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The "Water-jugs Problem" in Prolog

The "Water-jugs Problem"

This classic AI problem is described in Artificial Intelligence as follows: "You are given two jugs, a 4-gallon one and a 3-gallon one. Neither has any measuring markers on it. There is a tap that can be used to fill the jugs with water. How can you get exactly 2 gallons of water into the 4-gallon jug?". E. Rich & K. Knight, Artificial Intelligence, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill, 1991 This program implements an "environmentally responsible" solution to the water jugs problem. Rather than filling and spilling from an infinite water resource, we conserve a finite initial charge with a third jug: (reservoir). This approach is simpler than the traditional method, because there are only two actions; it is more flexible than the traditional method, because it can solve problems that are constrained by a limited supply from the reservoir. To simulate the infinite version, we use a filled reservoir with a capacity greater than the combined capacities of the jugs, so that the reservoir can never be emptied. "Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away." Antoine de Saint-Exupry

Entry Point
The water_jugs solution is derived by a simple, breadth-first, state-space search; and translated into a readable format by a DCG. w a t e r _ j u g s: S m a l l C a p a c i t y=3 , L a r g e C a p a c i t y=4 , R e s e r v o i ri sS m a l l C a p a c i t y+L a r g e C a p a c i t y+1 , v o l u m e (s m a l l ,C a p a c i t i e s ,S m a l l C a p a c i t y) , v o l u m e (l a r g e ,C a p a c i t i e s ,L a r g e C a p a c i t y) , v o l u m e (r e s e r v o i r ,C a p a c i t i e s ,R e s e r v o i r) , v o l u m e (s m a l l ,S t a r t ,0) , v o l u m e (l a r g e ,S t a r t ,0) , v o l u m e (r e s e r v o i r ,S t a r t ,R e s e r v o i r) , v o l u m e (l a r g e ,E n d ,2) , w a t e r _ j u g s _ s o l u t i o n (S t a r t ,C a p a c i t i e s ,E n d ,S o l u t i o n) , p h r a s e (n a r r a t i v e ( S o l u t i o n ,C a p a c i t i e s ,E n d ) ,C h a r s) , p u t _ c h a r s (C h a r s) . water_jugs_solution( +Start, +Capacities, +End, ?Solution ) holds when Solution is the terminal 'node' in a state-space search - beginning with a 'start state' in which the water-jugs have Capacities and contain the Start volumes. The terminal node is reached when the water-jugs contain the End volumes. w a t e r _ j u g s _ s o l u t i o n (S t a r t ,C a p a c i t i e s ,E n d ,S o l u t i o n): -

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s o l v e _ j u g s ([ s t a r t ( S t a r t ) ] ,C a p a c i t i e s ,[ ] ,E n d ,S o l u t i o n) . solve_jugs( +Nodes, +Capacities, +Visited, +End, ?Solution ) holds when Solution is the terminal 'node' in a state-space search, beginning with a first 'open' node in Nodes, and terminating when the waterjugs contain the End volumes. Capacities define the capacities of the water-jugs, while Visited is a list of expanded ('closed') node states. The 'breadth-first' operation of solve_jugs is due to the 'existing' Nodes being appended to the 'new' nodes. (If the 'new' nodes were appended to the 'existing' nodes, the operation would be 'depth-first'.) s o l v e _ j u g s ([ N o d e | N o d e s ] ,C a p a c i t i e s ,V i s i t e d ,E n d ,S o l u t i o n): n o d e _ s t a t e (N o d e ,S t a t e) , (S t a t e=E n d> S o l u t i o n=N o d e ;o t h e r w i s e> f i n d a l l ( S u c c e s s o r , s u c c e s s o r ( N o d e ,C a p a c i t i e s ,V i s i t e d ,S u c c e s s o r ) , S u c c e s s o r s ) , a p p e n d (N o d e s ,S u c c e s s o r s ,N e w N o d e s) , s o l v e _ j u g s (N e w N o d e s ,C a p a c i t i e s ,[ S t a t e | V i s i t e d ] ,E n d ,S o l u t i o n) ) . successor( +Node, +Capacities, +Visited, ?Successor ) Successor is a successor of Node, for water-jugs with Capacities, if there is a legal 'transition' from Node's state to Successor's state, and Successor's state is not a member of the Visited states. s u c c e s s o r (N o d e ,C a p a c i t i e s ,V i s i t e d ,S u c c e s s o r): n o d e _ s t a t e (N o d e ,S t a t e) , S u c c e s s o r=n o d e ( A c t i o n , S t a t e 1 , N o d e ) , j u g _ t r a n s i t i o n (S t a t e ,C a p a c i t i e s ,A c t i o n ,S t a t e 1) , \ +m e m b e r (S t a t e 1 ,V i s i t e d) . jug_transition( +State, +Capacities, ?Action, ?SuccessorState ) holds when Action describes a valid transition, from State to SuccessorState, for water-jugs with Capacities. There are 2 sorts of Action: e m p t y _ i n t o ( S o u r c e , T a r g e t ) : valid if Source is not already empty and the combined contents from Source and Target, (in State), are not greater than the capacity of the Target jug. In SuccessorState: Source becomes empty, while the Target jug acquires the combined contents of Source and Target in State. f i l l _ f r o m ( S o u r c e , T a r g e t ) : valid if Source is not already empty and the combined contents from Source and Target, (in State), are greater than the capacity of the Target jug. In SuccessorState: the Target jug becomes full, while Source retains the difference between the combined contents of Source and Target, in State, and the capacity of the Target jug.

