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    1/*  Part of SWI-Prolog
    2
    3    Author:        Jan Wielemaker
    4    E-mail:        J.Wielemaker@vu.nl
    5    WWW:           http://www.swi-prolog.org
    6    Copyright (c)  2004-2025, University of Amsterdam
    7                              VU University Amsterdam
    8                              SWI-Prolog Solutions b.v.
    9    All rights reserved.
   10
   11    Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
   12    modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
   13    are met:
   14
   15    1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
   16       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
   17
   18    2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
   19       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
   20       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
   21       distribution.
   22
   23    THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
   24    "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
   25    LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
   26    FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
   27    COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
   28    INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
   29    BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
   30    LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
   31    CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
   32    LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
   33    ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
   34    POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
   35*/
   36
   37:- module(prolog_stack,
   38          [ get_prolog_backtrace/2,     % +MaxDepth, -Stack
   39            get_prolog_backtrace/3,     % +MaxDepth, -Stack, +Options
   40            prolog_stack_frame_property/2, % +Frame, ?Property
   41            print_prolog_backtrace/2,   % +Stream, +Stack
   42            print_prolog_backtrace/3,   % +Stream, +Stack, +Options
   43            backtrace/1,                % +MaxDepth
   44            print_last_choicepoint/0,
   45            print_last_choicepoint/2    % +Choice, +Options
   46          ]).   47:- use_module(library(debug),[debug/3]).   48:- autoload(library(error),[must_be/2]).   49:- autoload(library(lists),[nth1/3,append/3]).   50:- autoload(library(option),[option/2,option/3,merge_options/3]).   51:- autoload(library(prolog_clause),
   52	    [clause_name/2,predicate_name/2,clause_info/4]).   53
   54
   55:- dynamic stack_guard/1.   56:- multifile stack_guard/1.   57
   58:- predicate_options(print_prolog_backtrace/3, 3,
   59                     [ subgoal_positions(boolean),
   60                       show_file(oneof([absolute, basename]))
   61                     ]).

Examine the Prolog stack

This module defines high-level primitives for examining the Prolog stack, primarily intended to support debugging. It provides the following functionality:

This library may be enabled by default to improve interactive debugging, for example by adding the lines below to your <config>/init.pl to decorate uncaught exceptions:

:- use_module(library(prolog_stack)).
bug
- Use of this library may negatively impact performance of applications that process (error-)exceptions frequently as part of their normal processing. */
   93:- create_prolog_flag(backtrace,            true, [type(boolean), keep(true)]).   94:- create_prolog_flag(backtrace_depth,      20,   [type(integer), keep(true)]).   95:- create_prolog_flag(backtrace_goal_depth, 3,    [type(integer), keep(true)]).   96:- create_prolog_flag(backtrace_show_lines, true, [type(boolean), keep(true)]).
 get_prolog_backtrace(+MaxDepth, -Backtrace) is det
 get_prolog_backtrace(+MaxDepth, -Backtrace, +Options) is det
Obtain a backtrace from the current location. The backtrace is a list of frames. Each frame is an opaque term that can be inspected using the predicate prolog_stack_frame_property/2 can be used to extract information from these frames. Most use scenarios will pass the stack to print_prolog_backtrace/2. The following options are provided:
frame(+Frame)
Start at Frame instead of the current frame.
goal_term_depth(+Depth)
If Depth > 0, include a shallow copy of the goal arguments into the stack. Default is set by the Prolog flag backtrace_goal_depth, set to 3 initially, showing the goal and toplevel of any argument.
guard(+Guard)
Do not show stack frames above Guard. See stack_guard/1.
clause_references(+Bool)
Report locations as Clause+PC or as a location term that does not use clause references, allowing the exception to be printed safely in a different context.
Arguments:
Frame- is the frame to start from. See prolog_current_frame/1.
MaxDepth- defines the maximum number of frames returned.
Compatibility
- get_prolog_backtrace/3 used to have the parameters +Frame, +MaxDepth, -Backtrace. A call that matches this signature is mapped to get_prolog_backtrace(MaxDepth, Backtrace, [frame(Frame)]).
  129get_prolog_backtrace(MaxDepth, Stack) :-
  130    get_prolog_backtrace(MaxDepth, Stack, []).
