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The N-queens problem, using bit vectors

A smart and efficient code using bit-vector operations to compute the number of solutions of the N-queens problem. This case study is detailed in Inria research report 8821.


Authors: Clément Fumex / Claude Marché / Jean-Christophe Filliâtre

Topics: Ghost code / Bitwise operations

Tools: Why3

References: ProofInUse joint laboratory

see also the index (by topic, by tool, by reference, by year)


N-queens problem

Verification of the following 2-lines C program solving the N-queens problem:

   t(a,b,c){int d=0,e=a&~b&~c,f=1;if(a)for(f=0;d=(e-=d)&-e;f+=t(a-d,(b+d)*2,(
   c+d)/2));return f;}main(q){scanf("%d",&q);printf("%d\n",t(~(~0<<q),0,0));}

finite sets of integers, with succ and pred operations

theory S

  use int.Int
  use export set.FsetInt

  function succ (fset int) : fset int

  axiom succ_def:
    forall s: fset int, i: int. mem i (succ s) <-> i >= 1 /\ mem (i-1) s

  function pred (fset int) : fset int

  axiom pred_def:
    forall s: fset int, i: int. mem i (pred s) <-> i >= 0 /\ mem (i+1) s

end

Formalization of the set of solutions of the N-queens problem

theory Solution

  use int.Int
  use export map.Map

  constant n : int

the number of queens

  type solution = map int int

  predicate eq_prefix (t u: map int 'a) (i: int) =
    forall k: int. 0 <= k < i -> t[k] = u[k]

solutions t and u have the same prefix [0..i[

  predicate eq_sol (t u: solution) = eq_prefix t u n

  predicate partial_solution (k: int) (s: solution) =
    forall i: int. 0 <= i < k ->
      0 <= s[i] < n /\
      (forall j: int. 0 <= j < i -> s[i]      <> s[j] /\
                                    s[i]-s[j] <> i-j  /\
                                    s[i]-s[j] <> j-i)

s stores a partial solution, for the rows 0..k-1

  predicate solution (s: solution) = partial_solution n s

  lemma partial_solution_eq_prefix:
    forall u t: solution, k: int.
    partial_solution k t -> eq_prefix t u k -> partial_solution k u

  predicate lt_sol (s1 s2: solution) =
    exists i: int. 0 <= i < n /\ eq_prefix s1 s2 i /\ s1[i] < s2[i]

  type solutions = map int solution

  predicate sorted (s: solutions) (a b: int) =
    forall i j: int. a <= i < j < b -> lt_sol s[i] s[j]

s[a..b[ is sorted for lt_sol

  lemma no_duplicate:
    forall s: solutions, a b: int. sorted s a b ->
    forall i j: int. a <= i < j < b -> not (eq_sol s[i] s[j])

a sorted array of solutions contains no duplicate

end

More realistic code with bitwise operations

module BitsSpec

  use int.Int
  use S

  constant size : int = 32

  type t = private {
    ghost mdl: fset int;
  }
  invariant { forall i. mem i mdl -> 0 <= i < size }

  val empty () : t
    ensures { is_empty result.mdl }

  val is_empty (x:t) : bool
    ensures { result  <-> is_empty x.mdl }

  val remove_singleton (a b: t) : t
    requires { b.mdl = singleton (min_elt b.mdl) }
    requires { mem (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }
    ensures  { result.mdl = remove (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }

  val add_singleton (a b: t) : t
    requires { b.mdl = singleton (min_elt b.mdl) }
    (* requires { not (mem (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl) } *)
    (* this is not required if the implementation uses or instead of add *)
    ensures  { result.mdl = S.add (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }

  val mul2 (a: t) : t
    ensures { result.mdl = remove size (succ a.mdl) }

  val div2 (a: t) : t
    ensures { result.mdl = pred a.mdl }

  val diff (a b: t) : t
    ensures { result.mdl = diff a.mdl b.mdl }

  use ref.Ref
  val rightmost_bit_trick (a: t) (ghost min : ref int) : t
    requires { not (is_empty a.mdl) }
    writes   { min }
    ensures  { !min = min_elt a.mdl }
    ensures  { result.mdl = singleton !min }

  use bv.BV32 as BV32
  val below (n: BV32.t) : t
    requires { BV32.ule n (32:BV32.t) }
    ensures  { result.mdl = interval 0 (BV32.t'int n) }
end

