4.8.8.2 Standard Order of Terms

These predicates use a standard total order when comparing terms. The standard total order is:

For example, here is a list of terms in standard order:

     [ X, -1.0, -9, 1, fie, foe, X = Y, foe(0,2), fie(1,1,1) ]
Please note: the standard order is only well-defined for finite (acyclic) terms. There are infinite (cyclic) terms for which no order relation holds. Furthermore, blocking goals (see ref-sem-sec) on variables or modifying their attributes (see lib-atts) does not preserve their order.

The predicates for comparison of terms are described below.

+T1 == +T2
T1 and T2 are literally identical (in particular, variables in equivalent positions in the two terms must be identical).
+T1 \== +T2
T1 and T2 are not literally identical.
+T1 @< +T2
T1 is before term T2 in the standard order.
+T1 @> +T2
T1 is after term T2
+T1 @=< +T2
T1 is not after term T2
+T1 @>= +T2
T1 is not before term T2
compare(-Op, +T1, +T2)
the result of comparing terms T1 and T2 is Op, where the possible values for Op are:
=
if T1 is identical to T2,
<
if T1 is before T2 in the standard order,
>
if T1 is after T2 in the standard order.

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