  131
  132get_prolog_backtrace(Fr, MaxDepth, Stack) :-
  133    integer(Fr), integer(MaxDepth), var(Stack),
  134    !,
  135    get_prolog_backtrace_lc(MaxDepth, Stack, [frame(Fr)]),
  136    nlc.
  137get_prolog_backtrace(MaxDepth, Stack, Options) :-
  138    get_prolog_backtrace_lc(MaxDepth, Stack, Options),
  139    nlc.            % avoid last-call-optimization, such that
  140                        % the top of the stack is always a nice Prolog
  141                        % frame
  142
  143nlc.
  144
  145get_prolog_backtrace_lc(MaxDepth, Stack, Options) :-
  146    (   option(frame(Fr), Options)
  147    ->  PC = call
  148    ;   prolog_current_frame(Fr0),
  149        prolog_frame_attribute(Fr0, pc, PC),
  150        prolog_frame_attribute(Fr0, parent, Fr)
  151    ),
  152    (   option(goal_term_depth(GoalDepth), Options)
  153    ->  true
  154    ;   current_prolog_flag(backtrace_goal_depth, GoalDepth)
  155    ),
  156    option(guard(Guard), Options, none),
  157    (   def_no_clause_refs(Guard)
  158    ->  DefClauseRefs = false
  159    ;   DefClauseRefs = true
  160    ),
  161    option(clause_references(ClauseRefs), Options, DefClauseRefs),
  162    must_be(nonneg, GoalDepth),
  163    backtrace(MaxDepth, Fr, PC, GoalDepth, Guard, ClauseRefs, Stack, Options).
  164
  165def_no_clause_refs(system:catch_with_backtrace/3).
  166
  167backtrace(0, _, _, _, _, _, [], _) :- !.
  168backtrace(MaxDepth, Fr, PC, GoalDepth, Guard, ClauseRefs,
  169          [frame(Level, Where, Goal)|Stack], Options) :-
  170    prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, level, Level),
  171    (   PC == foreign
  172    ->  prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, predicate_indicator, Pred),
  173        Where = foreign(Pred)
  174    ;   PC == call
  175    ->  prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, predicate_indicator, Pred),
  176        Where = call(Pred)
  177    ;   prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, clause, Clause)
  178    ->  clause_where(ClauseRefs, Clause, PC, Where, Options)
  179    ;   Where = meta_call
  180    ),
  181    (   Where == meta_call
  182    ->  Goal = 0
  183    ;   copy_goal(GoalDepth, Fr, Goal)
  184    ),
  185    (   prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, pc, PC2)
  186    ->  true
  187    ;   PC2 = foreign
  188    ),
  189    (   prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, parent, Parent),
  190        prolog_frame_attribute(Parent, predicate_indicator, PI),
  191        PI == Guard                             % last frame
  192    ->  backtrace(1, Parent, PC2, GoalDepth, Guard, ClauseRefs, Stack, Options)
  193    ;   prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, parent, Parent),
  194        more_stack(Parent)
  195    ->  D2 is MaxDepth - 1,
  196        backtrace(D2, Parent, PC2, GoalDepth, Guard, ClauseRefs, Stack, Options)
  197    ;   Stack = []
  198    ).
  199
  200more_stack(Parent) :-
  201    prolog_frame_attribute(Parent, predicate_indicator, PI),
  202    \+ (   PI = ('$toplevel':G),
  203           G \== (toplevel_call/1)
  204       ),
  205    !.
  206more_stack(_) :-
  207    current_prolog_flag(break_level, Break),
  208    Break >= 1.
 clause_where(+UseClauseRef, +Clause, +PC, -Where, +Options) is det
Get a description of the frame source location from Clause and the PC inside clause. If UseClauseRef is true, this is the a term clause(Clause,PC), providing all abvailable information to the caller at low time overhead. If however the exception need to be printed in an environment where the clause references may differ, for example because the program is not loaded, it is printed in a different thread and contains references to dynamic predicates, etc, it is better to use the information inside the clause here.
  221clause_where(true, Clause, PC, clause(Clause, PC), _).
  222clause_where(false, Clause, PC, pred_line(PredName, File:Line), Options) :-
  223    option(subgoal_positions(true), Options, true),
  224    subgoal_position(Clause, PC, File, CharA, _CharZ),
  225    File \= @(_),                 % XPCE Object reference
  226    lineno(File, CharA, Line),
  227    clause_predicate_name(Clause, PredName),
  228    !.
