mpg-ref-copy_term (SICStus Prolog)

11.3.44 `copy_term/[2,3]` ISO

Synopsis

copy_term(+Term, -Copy)

Unifies Copy with a copy of Term in which all variables have been replaced by brand new variables, and all mutables by brand new mutables.

copy_term(+Term, -Copy, -Body)

Furthermore, if Term contains variables with goals blocked on them, or variables with attributes that can be interpreted as a goal (see lib-atts), then Body is unified with the conjunction of such goals. If no such goals are present, then Body is unified with the atom true. The idea is that executing Body will reinstate blocked goals and attributes on the variables in Copy equivalent to those on the variables in Term.

Arguments

Term: term
Copy: term
Body: callable

Description

Independent copies are substituted for any mutable terms in term. It behaves as if defined by:

copy_term(X, Y) :-
        assert('copy of'(X)),
        retract('copy of'(Y)).

The implementation of copy_term/2 endeavors to conserve space by not copying ground subterms.

When you call clause/[2,3] or instance/2, you get a new copy of the term stored in the database, in precisely the same sense that copy_term/2 gives you a new copy.

Examples

A naive way to attempt to find out whether one term is a copy of another:
```
identical_but_for_variables(X, Y) :-
   \+ \+ (
      numbervars(X, 0, N),
      numbervars(Y, 0, N),
      X = Y
   ).
```
This solution is sometimes sufficient, but will not work if the two terms have any variables in common.

If you want the test to succeed even when the two terms do have some variables in common, then you need to copy one of them; for example,

identical_but_for_variables(X, Y) :-
   \+ \+ (
      copy_term(X, Z),
      numbervars(Z, 0, N),
      numbervars(Y, 0, N),
      Z = Y
   ).

An example of copy_term/3. Suppose that you want to make copy_term/3 aware of the attribute tfs/1 in some module. Then with the module file:

:- module(foo, []).

:- use_module(library(atts)).
:- attribute tfs/1.

attribute_goal(X, put_atts(X,tfs(Y))) :-
    get_atts(X, tfs(Y)).

the following query works:

| ?- foo:put_atts(X, tfs(ind)), copy_term(f(X), Copy, Body).
Body = foo:put_atts(_A,tfs(ind)),
Copy = f(_A),
put_atts(X,tfs(ind)) ? RET
yes

Comments

copy_term/2 is part of the ISO Prolog standard; copy_term/3 is not.

Exceptions

None.

11.3.44 copy_term/[2,3] ISO