The NCL Natural Constraint Language

This book presents the Natural Constraint Language (NCL) language, a description language in conventional mathematical logic for modeling and solving constraint satisfaction problems. It uses illustrations and tutorials to detail NCL and its applications.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author Zhou, Jianyang
Format eBook
LanguageEnglish
Published Berlin, Heidelberg Springer Berlin / Heidelberg 2012
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Springer
Edition1
Subjects
Artificial Intelligence
Computational linguistics
Computer Science
Constraints (Linguistics)
Logics and Meanings of Programs
Mathematical Logic and Formal Languages
Natural language processing (Computer science)
Operations Research/Decision Theory
Programming (Mathematics)
Programming Languages, Compilers, Interpreters
Online AccessGet full text
ISBN9783642238444
3642238440
DOI10.1007/978-3-642-23845-1

Cover

Table of Contents:
  • 6.3.9 Calculs d'Enfer -- 6.3.10 Square Packing -- 6.3.11 Knight -- 6.4 Solving Hard Problems -- 6.4.1 Set Partitioning -- 6.4.2 Golf Tournament -- 6.4.3 Progressive Party -- 6.4.4 Ship Loading -- 6.4.5 Job-Shop Scheduling -- 6.4.6 Minimizing the Cost of a Heat Exchanger -- 6.4.7 Pick-up and Delivery -- 6.4.8 Exercises -- References -- 7 Industrial Applications -- 7.1 Complexity of Industrial Problems -- 7.2 Production Scheduling -- 7.2.1 Problem Definition -- 7.2.2 Data Model -- Input Program for RESOURCE (ReadResource.n) -- Input Program for JOB (ReadJob.n) -- Input Program for TASK (ReadTask.n) -- Principal Constants and Critical Variables -- 7.2.3 Simplified Optimization Model -- 7.2.4 Visualizing Time: Gantt Chart -- 7.2.5 Questions -- 7.3 Personnel Planning -- 7.3.1 Problem Definition -- 7.3.2 Data Model -- Configuration Program for Parameters (Config.n) -- Input Program for PROFILE (ReadProfile.n) -- Input Program for SLOT (ReadSlot.n) -- Input Program for SHIFT (ReadShift.n) -- Input Program for TEAM (ReadTeam.n) -- Input Program for DEMAND (ReadDemand.n) -- Principal Constants and Critical Variables -- 7.3.3 Simplified Optimization Model -- 7.3.4 Visualizing Statistics: Histogram -- 7.3.5 Questions -- 7.4 Multi-Modal Transportation Planning -- 7.4.1 Problem Definition -- 7.4.2 Data Model -- Input Program for SITE (ReadSite.n) -- Input Program for LEG (ReadLeg.n) -- Input Program for ORDER (ReadOrder.n) -- Principal Constants and Critical Variables -- 7.4.3 Simplified Optimization Model -- 7.4.4 Visualizing Geographical Information: Map -- 7.4.5 Questions -- References -- 8 Relaxation and Decomposition -- 8.1 Local Optimization by Relaxation -- 8.1.1 Relaxation and Interaction -- 8.1.2 Local Optimization -- 8.1.3 Iterative Optimization for TSP -- Iteration Script (ScriptTsp.n) -- Data Model (ReadTsp.n) -- Optimization Operator (TSP.n)
  • 4.10.3 Query and Objective in a Function -- 4.10.4 Predicate -- 4.10.5 Recursive Function -- 4.10.6 Termination of a Recursion -- 4.10.7 Tree -- 4.11 Selection Statement -- 4.11.1 Switch -- 4.11.2 If-Then-Else -- 4.12 Quantification -- 4.12.1 Existential Quantification -- 4.12.2 Universal Quantification -- 4.13 Jump -- 4.13.1 Exit from a Universally Quantified Statement -- 4.13.2 Exit from an Infinite Loop -- 4.14 Query and Search -- 4.14.1 Approximate Solution -- 4.14.2 Search over a Float Domain -- 4.15 Optimization Objective -- 4.15.1 Single-Objective Optimization -- 4.15.2 Multiple-Objective Optimization -- 