backcomp.pl -- Backward compatibility

This library defines predicates that used to exist in older version of SWI-Prolog, but are considered obsolete as there functionality is neatly covered by new features. Most often, these constructs are superseded by ISO-standard compliant predicates.

Please also note the existence of quintus.pl and edinburgh.pl for more compatibility predicates.

See also: - gxref/0 can be used to find files that import from library(backcomp) and thus reply on deprecated features.

$arch(-Architecture, -Version) is det

deprecated: - use current_prolog_flag(arch, Architecture)

$version(Version:integer) is det

deprecated: - use current_prolog_flag(version, Version)

$home(-SWIPrologDir) is det

See also: - file_search_path/2, absolute_file_name/3, The Prolog home directory is available through the alias swi.
deprecated: - use current_prolog_flag(home, SWIPrologDir)

$argv(-Argv:list) is det

deprecated: - use current_prolog_flag(os_argv, Argv) or current_prolog_flag(argv, Argv)

$set_prompt(+Prompt) is det

Set the prompt for the toplevel

deprecated: - use set_prolog_flag(toplevel_prompt, Prompt).

displayq(@Term) is det

displayq(+Stream, @Term) is det

Write term ignoring operators and quote atoms.

deprecated: - Use write_term/3 or write_canonical/2.

sformat(-String, +Format, +Args) is det

sformat(-String, +Format) is det

deprecated: - Use format/3 as format(string(String), ...)

concat(+Atom1, +Atom2, -Atom) is det

deprecated: - Use ISO atom_concat/3

concat_atom(+List, -Atom) is det

Concatenate a list of atomic values to an atom.

deprecated: - Use atomic_list_concat/2 as proposed by the prolog commons initiative.

concat_atom(+List, +Separator, -Atom) is det

Concatenate a list of atomic values to an atom, inserting Separator between each consecutive elements.

deprecated: - Use atomic_list_concat/3 as proposed by the prolog commons initiative.

$apropos_match(+Needle, +Haystack) is semidet

True if Needle is a sub atom of Haystack. Ignores the case of Haystack.

read_clause(-Term) is det

deprecated: - Use read_clause/3 or read_term/3.

read_clause(+Stream, -Term) is det

deprecated: - Use read_clause/3 or read_term/3.

read_variables(-Term, -Bindings) is det

read_variables(+In:stream, -Term, -Bindings) is det

deprecated: - Use ISO read_term/2 or read_term/3.

read_pending_input(+Stream, -Codes, ?Tail) is det

deprecated: - Use read_pending_codes/3.

feature(?Key, ?Value) is nondet

set_feature(+Key, @Term) is det

Control Prolog flags.

deprecated: - Use ISO current_prolog_flag/2 and set_prolog_flag/2.

substring(+String, +Offset, +Length, -Sub)

Predecessor of sub_string using 1-based Offset.

deprecated: - Use sub_string/5.

string_to_list(?String, ?Codes) is det

Bi-directional conversion between a string and a list of character codes.

deprecated: - Use string_codes/2.

string_to_atom(?String, ?Atom) is det

Bi-directional conversion between string and atom.

deprecated: - Use atom_string/2. Note that the order of the arguments is reversed.

flush is det

deprecated: - use ISO flush_output/0.

write_ln(X) is det

deprecated: - Use writeln(X).

proper_list(+List)

Old SWI-Prolog predicate to check for a list that really ends in a []. There is not much use for the quick is_list, as in most cases you want to process the list element-by-element anyway.

deprecated: - Use ISO is_list/1.

free_variables(+Term, -Variables)

Return a list of unbound variables in Term. The name term_variables/2 is more widely used.

deprecated: - Use term_variables/2.

hash_term(+Term, -Hash) is det

If Term is ground, Hash is unified to an integer representing a hash for Term. Otherwise Hash is left unbound.

deprecated: - Use term_hash/2.

checklist(:Goal, +List)

deprecated: - Use maplist/2

sublist(:Goal, +List1, ?List2)

Succeeds if List2 unifies with a list holding those terms for which call(Goal, Elem) succeeds.

deprecated: - Use include/3 from library(apply)
Compatibility: - DEC10 library

sumlist(+List, -Sum) is det

True when Sum is the list of all numbers in List.

deprecated: - Use sum_list/2

$strip_module(+Term, -Module, -Plain)

This used to be an internal predicate. It was added to the XPCE compatibility library without $ and since then used at many places. From 5.4.1 onwards strip_module/3 is built-in and the $ variation is added here for compatibility.

deprecated: - Use strip_module/3.

