Sep 27, 2010

As a first step toward a much grander Clojure project I needed a unification library to supplement a simple logic engine (the second step in the larger plan). There are a few options floating around, but nothing that was readily available nor complete. Therefore, I decided to package a simple unification library in hopes that others might find it useful and hopefully eliminate the need to search around fruitlessly like I did. A basic use case for Unifycle is as follows:

[sourcecode lang=”clojure” gist=”599021″](use ‘[me.fogus.unifycle :only [unifier]])

;; unify two expressions with an occurs check

(unifier ‘((?a * ?x ** 2) + (?b * ?x) + ?c) ‘(?z + (4 * 5) + 3))

;=> ((?a * 5 ** 2) + (4 * 5) + 3)[/sourcecode]

Unifycle exposes a number of canned functions, starting with unifier , try-subst , and garner-unifiers . These functions use an occurs check internally, so use them with that fact in mind. I have also exposed versions of these functions without internal occurs check named unifier- , try-subst- , and garner-unifiers- . If you know what unification is then you know what an occurs check is — if not, then this whole post is probably moot.

I have also exposed factory functions named make-occurs-unify-fn , make-occurs-subst-fn , make-occurs-unifier-fn , make-unify-fn , make-subst-fn , and make-unifier-fn . The first three create versions using and occurs check and the last three create versions without. Each of these factory functions take a single predicate function that is used to determine if a symbol in a (potentially) unified expression refers to a variable. From the example above, you’ll notice that the default variable function is preceded with a question mark (e.g. ?snigglet ).

I have created a documentation page for Unifycle that I plan to expand. Any and all help is appreciated.

:f