  229clause_where(false, Clause, _PC, pred_line(PredName, File:Line), _Options) :-
  230    clause_property(Clause, file(File)),
  231    clause_property(Clause, line_count(Line)),
  232    clause_predicate_name(Clause, PredName),
  233    !.
  234clause_where(false, Clause, _PC, clause_name(ClauseName), _Options) :-
  235    clause_name(Clause, ClauseName).
 copy_goal(+TermDepth, +Frame, -Goal) is det
Create a shallow copy of the frame's goal to help debugging. In addition to shallow copying, high-arity terms are represented as below. Currently the 16 first arguments are hardcoded.
name(A1, ..., A16, <skipped Skipped of Arity>, An)
  247copy_goal(0, _, 0) :- !.                        % 0 is not a valid goal
  248copy_goal(D, Fr, Goal) :-
  249    prolog_frame_attribute(Fr, goal, Goal0),
  250    (   Goal0 = Module:Goal1
  251    ->  copy_term_limit(D, Goal1, Goal2),
  252        (   hidden_module(Module)
  253        ->  Goal = Goal2
  254        ;   Goal = Module:Goal2
  255        )
  256    ;   copy_term_limit(D, Goal0, Goal)
  257    ).
  258
  259hidden_module(system).
  260hidden_module(user).
  261
  262copy_term_limit(0, In, '...') :-
  263    compound(In),
  264    !.
  265copy_term_limit(N, In, Out) :-
  266    is_dict(In),
  267    !,
  268    dict_pairs(In, Tag, PairsIn),
  269    N2 is N - 1,
  270    MaxArity = 16,
  271    copy_pairs(PairsIn, N2, MaxArity, PairsOut),
  272    dict_pairs(Out, Tag, PairsOut).
  273copy_term_limit(N, In, Out) :-
  274    compound(In),
  275    !,
  276    compound_name_arity(In, Functor, Arity),
  277    N2 is N - 1,
  278    MaxArity = 16,
  279    (   Arity =< MaxArity
  280    ->  compound_name_arity(Out, Functor, Arity),
  281        copy_term_args(0, Arity, N2, In, Out)
  282    ;   OutArity is MaxArity+2,
  283        compound_name_arity(Out, Functor, OutArity),
  284        copy_term_args(0, MaxArity, N2, In, Out),
  285        SkipArg is MaxArity+1,
  286        Skipped is Arity - MaxArity - 1,
  287        format(atom(Msg), '<skipped ~D of ~D>', [Skipped, Arity]),
  288        arg(SkipArg, Out, Msg),
  289        arg(Arity, In, InA),
  290        arg(OutArity, Out, OutA),
  291        copy_term_limit(N2, InA, OutA)
  292    ).
  293copy_term_limit(_, In, Out) :-
  294    copy_term_nat(In, Out).
  295
  296copy_term_args(I, Arity, Depth, In, Out) :-
  297    I < Arity,
  298    !,
  299    I2 is I + 1,
  300    arg(I2, In, InA),
  301    arg(I2, Out, OutA),
  302    copy_term_limit(Depth, InA, OutA),
  303    copy_term_args(I2, Arity, Depth, In, Out).
  304copy_term_args(_, _, _, _, _).
  305
  306copy_pairs([], _, _, []) :- !.
  307copy_pairs(Pairs, _, 0, ['<skipped>'-Skipped]) :-
  308    !,
  309    length(Pairs, Skipped).
  310copy_pairs([K-V0|T0], N, MaxArity, [K-V|T]) :-
  311    copy_term_limit(N, V0, V),
  312    MaxArity1 is MaxArity - 1,
  313    copy_pairs(T0, N, MaxArity1, T).
 prolog_stack_frame_property(+Frame, ?Property) is nondet
True when Property is a property of Frame. Frame is an element of a stack-trace as produced by get_prolog_backtrace/2. Defined properties are:
level(Level)
predicate(PI)
goal(Term)
location(File:Line)
This property is only available if Frame executes a Prolog clause, the program counter is known and the clause layout can be retrieved.
  330prolog_stack_frame_property(frame(Level,_,_), level(Level)).
  331prolog_stack_frame_property(frame(_,Where,_), predicate(PI)) :-
  332    frame_predicate(Where, PI).
  333prolog_stack_frame_property(frame(_,clause(Clause,PC),_), location(File:Line)) :-
  334    subgoal_position(Clause, PC, File, CharA, _CharZ),
  335    File \= @(_),                   % XPCE Object reference
  336    lineno(File, CharA, Line).