4.16 Custom Message -- 4.17 Soft Constraint -- 4.18 Sub-Model -- 4.18.1 Sub-Model in a File -- 4.18.2 Sub-Model in a Buffer -- 4.18.3 Return Values of a Sub-Model -- 4.18.4 Recursive Sub-Model -- 4.18.5 Overflow in Calling a Sub-Model -- 4.19 SQL Query -- 4.20 OS Command -- 4.21 Expectation and Debugging -- 5 The POEM Software Platform -- 5.1 Main Interface -- 5.1.1 Tool Bar -- 5.1.2 TeX Bar -- 5.1.3 Workspace -- 5.1.4 Edit Window -- 5.1.5 Trace Window -- 5.2 Configuration of a Project -- 5.2.1 Data Pools for a Project -- Config File -- Program File -- Input Pool -- Output Pool -- Trace File -- View File -- 5.2.2 NCL Parameters -- Boolean Parameters -- Default Values -- Database Connection and SQL Time-Out -- Sizes of Trails -- Size of the Choice-Point Stack -- Size of the Variables Table -- Parameters for Search Statistics -- Output Format for a Date/Time -- Output Format for a Set -- Parameter for Tracing Solutions or Errors -- Termination Messages -- 5.2.3 Project Settings -- Tab Project -- Tab Solver -- Tab Execute -- 5.3 Model Management -- 5.3.1 Model Folder -- 5.3.2 Model Library -- 5.4 Information Tables -- 5.4.1 Running Models -- 5.4.2 Constants -- 5.4.3 Variables -- 5.4.4 Constraints -- 5.5 Visualization and Debugging
  • Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Preface -- Table of Contents -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Modeling and Solving -- 1.1.1 Programming Framework and Algorithm -- Linear Programming -- Logic Programming -- Constraint Programming -- Mixed Set Programming -- Search Rules -- 1.1.2 Formal Grammar and Parser -- Context-Free Grammar -- Context-Sensitive Grammar -- Parser, LL Parser and LR Parser -- Ambiguity of a Context-Free Grammar -- Vagueness in Reduction -- Semantic Parser -- 1.2 The NCL Language -- 1.2.1 Natural Modeling in Mathematical Logic -- 1.2.2 Cooperative Solving -- Mixed Set Programming and Search Rules -- Solving by Cutting and Branching -- Problem-Solving Phases -- A Tutorial of Solving -- 1.2.3 Comparison with Some Other Systems -- 1.3 The POEM Platform -- 1.3.1 Development Toolkit -- 1.3.2 Component and Server -- References -- 2 Data Types and Lexical Conventions -- 2.1 Data Types -- 2.1.1 Generality -- 2.1.2 Set -- 2.1.3 Date/Time -- 2.1.4 Numeric -- Interval Arithmetic for Real Numbers -- Infinities for Integers -- 2.2 Lexical Tokens -- 2.2.1 Characters -- Letters -- Digits -- Special Symbols -- Backslash Escapes -- Invisible Characters in TeX -- 2.2.2 Identifiers -- 2.2.3 Predefined Identifiers -- 2.2.4 Constants -- Boolean -- Float -- Integer -- Date/Time -- String -- Reference -- Set -- Default Values -- 2.2.5 Non-Instantiated Values -- Boolean -- Float -- Integer -- Date -- Time -- Date-Time -- String -- Reference -- Integer Set -- Date/Time Set -- String Set -- Reference Set -- 2.2.6 Comments -- TeX-Style Inline Comments -- C-Style Block Comments -- 2.3 Mathematical Notations -- 2.3.1 Mathematical Symbols -- 2.3.2 Predefined Functions -- 2.3.3 Delimiters of TeX -- References -- 3 Grammar and Semantics -- 3.1 Context-Free Rules -- 3.1.1 Overall Structure -- 3.1.2 Expression -- Boolean -- Numeric -- Date/Time -- String -- Reference
  • Relaxation Program (RelaxTsp.n)