The 1-bits of an integer, as a set of integers

module Bits

  use int.Int
  use S
  use bv.BV32

  constant size : int = 32

  type t = {
          bv : BV32.t;
    ghost mdl: fset int;
  }
  invariant {
    forall i: int. (0 <= i < size /\ nth bv i) <-> mem i mdl
  }

  let empty () : t
    ensures { is_empty result.mdl }
  = { bv = 0x0; mdl = empty }

  let is_empty (x:t) : bool
    ensures { result  <-> is_empty x.mdl }
  = assert {is_empty x.mdl -> x.bv = zeros by x.bv == zeros};
    BV32.eq x.bv 0x0

  let remove_singleton (a b: t) : t
    requires { b.mdl = singleton (min_elt b.mdl) }
    requires { mem (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }
    ensures  { result.mdl = remove (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }
  =
    { bv = bw_and a.bv (bw_not b.bv);
      mdl = ghost remove (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }
    (* { bv = sub a.bv b.bv; mdl = remove (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl } *)

  let add_singleton (a b: t) : t
    requires { b.mdl = singleton (min_elt b.mdl) }
    (* requires { not (mem (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl) } *)
    (* this is not required if the implementation uses or instead of add *)
    ensures  { result.mdl = S.add (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }
  =
    { bv = bw_or a.bv b.bv;
      mdl = ghost S.add (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl }
    (* { bv = add a.bv b.bv; mdl = add (min_elt b.mdl) a.mdl } *)

  let mul2 (a: t) : t
    ensures { result.mdl = remove size (succ a.mdl) }
  =
    { bv = lsl_bv a.bv (1:BV32.t);
      mdl = ghost remove size (succ a.mdl) }

  let div2 (a: t) : t
    ensures { result.mdl = pred a.mdl }
  =
    { bv = lsr_bv a.bv (1:BV32.t);
      mdl = ghost pred a.mdl }

  let diff (a b: t) : t
    ensures { result.mdl = diff a.mdl b.mdl }
  =
    { bv = bw_and a.bv (bw_not b.bv);
      mdl = ghost diff a.mdl b.mdl }

  predicate bits_interval_is_zeros_bv (a:BV32.t) (i:BV32.t) (n:BV32.t) =
    eq_sub_bv a zeros i n

  predicate bits_interval_is_one_bv (a:BV32.t) (i:BV32.t) (n:BV32.t) =
    eq_sub_bv a ones i n

  predicate bits_interval_is_zeros (a:BV32.t) (i : int) (n : int) =
    eq_sub a zeros i n

  predicate bits_interval_is_one (a:BV32.t) (i : int) (n : int) =
    eq_sub a ones i n

  let rightmost_bit_trick (a: t) : t
    requires { not (is_empty a.mdl) }
    ensures  { result.mdl = singleton (min_elt a.mdl) }
  =
    let ghost n = min_elt a.mdl in
    let ghost n_bv = of_int n in
    assert {bits_interval_is_zeros_bv a.bv zeros n_bv};
    assert {nth_bv a.bv n_bv};
    assert {nth_bv (neg a.bv) n_bv};
    let res = bw_and a.bv (neg a.bv) in
    assert {forall i. 0 <= i < n -> not (nth res i)};
    assert {bits_interval_is_zeros_bv res (add n_bv (1:BV32.t)) (sub (31:BV32.t) n_bv )};
    assert {bits_interval_is_zeros res (n + 1) (31 - n)};
    { bv = res;
      mdl = singleton n }

  let below (n: BV32.t) : t
    requires { BV32.ule n (32:BV32.t) }
    ensures  { result.mdl = interval 0 (t'int n) }
  =
    { bv = bw_not (lsl_bv 0xFFFF_FFFF n);
      mdl = ghost interval 0 (t'int n) }

end

module NQueensBits

  use BitsSpec
  use ref.Ref
  use Solution
  use int.Int

  val ghost col: ref solution  (* solution under construction *)
  (* val ghost k  : ref int       (* current row in the current solution *) *)

  val ghost sol: ref solutions (* all solutions *)
  val ghost s  : ref int       (* next slot for a solution =
                                  number of solutions *)