  337prolog_stack_frame_property(frame(_,_,_,Goal), goal(Goal)) :-
  338    Goal \== 0.
  339
  340
  341frame_predicate(foreign(PI), PI).
  342frame_predicate(call(PI), PI).
  343frame_predicate(clause(Clause, _PC), PI) :-
  344    clause_property(Clause, predicate(PI)).
  345
  346default_backtrace_options(Options) :-
  347    (   current_prolog_flag(backtrace_show_lines, true),
  348        current_prolog_flag(iso, false)
  349    ->  Options = []
  350    ;   Options = [subgoal_positions(false)]
  351    ).
 print_prolog_backtrace(+Stream, +Backtrace) is det
 print_prolog_backtrace(+Stream, +Backtrace, +Options) is det
Print a stacktrace in human readable form to Stream. Options is an option list that accepts:
subgoal_positions(+Boolean)
If true. print subgoal line numbers. The default depends on the Prolog flag backtrace_show_lines.
show_file(+How)
How to display the file name. How is one of absolute or basename.
Arguments:
Backtrace- is a list of frame(Depth,Location,Goal) terms.
  368print_prolog_backtrace(Stream, Backtrace) :-
  369    print_prolog_backtrace(Stream, Backtrace, []).
  370
  371print_prolog_backtrace(Stream, Backtrace, Options) :-
  372    default_backtrace_options(DefOptions),
  373    merge_options(Options, DefOptions, FinalOptions),
  374    phrase(message(Backtrace, FinalOptions), Lines),
  375    print_message_lines(Stream, '', Lines).
  376
  377:- public                               % Called from some handlers
  378    message//1.  379
  380message(Backtrace) -->
  381    {default_backtrace_options(Options)},
  382    message(Backtrace, Options).
  383
  384message(Backtrace, Options) -->
  385    message_frames(Backtrace, Options),
  386    warn_nodebug(Backtrace).
  387
  388message_frames([], _) -->
  389    [].
  390message_frames([H|T], Options) -->
  391    message_frames(H, Options),
  392    (   {T == []}
  393    ->  []
  394    ;   [nl],
  395        message_frames(T, Options)
  396    ).
  397
  398message_frames(frame(Level, Where, 0), Options) -->
  399    !,
  400    level(Level),
  401    where_no_goal(Where, Options).
  402message_frames(frame(Level, _Where, '$toplevel':toplevel_call(_)), _) -->
  403    !,
  404    level(Level),
  405    [ '<user>'-[] ].
  406message_frames(frame(Level, Where, Goal), Options) -->
  407    level(Level),
  408    [ ansi(code, '~p', [Goal]) ],
  409    where_goal(Where, Options).
  410
  411where_no_goal(foreign(PI), _) -->
  412    [ '~w <foreign>'-[PI] ].
  413where_no_goal(call(PI), _) -->
  414    [ '~w'-[PI] ].
  415where_no_goal(pred_line(PredName, File:Line), Options) -->
  416    !,
  417    [ '~w at '-[PredName] ], file_line(File:Line, Options).
  418where_no_goal(clause_name(ClauseName), _) -->
  419    !,
  420    [ '~w <no source>'-[ClauseName] ].
  421where_no_goal(clause(Clause, PC), Options) -->
  422    { nonvar(Clause),
  423      !,
  424      clause_where(false, Clause, PC, Where, Options)
  425    },
  426    where_no_goal(Where, Options).
  427where_no_goal(meta_call, _) -->
  428    [ '<meta call>' ].
  429
  430where_goal(foreign(_), _) -->
  431    [ ' <foreign>'-[] ],
  432    !.
  433where_goal(pred_line(_PredName, File:Line), Options) -->
  434    !,
  435    [ ' at ' ], file_line(File:Line, Options).
  436where_goal(clause_name(ClauseName), _) -->
  437    !,
  438    [ '~w <no source>'-[ClauseName] ].
  439where_goal(clause(Clause, PC), Options) -->
  440    { nonvar(Clause),
  441      !,
  442      clause_where(false, Clause, PC, Where, Options)
  443    },
  444    where_goal(Where, Options).
  445where_goal(clause(Clause, _PC), _) -->
  446    { clause_property(Clause, file(File)),
  447      clause_property(Clause, line_count(Line))
  448    },
  449    !,
  450    [ ' at ', url(File:Line) ].