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In either case, the contents of the unused jug are unchanged. j u g _ t r a n s i t i o n (S t a t e 0 ,C a p a c i t i e s ,e m p t y _ i n t o ( S o u r c e , T a r g e t ) ,S t a t e 1): v o l u m e (S o u r c e ,S t a t e 0 ,C o n t e n t 0) , C o n t e n t 0>0 , j u g _ p e r m u t a t i o n (S o u r c e ,T a r g e t ,U n u s e d) , v o l u m e (T a r g e t ,S t a t e 0 ,C o n t e n t 1) , v o l u m e (T a r g e t ,C a p a c i t i e s ,C a p a c i t y) , C o n t e n t 0+C o n t e n t 1= <C a p a c i t y , v o l u m e (S o u r c e ,S t a t e 1 ,0) , v o l u m e (T a r g e t ,S t a t e 1 ,C o n t e n t 2) , C o n t e n t 2i sC o n t e n t 0+C o n t e n t 1 , v o l u m e (U n u s e d ,S t a t e 0 ,U n c h a n g e d) , v o l u m e (U n u s e d ,S t a t e 1 ,U n c h a n g e d) . j u g _ t r a n s i t i o n (S t a t e 0 ,C a p a c i t i e s ,f i l l _ f r o m ( S o u r c e , T a r g e t ) ,S t a t e 1): v o l u m e (S o u r c e ,S t a t e 0 ,C o n t e n t 0) , C o n t e n t 0>0 , j u g _ p e r m u t a t i o n (S o u r c e ,T a r g e t ,U n u s e d) , v o l u m e (T a r g e t ,S t a t e 0 ,C o n t e n t 1) , v o l u m e (T a r g e t ,C a p a c i t i e s ,C a p a c i t y) , C o n t e n t 1<C a p a c i t y , C o n t e n t 0+C o n t e n t 1>C a p a c i t y , v o l u m e (S o u r c e ,S t a t e 1 ,C o n t e n t 2) , v o l u m e (T a r g e t ,S t a t e 1 ,C a p a c i t y) , C o n t e n t 2i sC o n t e n t 0+C o n t e n t 1-C a p a c i t y , v o l u m e (U n u s e d ,S t a t e 0 ,U n c h a n g e d) , v o l u m e (U n u s e d ,S t a t e 1 ,U n c h a n g e d) .

Data Abstraction
volume( ?Jug, ?State, ?Volume ) holds when Jug ('large', 'small' or 'reservoir') has Volume in State. v o l u m e (s m a l l ,j u g s ( S m a l l ,_ L a r g e ,_ R e s e r v o i r ) ,S m a l l) . v o l u m e (l a r g e ,j u g s ( _ S m a l l ,L a r g e ,_ R e s e r v o i r ) ,L a r g e) . v o l u m e (r e s e r v o i r ,j u g s ( _ S m a l l ,_ L a r g e ,R e s e r v o i r ) ,R e s e r v o i r) . jug_permutation( ?Source, ?Target, ?Unused ) holds when Source, Target and Unused are a permutation of 'small', 'large' and 'reservoir'. j u g _ p e r m u t a t i o n (S o u r c e ,T a r g e t ,U n u s e d): s e l e c t (S o u r c e ,[ s m a l l ,l a r g e ,r e s e r v o i r ] ,R e s i d u e) , s e l e c t (T a r g e t ,R e s i d u e ,[ U n u s e d ]) . node_state( ?Node, ?State ) holds when the contents of the water-jugs at Node are described by State. n o d e _ s t a t e (s t a r t ( S t a t e ) ,S t a t e) . n o d e _ s t a t e (n o d e ( _ T r a n s i t i o n ,S t a t e ,_ P r e d e c e s s o r ) ,S t a t e) .

