Encoding Support¶

Given a basic template:

{run.solver} {run.args} {run.file} {runs.encodings}

The default behaviour of a benchmark is to simply execute the system with each instance:

<system> <arguments> <instance>

Instance-dependent encodings¶

It is possible to use specific encodings depending on the instance by defining them inside the corresponding benchmark element in the runscript, more specifically inside the folder and files child-elements.

Any number of encoding elements can be defined. These encodings will be used together with all instances inside the given folder or files.

For example, consider the following benchmark element:

<benchmark name="bench">
    <folder path="default-folder"/>
    <folder path="with-encoding">
        <encoding file="folder-encoding.lp"/>
        <encoding file="helper.lp"/>
    </folder>
    <files path="other-folder">
        <add file="some-file.lp"/>
        <encoding file="file-encoding.lp"/>
    </files>
</benchmark>

There are three cases to distinguish:

All instances inside the default folder are run as above.
All instances inside the with-encoding directory are executed as:
<system> <arguments> <instance> folder-encoding.lp helper.lp
The instance other-folder/some-file.lp is executed as:
<system> <arguments> <instance> file-encoding.lp

Info

The examples above use simplified paths for readability.

Setting-dependent encodings¶

It is also possible to use specific encodings depending on the setting used by defining them inside the corresponding setting element and referencing them inside the benchmark element.

Any number of encoding elements can be defined. These will be used with all instances using the given setting, or—if an encoding_tag is given—only with instances that have a matching tag.

Consider the following example settings:

<system name="clingo" version="1.0.0" measures="clasp" config="seq-generic">
    <setting name="s0"/>
    <setting name="s1">
        <encoding file="def.lp"/>
        <encoding file="enc11a.lp" encoding_tag="tag"/>
        <encoding file="enc11b.lp" encoding_tag="tag"/>
    </setting>
    <setting name="s2">
        <encoding file="enc21.lp" encoding_tag="tag"/>
        <encoding file="enc22.lp" encoding_tag="tag2"/>
    </setting>
</system>

And a slightly modified benchmark element:

<benchmark name="bench">
    <folder path="default-folder"/>
    <folder path="with-encoding" encoding_tag="tag">
        <encoding file="folder-encoding.lp"/>
        <encoding file="helper.lp"/>
    </folder>
    <files path="other-folder" encoding_tag="tag2">
        <add file="some-file.lp"/>
        <encoding file="file-encoding.lp"/>
    </files>
</benchmark>

This results in the following runs:

With setting s0, nothing changes compared to the instance-dependent example.
With setting s1:
- For all instances inside the default-folder:
  clingo-1.0.0 <arguments> <instance> def.lp
- For all instances inside the with-encoding directory (tag: tag):
  clingo-1.0.0 <arguments> <instance> folder-encoding.lp helper.lp def.lp enc11a.lp enc11b.lp
- For instance other-folder/some-file.lp (tag: tag2):
  clingo-1.0.0 <arguments> <instance> file-encoding.lp def.lp
With setting s2:
- For all instances inside the default folder:
  clingo-1.0.0 <arguments> <instance>
- For all instances inside the with-encoding directory (tag: tag):
  clingo-1.0.0 <arguments> <instance> folder-encoding.lp helper.lp enc21.lp
- For instance other-folder/some-file.lp (tag: tag2):
  clingo-1.0.0 <arguments> <instance> file-encoding.lp enc22.lp

Info

The examples above use simplified paths for readability.