  451where_goal(clause(Clause, _PC), _) -->
  452    { clause_name(Clause, ClauseName)
  453    },
  454    !,
  455    [ ' ~w <no source>'-[ClauseName] ].
  456where_goal(_, _) -->
  457    [].
  458
  459level(Level) -->
  460    [ ansi(bold, '~|~t[~D]~6+ ', [Level]) ].
  461
  462file_line(File:Line, Options), option(show_files(basename), Options) ==>
  463    { file_base_name(File, Base),
  464      format(string(Label), '~w:~d', [Base, Line])
  465    },
  466    [ url(File:Line, Label) ].
  467file_line(File:Line, _Options) ==>
  468    [ url(File:Line) ].
  469
  470warn_nodebug(Backtrace) -->
  471    { contiguous(Backtrace) },
  472    !.
  473warn_nodebug(_Backtrace) -->
  474    [ nl,nl,
  475      'Note: some frames are missing due to last-call optimization.'-[], nl,
  476      'Re-run your program in debug mode (:- debug.) to get more detail.'-[]
  477    ].
  478
  479contiguous([frame(D0,_,_)|Frames]) :-
  480    contiguous(Frames, D0).
  481
  482contiguous([], _).
  483contiguous([frame(D1,_,_)|Frames], D0) :-
  484    D1 =:= D0-1,
  485    contiguous(Frames, D1).
 clause_predicate_name(+ClauseRef, -Predname) is det
Produce a name (typically Functor/Arity) for a predicate to which Clause belongs.
  493:- multifile
  494    user:prolog_clause_name/2.  495
  496clause_predicate_name(Clause, PredName) :-
  497    user:prolog_clause_name(Clause, PredName),
  498    !.
  499clause_predicate_name(Clause, PredName) :-
  500    nth_clause(Head, _N, Clause),
  501    !,
  502    predicate_name(user:Head, PredName).
 backtrace(+MaxDepth)
Get and print a stacktrace to the user_error stream.
  509backtrace(MaxDepth) :-
  510    get_prolog_backtrace_lc(MaxDepth, Stack, []),
  511    print_prolog_backtrace(user_error, Stack).
  512
  513
  514subgoal_position(ClauseRef, PC, File, CharA, CharZ) :-
  515    debug(backtrace, 'Term-position in ~p at PC=~w:', [ClauseRef, PC]),
  516    clause_info(ClauseRef, File, TPos, _),
  517    '$clause_term_position'(ClauseRef, PC, List),
  518    debug(backtrace, '\t~p~n', [List]),
  519    find_subgoal(List, TPos, PosTerm),
  520    compound(PosTerm),
  521    arg(1, PosTerm, CharA),
  522    arg(2, PosTerm, CharZ).
 find_subgoal(+PosList, +TermPos, -SubGoalPos)
See also
- Same as find_subgoal/3 in trace.pl from the GUI tracer.
  528find_subgoal(_, Pos, Pos) :-
  529    var(Pos),
  530    !.
  531find_subgoal([A|T], term_position(_, _, _, _, PosL), SPos) :-
  532    nth1(A, PosL, Pos),
  533    !,
  534    find_subgoal(T, Pos, SPos).
  535find_subgoal([1|T], brace_term_position(_,_,Pos), SPos) :-
  536    !,
  537    find_subgoal(T, Pos, SPos).
  538find_subgoal(List, parentheses_term_position(_,_,Pos), SPos) :-
  539    !,
  540    find_subgoal(List, Pos, SPos).
  541find_subgoal(_, Pos, Pos).
 lineno(+File, +Char, -Line)
Translate a character location to a line-number. Note that this calls try_open_source/2, but this is always loaded as we would not have clause info without.
  550lineno(File, Char, Line) :-
  551    setup_call_cleanup(
  552        ( prolog_clause:try_open_source(File, Fd),
  553          set_stream(Fd, newline(detect))
  554        ),
  555        lineno_(Fd, Char, Line),
  556        close(Fd)).
  557
  558lineno_(Fd, Char, L) :-
  559    stream_property(Fd, position(Pos)),
  560    stream_position_data(char_count, Pos, C),
  561    C > Char,
  562    !,
  563    stream_position_data(line_count, Pos, L0),
  564    L is L0-1.
  565lineno_(Fd, Char, L) :-
  566    skip(Fd, 0'\n),
  567    lineno_(Fd, Char, L).
