_result/1)Symbol_result is a two-element list of integers. The first one is the number of atom, functor, and predicate names in the symbol table. The second is the number of predicates known to be defined (although maybe without clauses).

Usage 7:statistics(Option,Arg2)

If Option is unbound, it is bound by backtracking to the values of all the other cases.

Call and exit should be compatible with:
(basic_props:term/1)Arg2 is any term.
The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:var/1)Option is a free variable.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:term/1)Arg2 is any term.

REGTYPEtime_option/1

Usage:time_option(M)

M is an option to get information about execution time.

time_option(runtime).
time_option(usertime).
time_option(systemtime).
time_option(walltime).

REGTYPEtick_option/1

Usage:tick_option(M)

M is an option to get information about execution ticks.

tick_option(runtick).
tick_option(usertick).
tick_option(systemtick).
tick_option(walltick).

REGTYPEclockfreq_option/1

Usage:clockfreq_option(M)

M is and option to get information about the frequency of clocks used to get the ticks.

clockfreq_option(runclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(userclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(systemclockfreq).
clockfreq_option(wallclockfreq).

REGTYPEmemory_option/1

Usage:memory_option(M)

M is an option to get information about memory usage.

memory_option(memory).
memory_option(symbols).
memory_option(program).
memory_option(global_stack).
memory_option(local_stack).
memory_option(trail).
memory_option(choice).

REGTYPEgc_option/1

Usage:gc_option(M)

M is an option to get information about garbage collection.

gc_option(garbage_collection).
gc_option(stack_shifts).

REGTYPEsymbol_option/1

Usage:symbol_option(M)

M is an option to get information about the number of symbols in the program.

symbol_option(symbols).

REGTYPEtime_result/1

Usage:time_result(Result)

Result is a two-element list of numbers. The first number is the time since the start of the execution; the second number is the time since the previous time consultation to time.

REGTYPEtick_result/1

Usage:tick_result(Result)

Result is a two-element list of numbers. The first number is the number of ticks since the start of the execution; the second number is the number of ticks since the previous consultation to tick.

REGTYPEclockfreq_result/1

Usage:clockfreq_result(Result)

Result is a number which gives the frequency in Hertz used by the clock get the ticks.

REGTYPEmemory_result/1

Usage:memory_result(Result)

Result is a two-element list of integers. The first element is the space taken up by the option selected, measured in bytes; the second integer is zero for program space (which grows as necessary), and the amount of free space otherwise.

REGTYPEgc_result/1

Usage:gc_result(Result)

Result is a tree-element list of integers, related to garbage collection and memory management. When stack_shifts is selected, the first one is the number of shifts (reallocations) of the local stack; the second is the number of shifts of the trail; and the third is the time spent in these shifts. When garbage_collection is selected, the numbers are, respectively, the number of garbage collections performed, the number of bytes freed, and the time spent in garbage collection.

REGTYPEsymbol_result/1

Usage:symbol_result(Result)

Result is a two-element list of integers. The first one is the number of atom, functor, and predicate names in the symbol table. The second is the number of predicates known to be defined (although maybe without clauses).

PREDICATEtime/1

Usage:time(G)

Execute G and print runtime statistics to the user, for each solution.

Meta-predicate with arguments: time(goal).

PREDICATEcurrent_atom/1

Usage:current_atom(Atom)

Enumerates on backtracking all the existing atoms in the system.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:var/1)Atom is a free variable.
The following properties hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)Atom is an atom.

PREDICATEnew_atom/1

Usage:new_atom(Atom)

Returns, on success, in Atom a new atom, not existing before in the system. The entry argument must be a variable. The idea behind this atom generation is to provide a fast source of identifiers for new objects, concurrent predicates, etc. on the fly.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:var/1)Atom is a free variable.
The following properties hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)Atom is an atom.

PREDICATEcurrent_module/1

This predicate will successively unify its argument with all module names currently loaded. Module names will be simple atoms.

When called using a free variable as argument, it will retrieve on backtracking all modules currently loaded. This is useful when called from the Ciao toplevel.

When called using a module name as argument it will check whether the given module is loaded or not. This is useful when called from user programs.

Usage 1:current_module(Module)

Retrieves (on backtracking) in Module all the loaded modules (either statically or dynamically).

The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:var/1)Module is a free variable.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:internal_module_id/1)Module is an internal module identifier
The following properties should hold globally:
(basic_props:native/1)This predicate is understood natively by CiaoPP.

Usage 2:current_module(Module)

Checks whether module Module is loaded or not (either statically or dynamically).

The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:var/1)Module is a free variable.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:internal_module_id/1)Module is an internal module identifier
The following properties should hold globally:
(basic_props:native/1)This predicate is understood natively by CiaoPP.

PREDICATEmodule_split/3

No further documentation available for this predicate.

PREDICATEpredicate_property/2

Usage:predicate_property(Head,Property)

The predicate Head, visible from the current module, (a goal) has the property Property.

The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:cgoal/1)Head is a term which represents a goal, i.e., an atom or a structure.
(basic_props:atm/1)Property is an atom.

