Prolog Visualization System Using Logichart Diagrams

TL;DR

This paper introduces a Prolog visualization system that employs Logichart diagrams to enhance understanding of Prolog execution flow, supporting educational purposes through real-time visualization of program execution, dynamic changes, and variable substitutions.

Contribution

The system uniquely visualizes Prolog execution flow, program modifications, and variable substitutions in real time using Logichart diagrams, aiding learning and debugging.

Findings

Effective visualization of Prolog execution flow.

Real-time updates for dynamic program changes.

Enhanced understanding of variable substitutions.

Abstract

We have developed a Prolog visualization system that is intended to support Prolog programming education. The system uses Logichart diagrams to visualize Prolog programs. The Logichart diagram is designed to visualize the Prolog execution flow intelligibly and to enable users to easily correlate the Prolog clauses with its parts. The system has the following functions. (1) It visually traces Prolog execution (goal calling, success, and failure) on the Logichart diagram. (2) Dynamic change in a Prolog program by calling extra-logical predicates, such as `assertz' and `retract', is visualized in real time. (3) Variable substitution processes are displayed in a text widget in real time.