Prolog "or" operator, query

Question

I'm working on some prolog that I'm new to. I'm looking for an "or" operator ``` registered(X, Y), Y=ct101, Y=ct102, Y=ct103. ``` Here's my query. What I want to write is code that will: "return X, given that Y is equal to value Z OR value Q OR value P" I'm asking it to return X if Y is equal to all 3 though. What's the or operator here? Is there one?

Accepted Answer

you can 'invoke' alternative bindings on `Y` this way:

```
...registered(X, Y), (Y=ct101; Y=ct102; Y=ct103).
```

Note the parenthesis are required to keep the correct execution control flow. The `;`/2 it's the general `or` operator. For your restricted use you could as well choice the more idiomatic

```
...registered(X, Y), member(Y, [ct101,ct102,ct103]).
```

that on backtracking binds Y to each member of the list.

edit I understood with a delay your last requirement. If you want that Y match all 3 values the or is inappropriate, use instead

```
...registered(X, ct101), registered(X, ct102), registered(X, ct103).
```

or the more compact

```
...findall(Y, registered(X, Y), L), sort(L, [ct101,ct102,ct103]).
```

findall/3 build the list in the very same order that registered/2 succeeds. Then I use sort to ensure the matching.

```
...setof(Y, registered(X, Y), [ct101,ct102,ct103]).
```

setof/3 also sorts the result list

Prolog "or" operator, query

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