PREDICATEpredicate_property/3

No further documentation available for this predicate.

PREDICATEgarbage_collect/0

Usage:

Forces garbage collection when called.

PREDICATEset_prolog_flag/2

set_prolog_flag(FlagName,Value)

Set existing flag FlagName to Value. Can also be a declaration (which is then compile-time and module-local).

Usage:ISO

The following properties should hold at call time:
(basic_props:atm/1)FlagName is an atom.
(basic_props:term/1)Value is any term.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)FlagName is an atom.
(basic_props:term/1)Value is any term.

PREDICATEcurrent_prolog_flag/2

current_prolog_flag(FlagName,Value)

FlagName is an existing flag and Value is the value currently associated with it.

Usage:

The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)FlagName is an atom.
(basic_props:term/1)Value is any term.

PREDICATEprolog_flag/3

prolog_flag(FlagName,OldValue,NewValue)

FlagName is an existing flag. Unify OldValue with the value associated with it, and set it to new value NewValue. Can also be a declaration (which is then compile-time and module-local).

Usage 1:prolog_flag(FlagName,OldValue,NewValue)

The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:nonvar/1)NewValue is currently a term which is not a free variable.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)FlagName is an atom.
(term_typing:nonvar/1)OldValue is currently a term which is not a free variable.
(term_typing:nonvar/1)NewValue is currently a term which is not a free variable.

Usage 2:prolog_flag(FlagName,OldValue,NewValue)

Same as current_prolog_flag(FlagName, OldValue). OldValue and NewValue must be strictly identical variables.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:var/1)OldValue is a free variable.
(term_typing:var/1)NewValue is a free variable.
(basic_props:atm/1)FlagName is an atom.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(term_typing:nonvar/1)OldValue is currently a term which is not a free variable.
(term_typing:nonvar/1)NewValue is currently a term which is not a free variable.

PREDICATEpush_prolog_flag/2

push_prolog_flag(Flag,NewValue)

Same as set_prolog_flag/2, but storing the current value of Flag to restore it with pop_prolog_flag/1. Can also be a declaration (which is then compile-time and module-local).

Usage:

The following properties should hold at call time:
(basic_props:atm/1)Flag is an atom.
(basic_props:term/1)NewValue is any term.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)Flag is an atom.
(basic_props:term/1)NewValue is any term.

PREDICATEpop_prolog_flag/1

pop_prolog_flag(Flag)

Restore the value of Flag previous to the last non-canceled push_prolog_flag/2 on it. Can also be a declaration (which is then compile-time and module-local).

Usage:

The following properties should hold at call time:
(basic_props:atm/1)Flag is an atom.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)Flag is an atom.

PREDICATEprompt/2

prompt(Old,New)

Allows reading or changing the prompt used for reading in terms.

Usage 1:prompt(Old,New)

Unify Old with the current prompt for reading, change it to New. To read the current prompt just call prompt(X,X).

The following properties should hold at call time:
(basic_props:atm/1)New is an atom.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)Old is an atom.

Usage 2:prompt(Old,New)

Unify Old with the current prompt for reading without changing it. On calls, Old and New must be strictly identical variables.

The following properties should hold at call time:
(term_typing:var/1)Old is a free variable.
(term_typing:var/1)New is a free variable.
The following properties should hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)Old is an atom.
(basic_props:atm/1)New is an atom.

PREDICATEfileerrors/0

Usage:

Enable reporting of file errors. Equivalent to set_prolog_flag(fileerrors, on)

The following properties should hold globally:
(basic_props:equiv/2)fileerrors is equivalent to set_prolog_flag(fileerrors,on).

PREDICATEnofileerrors/0

Usage:

Disable reporting of file errors. Equivalent to set_prolog_flag(fileerrors, off)

The following properties should hold globally:
(basic_props:equiv/2)nofileerrors is equivalent to set_prolog_flag(fileerrors,off).

PREDICATEgc/0

Usage:

Enable garbage collection. Equivalent to set_prolog_flag(gc, on)

The following properties should hold globally:
(basic_props:equiv/2)gc is equivalent to set_prolog_flag(gc,on).

PREDICATEnogc/0

Usage:

Disable garbage collection. Equivalent to set_prolog_flag(gc, off)

The following properties should hold globally:
(basic_props:equiv/2)nogc is equivalent to set_prolog_flag(gc,off).

Documentation on multifiles

PREDICATEdefine_flag/3

define_flag(Flag,Values,Default)

New flags can be defined by writing facts of this predicate. Flag is the name of the new flag, Values defines the posible values for the flag (see below) and Default defines the predefined value associated with the flag (which should be compatible with Values).

Usage:define_flag(Flag,FlagValues,Default)

The following properties hold upon exit:
(basic_props:atm/1)Flag is an atom.
(basic_props:flag_values/1)Define the valid flag values

The predicate is multifile.

Documentation on imports

This module has the following direct dependencies:

System library modules:
datafacts_rt.
Packages:
noprelude, initial, condcomp, assertions, assertions/assertions_basic, isomodes, nortchecks, define_flag, datafacts.