Generic Traces and Constraints, GenTra4CP revisited

TL;DR

This paper revisits the GenTra4CP generic trace format, formally defines the concept, analyzes its initial shortcomings, and highlights its potential benefits for portability and standardization in constraint solver observation.

Contribution

It formally defines the generic trace concept, corrects previous format issues, and emphasizes its importance for developing portable and standardized constraint solver tools.

Findings

Formal definition of generic trace concept

Identification and correction of initial format shortcomings

Potential for enhancing portability and standardization in constraint observation

Abstract

The generic trace format GenTra4CP has been defined in 2004 with the goal of becoming a standard trace format for the observation of constraint solvers over finite domains. It has not been used since. This paper defines the concept of generic trace formally, based on simple transformations of traces. It then analyzes, and occasionally corrects, shortcomings of the proposed initial format and shows the interest that a generic tracer may bring to develop portable applications or to standardization efforts, in particular in the field of constraints.