  568
  569
  570		 /*******************************
  571		 *          CHOICEPOINTS	*
  572		 *******************************/
 print_last_choicepoint is det
Print details on the last open choice point.
  578print_last_choicepoint :-
  579    prolog_current_choice(ChI0),         % Choice in print_last_choicepoint/0
  580    prolog_choice_attribute(ChI0, parent, ChI1),
  581    print_last_choicepoint(ChI1, []).
  582print_last_choicepoint.
 print_last_choicepoint(+ChoiceRef, +Options) is det
  586print_last_choicepoint(ChI1, Options) :-
  587    real_choice(ChI1, ChI),
  588    prolog_choice_attribute(ChI, frame, F),
  589    prolog_frame_attribute(F, goal, Goal),
  590    Goal \= '$execute_goal2'(_,_,_),     % Toplevel REPL choicepoint
  591    !,
  592    option(message_level(Level), Options, warning),
  593    get_prolog_backtrace(2, [_|Stack], [frame(F)]),
  594    (   predicate_property(Goal, foreign)
  595    ->  print_message(Level, choicepoint(foreign(Goal), Stack))
  596    ;   prolog_frame_attribute(F, clause, Clause),
  597        (   prolog_choice_attribute(ChI, pc, PC)
  598        ->  Ctx = jump(PC)
  599        ;   prolog_choice_attribute(ChI, clause, Next)
  600        ->  Ctx = clause(Next)
  601        ),
  602        print_message(Level, choicepoint(clause(Goal, Clause, Ctx), Stack))
  603    ).
  604print_last_choicepoint(_, _).
  605
  606real_choice(Ch0, Ch) :-
  607    prolog_choice_attribute(Ch0, type, Type),
  608    dummy_type(Type),
  609    !,
  610    prolog_choice_attribute(Ch0, parent, Ch1),
  611    real_choice(Ch1, Ch).
  612real_choice(Ch, Ch).
  613
  614dummy_type(debug).
  615dummy_type(none).
  616
  617prolog:message(choicepoint(Choice, Stack)) -->
  618    choice(Choice),
  619    [ nl, 'Called from', nl ],
  620    message(Stack).
  621
  622choice(foreign(Goal)) -->
  623    success_goal(Goal, 'a foreign choice point').
  624choice(clause(Goal, ClauseRef, clause(Next))) -->
  625    success_goal(Goal, 'a choice point in alternate clause'),
  626    [ nl ],
  627    [ '  ' ], clause_descr(ClauseRef), [': clause succeeded', nl],
  628    [ '  ' ], clause_descr(Next),      [': next candidate clause' ].
  629choice(clause(Goal, ClauseRef, jump(PC))) -->
  630    { clause_where(false, ClauseRef, PC, Where,
  631                   [subgoal_positions(true)])
  632    },
  633    success_goal(Goal, 'an in-clause choice point'),
  634    [ nl, '  ' ],
  635    where_no_goal(Where).
  636
  637success_goal(Goal, Reason) -->
  638    [ ansi(code, '~p', [Goal]),
  639      ' left ~w (after success)'-[Reason]
  640    ].
  641
  642where_no_goal(pred_line(_PredName, File:Line)) -->
  643    !,
  644    [ url(File:Line) ].
  645where_no_goal(clause_name(ClauseName)) -->
  646    !,
  647    [ '~w <no source>'-[ClauseName] ].
  648
  649clause_descr(ClauseRef) -->
  650    { clause_property(ClauseRef, file(File)),
  651      clause_property(ClauseRef, line_count(Line))
  652    },
  653    !,
  654    [ url(File:Line) ].
  655clause_descr(ClauseRef) -->
  656    { clause_name(ClauseRef, Name)
  657    },
  658    [ '~w'-[Name] ].
  659
  660
  661                 /*******************************
  662                 *        DECORATE ERRORS       *
  663                 *******************************/
 prolog_stack:stack_guard(+PI) is semidet
Dynamic multifile hook that is normally not defined. The hook is called with PI equal to none if the exception is not caught and with a fully qualified (e.g., Module:Name/Arity) predicate indicator of the predicate that called catch/3 if the exception is caught.

The exception is of the form error(Formal, ImplDef) and this hook succeeds, ImplDef is unified to a term context(prolog_stack(StackData), Message). This context information is used by the message printing system to print a human readable representation of the stack when the exception was raised.

