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Tailoring Solver-Independent Constraint Models: A Case Study with Essence′ and Minion

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Abstraction, Reformulation, and Approximation (SARA 2007)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 4612))

Abstract

In order to apply constraint programming to a particular domain, the problem must first be modelled as a constraint satisfaction problem. There are typically many alternative models of a given problem, and formulating an effective model requires a great deal of expertise. To reduce this bottleneck, the Essence language allows the specification of a problem abstractly, i.e. without making modelling decisions. This specification is refined automatically by the Conjure system to a solver-independent constraint modelling language Essence′. However, there is still significant work involved in translating an Essence′ model for use with a particular constraint solver. This paper discusses this ‘tailoring’ process with reference to the constraint solver Minion.

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Ian Miguel Wheeler Ruml

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Gent, I.P., Miguel, I., Rendl, A. (2007). Tailoring Solver-Independent Constraint Models: A Case Study with Essence′ and Minion . In: Miguel, I., Ruml, W. (eds) Abstraction, Reformulation, and Approximation. SARA 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 4612. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73580-9_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73580-9_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-73579-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-73580-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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