  • Set -- Constant -- Variable -- Function -- Data Format -- 3.1.3 Constraint -- Boolean Constraint -- Numeric Constraint -- Date/Time Constraint -- String Constraint -- Reference Constraint -- Set Constraint -- 3.1.4 Declaration -- Typing -- Function Definition -- Labeled Statement -- 3.1.5 Declarative Control -- Compound Statement -- Selection -- Quantification -- 3.1.6 Temporal Control -- Data Management -- Extraction -- System Variable -- Programmed Control -- Assignment -- Jump -- Sub-Model -- SQL Query -- OS Command -- Expectation and Debugging -- 3.1.7 Search and Optimization -- Query and Search -- Optimization Objective -- 3.2 Context-Sensitivity of NCL -- 3.2.1 Constant -- 3.2.2 Variable -- Declaration -- Array and Subscript -- System Variable -- Input and Format -- Anonymous Variable -- Implicit Typing -- 3.2.3 Function -- Encapsulation for Control -- Global System Variable -- Local System Variable -- Implicit Typing -- 3.2.4 Sub-Model -- References -- 4 Tutorial Programs -- 4.1 Getting Started -- 4.1.1 Input and Output -- 4.1.2 Default Value -- 4.1.3 Data Buffer -- 4.2 Boolean Logic -- 4.3 Numerical Reasoning -- 4.3.1 Integer Equation -- 4.3.2 Infinity -- 4.4 Date/Time -- 4.5 String -- 4.5.1 String Input -- 4.5.2 Concatenation -- 4.6 Referencing -- 4.6.1 Reference in a Subscript -- 4.6.2 Referenced Operator -- 4.6.3 Subscript Leak -- 4.7 Set Reasoning -- 4.7.1 A General Example -- 4.7.2 Attributes of a Set -- 4.7.3 Piecewise Intervals from a Set -- 4.8 Special Variable -- 4.8.1 Anonymous Variable -- 4.8.2 System Variable -- 4.9 Predefined Function -- 4.9.1 Float Function -- 4.9.2 Aggregate Function -- 4.9.3 Transformation -- 4.9.4 Substring -- 4.9.5 Elements of a Set -- 4.9.6 Date/Time Attribute -- 4.9.7 Extraction -- 4.9.8 Assignment -- 4.10 User-Defined Function -- 4.10.1 Cotangent -- 4.10.2 Global Variable in a Function
  • 5.5.1 Quick Watch -- 5.5.2 Browser -- 5.5.3 Constraint Debugger -- 5.5.4 Visual Debugger -- 5.5.5 Solution Viewer -- 5.6 Trace Window and Working Modes -- 5.6.1 Debug Mode -- 5.6.2 Timer Mode -- 5.6.3 Trace Level -- 5.6.4 Options for Diagnosis -- 5.6.5 Options for Statistics -- 5.6.6 Recommended Diagnosis Mode -- 5.6.7 Recommended Working Mode -- 5.7 Message Management -- 5.7.1 Message Levels -- 5.7.2 Message Types -- 5.7.3 Message Codes -- 5.7.4 Message Handler -- 5.7.5 Termination Status -- 5.8 Help on Line -- 5.9 Component and Server -- 6 Modeling and Solving -- 6.1 Development Principles -- 6.1.1 Generality -- 6.1.2 Data Modeling -- Known/Unknown Analysis -- Rules for Naming Data and Variables -- Rules for Naming Tables and Fields -- Checking Data Consistency -- 6.1.3 Modeling Constraints and Objectives -- 6.1.4 Modeling Queries -- Principles for Designing Criteria -- Criticality of a Query Variable -- 6.1.5 Test and Benchmarking -- Space Complexity and Time Complexity -- Stability and Scalability -- 6.1.6 Diagnosing a Model -- Analysis Based on Static Statistics -- Analysis Based on Dynamic Statistics -- Diagnosing with Help Messages -- Diagnosing with Viewers and Debuggers -- 6.2 Modeling Abstraction -- 6.2.1 Distinct Integers -- 6.2.2 Disjoint Sets -- 6.2.3 Sorting -- Sorting with 3 Tuples of Variables -- Sorting with 2 Tuples of Variables -- 6.2.4 Set Covering -- Set Partitioning -- Interval Sequence -- 6.2.5 Packing -- Packing with Integers -- Packing with Sets -- Packing with Integers and Sets -- 2-Dimensional Capacity for Packing -- 6.2.6 Sum -- Sum of Real Numbers -- Sum of Integers -- Sum of Booleans -- Increment -- 6.2.7 Cumulation -- 6.3 Solving Puzzles -- 6.3.1 Send More Money -- 6.3.2 Primes -- 6.3.3 Integer Sorting -- 6.3.4 Queens -- 6.3.5 Magic Square -- 6.3.6 Sudoku -- 6.3.7 Magic Sequence -- 6.3.8 Einstein's Quiz