------------------------------------------------------------------------ The preprocessor contains a transformation tool to generate a Curry module with assertion checking from pre/postconditions and specifications. The tool is implemented in the module `CPP.Contracts`. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How to use the tool: The tool is integrated into the Curry Preprocessor (currypp). Hence, to activate the transformation, put the following line into the beginning of your Curry module: {-# OPTIONS_CYMAKE -F --pgmF=currypp --optF=contracts #-} If postconditions or specifications are nondeterministic, it is better that they will be evaluated via encapsulated search (see `examples/Contracts/NDAssertion.curry` for a discussion). For this purpose use the option "-e" as follows: {-# OPTIONS_CYMAKE -F --pgmF=currypp --optF=contracts --optF=-e #-} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Options: The contract preprocessor accepts the following options: -o : write the transformed Curry program into file .curry.CURRYPP -e : encapsulate nondeterminism of assertions -t : assert contracts only to top-level (but not to direct recursive) calls; this might lead to a faster execution but less (incomplete!) contract checking ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Assumptions: - Naming conventions: for an operation f, * its precondition must have the name f'pre * its postcondition must have the name f'post * its specification must have the name f'spec (or f'specd if the specification is deterministic which provides for stronger checking) - Pre/postconditions or specifications are not required and could be omitted. However, if they are present, there must also be a defined operation to which they refer. - If there is a postcondition f'post but no precondition f'pre, it is assumed that the precondition is defined as (const True). - If there is a specification f'spec and an implementation of function f, the specification will be used as a postcondition for f. - Any pre- or postcondition for a function f will be added to the implementation of f so that it will be checked at run-time. - As a default, the complete computed value of a function will be checked in a postcondition. Alternatively, one can also check only some observed part of the computed result. For this purpose, one can define a function f'post'observe that maps each computed result into some observed part (see Examples/FibInfinite.curry for an example of this use). - Pre- and postconditions are always checked in a strict manner, i.e., they might influence the evaluation of the original program. In a future version, a lazy assertion checking might be supported. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Examples: See programs in the directory `examples/Contracts`. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Known problems: - Strict assertions make operations stricter, thus, changing the run-time behavior. ------------------------------------------------------------------------