$module(-OldTypeIn, +NewTypeIn)

$declare_module(Module, File, Line)

Used in triple20 particle library. Should use a public interface

at_initialization(:Goal) is det

deprecated: - Use initialization(Goal, restore)

convert_time(+Stamp, -String)

Convert a time-stamp as obtained though get_time/1 into a textual representation using the C-library function ctime(). The value is returned as a SWI-Prolog string object (see section 4.23). See also convert_time/8.

deprecated: - Use format_time/3.

convert_time(+Stamp, -Y, -Mon, -Day, -Hour, -Min, -Sec, -MilliSec)

Convert a time stamp, provided by get_time/1, time_file/2, etc. Year is unified with the year, Month with the month number (January is 1), Day with the day of the month (starting with 1), Hour with the hour of the day (0--23), Minute with the minute (0--59). Second with the second (0--59) and MilliSecond with the milliseconds (0--999). Note that the latter might not be accurate or might always be 0, depending on the timing capabilities of the system. See also convert_time/2.

deprecated: - Use stamp_date_time/3.

C(?List, ?Head, ?Tail) is det

Used to be generated by DCG. Some people appear to be using in in normal code too.

deprecated: - Do not use in normal code; DCG no longer generates it.

current_thread(?Thread, ?Status) is nondet

deprecated: - Replaced by thread_property/2

current_mutex(?Mutex, ?Owner, ?Count) is nondet

deprecated: - Replaced by mutex_property/2

message_queue_size(+Queue, -Size) is det

True if Queue holds Size terms.

deprecated: - Please use message_queue_property(Queue, Size)

lock_predicate(+Name, +Arity) is det

unlock_predicate(+Name, +Arity) is det

deprecated: - see lock_predicate/1 and unlock_predicate/1.

current_module(?Module, ?File) is nondet

True if Module is a module loaded from File.

deprecated: - Use module_property(Module, file(File))

export_list(+Module, -List) is det

Module exports the predicates of List.

deprecated: - Use module_property(Module, exports(List))

call_cleanup(:Goal, +Catcher, :Cleanup)

Call Cleanup with an indication of the reason unified to Catcher.

deprecated: - Use setup_call_catcher_cleanup/4.

setup_and_call_cleanup(:Setup, :Goal, :Cleanup)

Call Cleanup once after Goal is finished.

deprecated: - Use setup_call_cleanup/3.

setup_and_call_cleanup(:Setup, :Goal, Catcher, :Cleanup)

Call Cleanup once after Goal is finished, with Catcher unified to the reason

deprecated: - Use setup_call_cleanup/3.

merge_set(+Set1, +Set2, -Set3)

Merge the ordered sets Set1 and Set2 into a new ordered set without duplicates.

deprecated: - New code should use ord_union/3 from library(ordsets)

merge(+List1, +List2, -List3)

Merge the ordered sets List1 and List2 into a new ordered list. Duplicates are not removed and their order is maintained.

deprecated: - The name of this predicate is far too general for a rather specific function.

index(:Head) is det

Prepare the predicate indicated by Head for multi-argument indexing.

deprecated: - As of version 5.11.29, SWI-Prolog performs just-in-time indexing on all arguments.

hash(:PredInd) is det

Demands PredInd to be indexed using a hash-table. This is handled dynamically.

set_base_module(:Base) is det

Set the default module from which we inherit.

deprecated: - Equivalent to set_module(base(Base)).

eval_license is det

deprecated: - Equivalent to license/0

trie_insert_new(+Trie, +Term, -Handle) is semidet

deprecated: - use trie_insert/4.

thread_at_exit(:Goal) is det

read_history(+Show, +Help, +Special, +Prompt, -Term, -Bindings)

deprecated: - use read_term_with_history/2.

$sig_atomic(:Goal)

Execute Goal without processing signals.

deprecated: - use sig_atomic/1.

Re-exported predicates

The following predicates are exported from this file while their implementation is defined in imported modules or non-module files loaded by this module.

lock_predicate(+Name, +Arity) is det

unlock_predicate(+Name, +Arity) is det