Knowledge Explorer News
No. 18
July 1, 2002
KE version 4.1
After a 3 year vacation, I am once again actively working on Knowledge
Explorer.
Version 4.1 introduces a number of significant changes, as detailed below.
1. improved grammar
By introducing a new reserved word, od, I was able to get rid of the
parentheses.
The new grammar has a uniform syntax for all actions, including ke commands
and shell commands, and has a new assignment statement syntax which matches
the structure of attribute declarations. The new syntax permits command
names
and variable names to be phrases, rather than single words.
The new syntax for action, command and assignment is
product :=
subject do action =
event
od direct object
with characteristic
from initial characteristic
to final characteristic
done
do command od argument
list
# ke do command ... done
with characteristic
from initial characteristic
to final characteristic
done
! command od argument
list
# sh do command ... done
with characteristic
from initial characteristic
to final characteristic
done
set variable =
value
# ke has variable = value
set .. = next
# set current genus
set . =
concept # set
current concept
set ... = next
# set current species
As usual, all grammatical elements can be single phrases, or comma-separated
lists
of phrases.
2. improved documentation
I have been rewriting a lot of the examples and documentation. I
particularly suggest
that you look at
KEHOME/view/identify/axprop.txt
Axiomatic Propositions
KEHOME/doc/KRgrammar.txt
new
KEHOME/doc/KRtoken.txt
new
KEHOME/doc/KEtutorial.txt
see section 18 -- individual & collective concepts
In section 18 of the KE tutorial, I have adopted a new definition of group,
exgroup (exclusive), and ingroup
(inclusive).
3. improved implementation
I have reworked the low-level parsing (token level), making it more uniform
and efficient.
Previously, the word definition was changed during relation and hierarchy
definition.
Now, the words are unchanged -- only the phrase definition changes.
4. new policy re KE source code
I am now distributing KE source code with the object code, i.e., every
download contains
the complete source code. You are free to make any changes to your own
downloaded
copy of KE. The only caveat is that you will need to download the
complete Icon package
if you want to recompile the graphic interfaces (KE smart input menu).
Richard H. McCullough
mailto:rhm@cdepot.net
http://www2.cdepot.net/~rhm
knowledge := man do identify od existent done