For example, using a clause stack_guard(none) prints contexts for uncaught exceptions only. Using a clause stack_guard(_) prints a full stack-trace for any error exception if the exception is given to print_message/2. See also library(http/http_error), which limits printing of exceptions to exceptions in user-code called from the HTTP server library.

Details of the exception decoration is controlled by two Prolog flags:

backtrace_depth
Integer that controls the maximum number of frames collected. Default is 20. If a guard is specified, callers of the guard are removed from the stack-trace.
backtrace_show_lines
Boolean that indicates whether the library tries to find line numbers for the calls. Default is true.
  699:- multifile prolog:prolog_exception_hook/5.  700:- dynamic   prolog:prolog_exception_hook/5.  701
  702prolog:prolog_exception_hook(error(E, context(Ctx0,Msg)),
  703			     error(E, context(prolog_stack(Stack),Msg)),
  704			     Fr, GuardSpec, Debug) :-
  705    current_prolog_flag(backtrace, true),
  706    \+ is_stack(Ctx0, _Frames),
  707    (   atom(GuardSpec)
  708    ->  debug(backtrace, 'Got uncaught (guard = ~q) exception ~p (Ctx0=~p)',
  709              [GuardSpec, E, Ctx0]),
  710        stack_guard(GuardSpec),
  711        Guard = GuardSpec
  712    ;   prolog_frame_attribute(GuardSpec, predicate_indicator, Guard),
  713        debug(backtrace, 'Got exception ~p (Ctx0=~p, Catcher=~p)',
  714              [E, Ctx0, Guard]),
  715        stack_guard(Guard)
  716    ->  true
  717    ;   Debug == true,
  718        stack_guard(debug),
  719        Guard = none
  720    ),
  721    (   current_prolog_flag(backtrace_depth, Depth)
  722    ->  Depth > 0
  723    ;   Depth = 20                  % Thread created before lib was loaded
  724    ),
  725    get_prolog_backtrace(Depth, Stack0,
  726                         [ frame(Fr),
  727                           guard(Guard)
  728                         ]),
  729    debug(backtrace, 'Stack = ~p', [Stack0]),
  730    clean_stack(Stack0, Stack1),
  731    join_stacks(Ctx0, Stack1, Stack).
  732
  733clean_stack(List, List) :-
  734    stack_guard(X), var(X),
  735    !.      % Do not stop if we catch all
  736clean_stack(List, Clean) :-
  737    clean_stack2(List, Clean).
  738
  739clean_stack2([], []).
  740clean_stack2([H|_], [H]) :-
  741    guard_frame(H),
  742    !.
  743clean_stack2([H|T0], [H|T]) :-
  744    clean_stack2(T0, T).
  745
  746guard_frame(frame(_,clause(ClauseRef, _, _))) :-
  747    nth_clause(M:Head, _, ClauseRef),
  748    functor(Head, Name, Arity),
  749    stack_guard(M:Name/Arity).
  750
  751join_stacks(Ctx0, Stack1, Stack) :-
  752    nonvar(Ctx0),
  753    Ctx0 = prolog_stack(Stack0),
  754    is_list(Stack0), !,
  755    append(Stack0, Stack1, Stack).
  756join_stacks(_, Stack, Stack).
 stack_guard(+Reason) is semidet
Dynamic multifile predicate. It is called with none, 'C' or the predicate indicator of the guard, the predicate calling catch/3. The exception must be of compatible with the shape error(Formal, context(Stack, Msg)). The default is to catch none, uncaught exceptions. 'C' implies that the callback from C will handle the exception.
  768stack_guard(none).
  769stack_guard(system:catch_with_backtrace/3).
  770stack_guard(debug).
  771
  772
  773                 /*******************************
  774                 *           MESSAGES           *
  775                 *******************************/
  776
  777:- multifile
  778    prolog:message//1.  779
  780prolog:message(error(Error, context(Stack, Message))) -->
  781    { Message \== 'DWIM could not correct goal',
  782      is_stack(Stack, Frames)
  783    },
  784    !,
  785    '$messages':translate_message(error(Error, context(_, Message))),
  786    [ nl, 'In:', nl ],
  787    (   {is_list(Frames)}
  788    ->  message(Frames)
  789    ;   ['~w'-[Frames]]
  790    ).
  791
  792is_stack(Stack, Frames) :-
  793    nonvar(Stack),
  794    Stack = prolog_stack(Frames)