Ann: SWI-Prolog 9.3.18

Releases
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Dear SWI-Prolog user,

SWI-Prolog 9.3.18 is ready for download. Highlights:

  • foldall/4 as discussed in library(aggregate). Related,
    nb_setarg/3 and related destructive assignment predicates
    can now be used to “grow” the value without leading to
    quadratic complexity. E.g., arg(1, State, List),
    nb_setarg(1, State, [H|List]) runs without copying List
    over and over again.
  • Several enhancements to the pack app to manage packages
    in a designated directory.
  • Bugs fixed: dict_same_keys/2 could corrupt the stacks.
    The incremental property of dynamic predicates was lost
    when creating a saved state.
  • Updated SICStus foreign interface emulation, turning the
    script into an app (splfr)
  • @likelion provided patches that fix many typos in the main,
    semweb and http package documentation. Thanks!
  • @mgondan1 pointed at various address sanitizer issues. All
    benign. Fixed did clean some code and make it compliant with
    C99 and later.

This version also includes the first round updating the clause
indexing code: splitting into smaller functions and documentation.
Changes in the pipeline should improve performance and make the
indexing independent from the ordering of calls.

Enjoy --- Jan

SWI-Prolog Changelog since version 9.3.17

  • FIXED: library(prolog_colour): misleading colouring of Dict.field
    in arithmetic expressions. Field was flagged as an error (no_function).

  • DOC: sort/4 stable sort example. Suggested by Pierpaolo Bernardi.

  • ASAN: Avoid runtime errors on field[1]

  • PORT: More C99 unspecified array at end of struct issues.

  • PORT: Use portable definition of struct clause

  • PORT: Use C99 constructs for a portable version of struct functor
    Structs may use type name[] as last field for a dynamic array.

  • ENHANCED: Simplify generating a joined key for multiple arguments.

  • ENHANCED: app splfr to use new argv_options/4 ability to pass
    unknown options.

  • ADDED: argv_options/4: option unknown_option(pass) This passes
    unknown options to the positional argument list without warning.
    This is intended for processing some options while some downstream
    component processes the remaining options.

  • MODIFIED: Turn SICStus splfr script into a SWI-Prolog app Allows
    for swipl splfr [option..] input ...

    Patch also fixes typing in sicstus.h, check the return of
    PL_put_term() and adds SP_cons_functor().

  • DOC: spellchecked documentation

  • CLEANUP: Clause indexing code. Split into smaller functions,
    use bool type, avoid goto, add more comments, etc. This is a
    preparation before improvements.

  • ADDED: foldall/4. Suggested by Boris Vassilev.

  • DOC: clarified (new) destructive assignment complexity.

  • ENHANCED: Use improved sharing in nb_set_dict/3. This patch makes
    nb_set_dict/3 call the low-level code for nb_setarg/3, providing
    better code reuse.

  • ENHANCED: nb_setval/2: avoid quadradic complexity.

  • ENHANCED: nb_setarg/3: avoid copying the old value. If the new value
    contains the old, the old value is not copied, making many applications
    linear instead of having quadratic cost.

  • CLEANUP: Pack context for copy_term/2 and friends into a struct Also
    type and declaration cleanup

  • ADDED: swipl pack remove: --dir=DIR option

  • ADDED: swipl pack info: --dir=DIR option Give info on packs installed
    below DIR

  • ADDED: swipl pack rebuild [--dir=dir] [pack ...]

  • ADDED: swipl pack list --dir=DIR option to list packs installed
    in DIR.

  • FIXED: dict_same_keys/2 could overflow the global stack.

  • ADDED: trap/1: aliases for e.g. type_error → type_error(,) So one
    does not need to remember the number of arguments.

  • FIXED: Preserve incremental property when creating a saved state.

Package clib

  • PORT: Support inet6 on NetBSD

Package http

  • DOC: spellchecked documentation

Package semweb

  • ASAN: Avoid runtime errors. All “fixed” issues are benign

  • DOC: spellchecked documentation

Package xpce

  • PORT: Avoid -Wstringop-truncation warning.

  • PORT: Silence address sanitizer errors.

  • MODIFIED: PceEmacs: sync comment commands with (my)GNU Emacs. -
    \C-c\C-h (insert_section_comment)
    Insert code section comment from prompted title - \C-c\C-q
    (insert_long_comment)
    Insert /* - - - … - - - */ comment

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