module - make/0 functionality for SICStus

Question

How can I ensure that all modules (and ideally also all other files that have been loaded or included) are up-to-date? When issuing use_module(mymodule), SICStus compares the modification date of the file mymodule.pl and reloads it, if newer. Also include-ed files will trigger a recompilation. But it does not recheck all modules used by mymodule.

Brief, how can I get similar functionality as SWI offers it with make/0?

Answer 1

There is nothing in SICStus Prolog that provides that kind of functionality.

A big problem is that current Prologs are too dynamic for something like make/0 to work reliably except for very simple cases. With features like term expansion, goals executed during load (including file loading goals, which is common), etc., it is not possible to know how to reliably re-load files. I have not looked closely at it, but presumably make/0 in SWI Prolog has the same problem.

I usually just re-start the Prolog process and load the "main" file again, i.e. a file that loads everything I need.

PS. I was not able to get code formatting in the comments, so I put it here instead: Example why make/0 needs to guard against 'user' as the File from current_module/2:

| ?- [user].
% compiling user...
| :- module(m,[p/0]). p. end_of_file.

%  module m imported into user
% compiled user in module m, 0 msec 752 bytes
yes
| ?- current_module(M, F), F==user.
F = user,
M = m ? ;
no
| ?-