Monitoring and Visualizing Answer Set Solving.
Arne König, Torsten H. Schaub · Theory and Practice of Logic Programming · 2013
A distinguishing feature of Answer Set Programming (ASP) is its declarativity, decoupling problem representations from problem solving algorithms. However, this strict separation should not lead to viewing the solving process as a magic black box refusing any insights into how the problem is solved. We address this issue and propose a two-fold approach for enhancing the transparency of the solving process. At first, we provide a flexible data logger protocoling relevant events occurring during ASP solving. This module is system-specific and realized with the ASP solver clasp. The recorded information can subsequently be used in various ways by back-ends of choice. With such data at hand, we then furnish a visualization backend offering various views on the underlying problem structure as well as the solving process over time. Together both tools allow us to re-connect the solving process with the original problem specification and thus to reveal how the original problem is actually solved.