
eval_to_list(?Collection, ?Result)

   Equate a "collection" expression with a list

Arguments
   Collection          A term to be interpreted as a collection
   Result              The collection as list

Type
   Term Manipulation

Description
   This is a constraint establishing equality between a collection-valued
   expression and a list containing the same elements as the collection.
   Evaluation delays if arguments are insufficiently instantiated.

   A "collection" can be either of the following data terms:

   List
	The list is returned unchanged.
   Array
	The array is converted into a list, as with array_list/2.

   In addition, the following "collection expressions" are allowed:

   Array[...]
	Subscript-reference: Extract an element or sub-array from Array.
	If a single array element is extracted, this element must itself
	be a collection (array or list).
   CollectionExpr1>>CollectionExpr2
	The result is the concatenation of the two collections.
   concat(CollectionExpr)
	If the collection is nested (at least 2-dimensional), the top
	level of the structure is removed and the result is the
	concatenation of all its elements (which must be collections
	themselves).
   eval(X)
	If X is a list, array or collection expression, then eval(X)
	is equivalent to X alone.  If X is uninstantiated, then eval(X)
	indicates that X might be instantiated to any collection expression
	term.  Without the eval/1 wrapper, a free X is interpreted as an
	uninstantiated list.




Modes and Determinism
   eval_to_list(?, ?) is semidet

Fail Conditions
   Collection is not a collection expression, or Result does not unify with the evaluation result

Examples
      ?- List=[a,b,c,d], eval_to_list(List, Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d]

   ?- Arr=[](a,b,c,d), eval_to_list(Arr, Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d]

   ?- Arr=[](a,b,c,d), eval_to_list(Arr[2..3], Result).
   Result = [b, c]


   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat, Result).
   Result = [[](a, b, c), [](d, e, f)]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(concat(Mat), Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d, e, f]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1], Result).
   Result = [a, b, c]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1,*], Result).
   Result = [a, b, c]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[*,2], Result).
   Result = [b, e]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1..2,2], Result).
   Result = [b, e]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[1..2,2..3], Result).
   Result = [[](b, c), [](e, f)]

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)),
			eval_to_list(concat(Mat[1..2,2..3]), Result).
   Result = [b, c, e, f]


   ?- NL = [a,b,[c,d]], eval_to_list(NL, Result).
   Result = [a, b, [c, d]]

   ?- NL = [a,b,[](c,d)], eval_to_list(NL, Result).
   Result = [a, b, [](c, d)]

   ?- NA = [](a,b,[c,d]), eval_to_list(NA, Result).
   Result = [a, b, [c, d]]

   ?- NA = [](a,b,[c,d]), eval_to_list(NA[3], Result).
   Result = [c, d]


   ?- Xs=[a,b], Yz=[](c,d), eval_to_list(Xs>>Yz, Result).
   Result = [a, b, c, d]


   % Error cases where collections expected
   ?- eval_to_list(no_collection, Result).
   No (0.00s cpu)

   ?- eval_to_list(99, Result).
   No (0.00s cpu)

   ?- eval_to_list(concat([[1],2,[3]]), Result).
   No (0.00s cpu)


   % Cases with insufficient instantiation:

   ?- eval_to_list(Xs, R).
   R = Xs                % assumed to be a list (but no check)
   Yes

   ?- eval_to_list([1|Xs], R).
   R = [1|Xs]
   Yes

   ?- eval_to_list(Xs>>[3], R).
   R = R
   <delays until Xs instantiated>

   ?- eval_to_list([1]>>Ys, R).
   R = [1|Ys]                % assumed to be a list (but no check)
   Yes

   ?- eval_to_list([1]>>Ys, R).
   R = [1|Ys]                % assumed to be a list (but no check)
   Yes

   ?- Mat=[]([](a,b,c),[](d,e,f)), eval_to_list(Mat[I], R).
   R = R
   <delays until I instantiated>


   % Delayed instantiation of expression
   ?- eval_to_list(eval(X), [1,2,3]).
   X = X
   <delays until X instantiated>

   ?- eval_to_list(eval(X), Ys), X=[1]>>[2,3].
   Ys = [1, 2, 3]

   ?- eval_to_list(eval(X), [1,2,3]), X=[](1,2,3).
   Yes


   % Reverse direction
   ?- eval_to_list(Xs, [1,2,3]).
   Xs = [1,2,3]
   Yes


See Also
   eval_to_complete_list / 2, eval_to_array / 2, eclipse_6 : collection_to_list / 2, lists : collection_to_list / 2, array_list / 2, array_concat / 3, lists : append / 3, is_list / 1, is_array / 1, subscript / 3