  let rec t (a b c: BitsSpec.t) (ghost k : int)
    requires { n <= size }
    requires { 0 <= k }
    requires { k + S.cardinal a.mdl = n }
    requires { !s >= 0 }
    requires { forall i: int. S.mem i a.mdl <->
        ( 0 <= i < n /\ forall j: int. 0 <= j < k ->  !col[j] <> i) }
    requires { forall i: int.  0 <= i < size ->
        ( not (S.mem i b.mdl) <->
          forall j: int. 0 <= j < k -> i - !col[j] <> k - j) }
    requires { forall i: int. 0 <= i < size ->
        ( not (S.mem i c.mdl) <->
          forall j: int. 0 <= j < k -> i - !col[j] <> j - k ) }
    requires { partial_solution k !col }
    variant { S.cardinal a.mdl }
    ensures { result = !s - old !s >= 0 }
    ensures { sorted !sol (old !s) !s }
    ensures { forall i:int. old !s <= i < !s -> solution !sol[i] /\ eq_prefix !col !sol[i] k }
    ensures { forall u: solution.
        solution u /\ eq_prefix !col u k ->
        exists i: int. old !s <= i < !s /\ eq_sol u !sol[i] }
    (* assigns *)
    ensures { eq_prefix (old !col) !col k }
    ensures { eq_prefix (old !sol) !sol (old !s) }
  = if not (is_empty a) then begin
    let e = ref (diff (diff a b) c) in
    (* first, you show that if u is a solution with the same k-prefix as col, then
       u[k] (the position of the queen on the row k) must belong to e *)
    assert { forall u:solution. solution u /\ eq_prefix !col u k -> S.mem u[k] !e.mdl };
    let f = ref 0 in
    let ghost min = ref (-1) in
    label L in
    while not (is_empty !e) do
      variant { S.cardinal !e.mdl }
      invariant { not (S.is_empty !e.mdl) -> !min < S.min_elt !e.mdl }
      invariant { !f = !s - (!s at L) >= 0 }
      invariant { S.subset !e.mdl (S.diff (S.diff a.mdl b.mdl) c.mdl) }
      invariant { partial_solution k !col }
      invariant { sorted !sol (!s at L) !s }
      invariant { forall i: int. S.mem i (!e.mdl at L) /\ not (S.mem i !e.mdl) -> i <= !min }
      invariant { forall i:int. (!s at L) <= i < !s -> solution !sol[i] /\ eq_prefix !col !sol[i] k /\ 0 <= !sol[i][k] <= !min }
      invariant { forall u: solution.
        (solution u /\ eq_prefix !col u k /\ 0 <= u[k] <= !min)
        ->
        S.mem u[k] (!e.mdl at L) && not (S.mem u[k] !e.mdl) &&
        exists i: int. (!s at L) <= i < !s /\ eq_sol u !sol[i] }
      (* assigns *)
      invariant { eq_prefix (!col at L) !col k }
      invariant { eq_prefix (!sol at L) !sol (!s at L) }
      label N in
      let d = rightmost_bit_trick !e min in
      ghost col := !col[k <- !min];
      assert { 0 <= !col[k] < size };
      assert { not (S.mem !col[k] b.mdl) };
      assert { not (S.mem !col[k] c.mdl) };

      assert { eq_prefix (!col at L) !col k };
      assert { forall i: int. S.mem i a.mdl -> (forall j: int. 0 <= j < k ->  !col[j] <> i) };
      assert { forall i: int. S.mem i (S.remove (S.min_elt d.mdl) a.mdl) <-> (0 <= i < n /\ (forall j: int. 0 <= j < k + 1 ->  !col[j] <> i)) };

      let ghost b' = mul2 (add_singleton b d) in
      assert { forall i: int.  0 <= i < size ->
        S.mem i b'.mdl -> (i = !min + 1 \/ S.mem (i - 1) b.mdl) && not (forall j:int. 0 <= j < k + 1 -> i - !col[j] <> k + 1 - j) };

      let ghost c' = div2 (add_singleton c d) in
      assert { forall i: int.  0 <= i < size ->
        S.mem i c'.mdl -> (i = !min - 1 \/ (i + 1 < size /\ S.mem (i + 1) c.mdl)) && not (forall j:int. 0 <= j < k + 1 -> i - !col[j] <> j - k - 1) };

      label M in
      f := !f + t (remove_singleton a d)
                  (mul2 (add_singleton b d)) (div2 (add_singleton c d)) (k + 1);

      assert { forall i j. (!s at L) <= i < (!s at M) <= j < !s -> (eq_prefix !sol[i] !sol[j] k /\ !sol[i][k] <= (!min at N) < !min = !sol[j][k]) && lt_sol !sol[i] !sol[j]};

      e := remove_singleton !e d
    done;
    assert { forall u:solution. solution u /\ eq_prefix !col u k -> S.mem u[k] (!e.mdl at L) && 0 <= u[k] <= !min  };
    !f
    end else begin
      ghost sol := !sol[!s <- !col];
      ghost s := !s + 1;
      1
    end

  let queens (q: BV32.t)
    requires { BV32.t'int q = n }
    requires { BV32.ule q BV32.size_bv }
    requires { !s = 0 }
    ensures  { result = !s }
    ensures  { sorted !sol 0 !s }
    ensures  { forall u: solution.
      solution u <-> exists i: int. 0 <= i < result /\ eq_sol u !sol[i] }
    =
    t (below q) (empty()) (empty()) 0

  let test8 ()
    requires { size = 32 }
    requires { n = 8 }
  =
    s := 0;
    queens (BV32.of_int 8)

end

download ZIP archive

Why3 Proof Results for Project "queens_bv"

Theory "queens_bv.Solution": fully verified

ObligationsAlt-Ergo 2.0.0CVC3 2.4.1CVC4 1.4
partial_solution_eq_prefix0.03------
no_duplicate---0.020.03