Definite Clause Grammar

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narrative/5 is a DCG presenting water-jugs solutions in a readable format. The grammar is 'headrecursive', because the 'nodes list', describing the solution, has the last node outermost. n a r r a t i v e (s t a r t ( S t a r t ) ,C a p a c i t i e s ,E n d)> " G i v e nt h r e ej u g sw i t hc a p a c i t i e so f : " ,n e w l i n e , l i t e r a l _ v o l u m e s (C a p a c i t i e s) , " T oo b t a i nt h er e s u l t : " ,n e w l i n e , l i t e r a l _ v o l u m e s (E n d) , " S t a r t i n gw i t h : " ,n e w l i n e , l i t e r a l _ v o l u m e s (S t a r t) , " D ot h ef o l l o w i n g : " ,n e w l i n e . n a r r a t i v e (n o d e ( T r a n s i t i o n ,R e s u l t ,P r e d e c e s s o r ) ,C a p a c i t i e s ,E n d)> n a r r a t i v e (P r e d e c e s s o r ,C a p a c i t i e s ,E n d) , l i t e r a l _ a c t i o n (T r a n s i t i o n ,R e s u l t) . l i t e r a l _ v o l u m e s (V o l u m e s)> i n d e n t ,l i t e r a l (V o l u m e s) ," ; " ,n e w l i n e . l i t e r a l _ a c t i o n (T r a n s i t i o n ,R e s u l t)> i n d e n t ," -" ,l i t e r a l (T r a n s i t i o n) ,"g i v i n g : " ,n e w l i n e , i n d e n t ,i n d e n t ,l i t e r a l (R e s u l t) ,n e w l i n e . l i t e r a l (e m p t y _ i n t o ( F r o m , T o ))> " E m p t yt h e" ,l i t e r a l (F r o m) ,"i n t ot h e" , l i t e r a l (T o) . l i t e r a l (f i l l _ f r o m ( F r o m , T o ))> " F i l lt h e" ,l i t e r a l (T o) ,"f r o mt h e" , l i t e r a l (F r o m) . l i t e r a l (j u g s ( S m a l l , L a r g e , R e s e r v o i r ))> l i t e r a l _ n u m b e r (S m a l l) ,"g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ," , l i t e r a l _ n u m b e r (L a r g e) ,"g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d" , l i t e r a l _ n u m b e r (R e s e r v o i r) ,"g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r " . l i t e r a l (s m a l l)>" s m a l lj u g " . l i t e r a l (l a r g e)>" l a r g ej u g " . l i t e r a l (r e s e r v o i r)>" r e s e r v o i r " . l i t e r a l _ n u m b e r (N u m b e r ,P l u s ,M i n u s): n u m b e r (N u m b e r) , n u m b e r _ c h a r s (N u m b e r ,C h a r s) , a p p e n d (C h a r s ,M i n u s ,P l u s) . i n d e n t>" " . n e w l i n e>" " .

Utility Predicates

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Load a small library of puzzle utilities. : -e n s u r e _ l o a d e d (m i s c) .

Output
The output of the program is:
? -w a t e r _ j u g s . G i v e nt h r e ej u g sw i t hc a p a c i t i e so f : 3g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,4g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d8g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r ; T oo b t a i nt h er e s u l t : 0g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,2g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d6g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r ; S t a r t i n gw i t h : 0g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,0g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d8g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r ; D ot h ef o l l o w i n g : -F i l lt h es m a l lj u gf r o mt h er e s e r v o i rg i v i n g : 3g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,0g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d5g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r -E m p t yt h es m a l lj u gi n t ot h el a r g ej u gg i v i n g : 0g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,3g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d5g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r -F i l lt h es m a l lj u gf r o mt h er e s e r v o i rg i v i n g : 3g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,3g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d2g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r -F i l lt h el a r g ej u gf r o mt h es m a l lj u gg i v i n g : 2g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,4g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d2g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r -E m p t yt h el a r g ej u gi n t ot h er e s e r v o i rg i v i n g : 2g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,0g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d6g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r -E m p t yt h es m a l lj u gi n t ot h el a r g ej u gg i v i n g : 0g a l l o n si nt h es m a l lj u g ,2g a l l o n si nt h el a r g ej u ga n d6g a l l o n si nt h er e s e r v o i r y e s

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