Theory "queens_bv.BitsSpec": fully verified

ObligationsEprover 1.8-001
VC for t0.03

Theory "queens_bv.Bits": fully verified

ObligationsAlt-Ergo 2.0.0CVC4 1.4 (noBV)Eprover 1.8-001Z3 4.11.2
VC for t------0.03---
VC for empty0.03---------
VC for is_empty------------
split_goal_right
assertion------------
split_goal_right
assertion0.10---------
VC for is_empty0.06---------
postcondition0.05---------
VC for remove_singleton0.42---------
VC for add_singleton---0.08------
VC for mul2------------
split_goal_right
precondition0.32---------
postcondition------------
split_goal_right
postcondition0.04---------
VC for div20.14---------
VC for diff0.24---------
VC for rightmost_bit_trick------------
split_goal_right
assertion0.24---------
assertion---0.08------
assertion---------0.02
assertion0.05---------
assertion---------0.03
assertion---------0.03
precondition0.19---------
postcondition------------
split_goal_right
postcondition0.05---------
VC for below---0.06------

Theory "queens_bv.NQueensBits": fully verified

ObligationsAlt-Ergo 2.0.0Alt-Ergo 2.2.0CVC4 1.4CVC4 1.4 (noBV)CVC4 1.5CVC4 1.6CVC4 1.7Z3 4.11.2
VC for t------------------------
split_goal_right
assertion0.56---------------------
loop invariant init------1.13---------------
loop invariant init------0.03---------------
loop invariant init------0.10---------------
loop invariant init------0.04---------------
loop invariant init0.03---------------------
loop invariant init------0.06---------------
loop invariant init------0.02---------------
loop invariant init------0.03---------------
loop invariant init------0.03---------------
loop invariant init------0.04---------------
precondition------0.03---------------
assertion------0.67---------------
assertion---------------------0.03
assertion------0.16---------------
assertion------0.07---------------
assertion------0.24---------------
assertion------0.82---------------
precondition------0.13---------------
assertion------------------------
split_goal_right
assertion---------------------1.07
assertion1.46---------------------
precondition------------0.56---------
assertion------------------------
split_goal_right
assertion0.28---------------------
assertion1.32---------------------
precondition------0.19---------------
precondition------0.20---------------
precondition------0.20---------------
precondition------0.23---------------
variant decrease------0.22---------------
precondition------0.14---------------
precondition------0.11---------------
precondition------1.36---------------
precondition------0.06---------------
precondition------1.28---------------
precondition------6.98---------------
precondition------1.44---------------
precondition------1.51---------------
assertion------------------------
split_all_full
assertion------------------------
split_all_full
assertion---------------0.07------
assertion------------------------
split_vc
assertion------------------4.38---
assertion---------------0.71------
assertion---------------0.10------
assertion---------------------0.03
assertion---------------0.22------
precondition------0.23---------------
precondition------------0.19---------
loop variant decrease------0.24---------------
loop invariant preservation------1.58---------------
loop invariant preservation------0.12---------------
loop invariant preservation------0.15---------------
loop invariant preservation------0.37---------------
loop invariant preservation------------------------
split_goal_right
loop invariant preservation------0.370.25------------
loop invariant preservation------0.42---------------
loop invariant preservation------------------------
split_goal_right
loop invariant preservation0.08---------------------
loop invariant preservation---------------8.55------
loop invariant preservation------0.89---------------
loop invariant preservation------5.87---------------
loop invariant preservation------------------------
split_goal_right
loop invariant preservation------1.14---------------
loop invariant preservation------0.12---------------
loop invariant preservation------------------------
introduce_premises
loop invariant preservation------------------------
case (u[k] <= min1)
true case (loop invariant preservation)------------------------
assert (eq_prefix col2 u k)
asserted formula---0.17------------------
true case (loop invariant preservation)---0.45------------------
false case (loop invariant preservation)------0.90---------------
loop invariant preservation------0.21---------------
loop invariant preservation------0.19---------------
assertion------0.17---------------
postcondition------0.07---------------
postcondition------0.07---------------
postcondition------0.04---------------
postcondition------0.07---------------
postcondition0.04---------------------
postcondition0.04---------------------
postcondition------0.07---------------
postcondition------0.08---------------
postcondition---------------------0.02
postcondition---------------------0.02
postcondition------0.06---------------
postcondition------0.07---------------
VC for queens------------------------
split_goal_right
precondition------0.04---------------
precondition------0.10---------------
precondition------0.10---------------
precondition------0.10---------------
precondition------0.09---------------
precondition------0.08---------------
precondition------0.08---------------
precondition------0.10---------------
precondition------0.12---------------
postcondition------0.04---------------
postcondition------0.08---------------
postcondition------0.51---------------
VC for test8------------------------
split_goal_right
precondition------0.04---------------
precondition------0.05---------------
precondition------0.04---------------