001package org.cpsolver.ifs.extension;
002
003import java.util.ArrayList;
004import java.util.Collection;
005import java.util.HashSet;
006import java.util.HashMap;
007import java.util.Iterator;
008import java.util.LinkedList;
009import java.util.List;
010import java.util.Map;
011import java.util.Queue;
012import java.util.Set;
013
014import org.cpsolver.ifs.assignment.Assignment;
015import org.cpsolver.ifs.assignment.context.AssignmentContext;
016import org.cpsolver.ifs.assignment.context.ExtensionWithContext;
017import org.cpsolver.ifs.model.Constraint;
018import org.cpsolver.ifs.model.Value;
019import org.cpsolver.ifs.model.Variable;
020import org.cpsolver.ifs.solver.Solver;
021import org.cpsolver.ifs.util.DataProperties;
022import org.cpsolver.ifs.util.Progress;
023
024
025/**
026 * MAC propagation. <br>
027 * <br>
028 * During the arc consistency maintenance, when a value is deleted from a
029 * variable's domain, the reason (forming an explanation) can be computed and
030 * attached to the deleted value. Once a variable (say Vx with the assigned
031 * value vx) is unassigned during the search, all deleted values which contain a
032 * pair Vx = vx in their explanations need to be recomputed. Such value can be
033 * either still inconsistent with the current (partial) solution (a different
034 * explanation is attached to it in this case) or it can be returned back to its
035 * variable's domain. Arc consistency is maintained after each iteration step,
036 * i.e., the selected assignment is propagated into the not yet assigned
037 * variables. When a value vx is assigned to a variable Vx, an explanation Vx !=
038 * vx' &#8592; Vx = vx is attached to all values vx' of the variable Vx,
039 * different from vx. <br>
040 * <br>
041 * In the case of forward checking (only constraints going from assigned
042 * variables to unassigned variables are revised), computing explanations is
043 * rather easy. A value vx is deleted from the domain of the variable Vx only if
044 * there is a constraint which prohibits the assignment Vx=vx because of the
045 * existing assignments (e.g., Vy = vy, Vz = vz). An explanation for the
046 * deletion of this value vx is then Vx != vx &#8592; (Vy = vy &amp; ... Vz = vz),
047 * where Vy = vy &amp; ... Vz = vz are assignments contained in the prohibiting
048 * constraint. In case of arc consistency, a value vx is deleted from the domain
049 * of the variable Vx if there is a constraint which does not permit the
050 * assignment Vx = vx with other possible assignments of the other variables in
051 * the constraint. This means that there is no support value (or combination of
052 * values) for the value vx of the variable Vx in the constraint. An explanation
053 * is then a union of explanations of all possible support values for the
054 * assignment Vx = vx of this constraint which were deleted. The reason is that
055 * if one of these support values is returned to its variable's domain, this
056 * value vx may be returned as well (i.e., the reason for its deletion has
057 * vanished, a new reason needs to be computed). <br>
058 * <br>
059 * As for the implementation, we only need to enforce arc consistency of the
060 * initial solution and to extend unassign and assign methods. Procedure
061 * {@link MacPropagation#afterAssigned(Assignment, long, Value)} enforces arc consistency of
062 * the solution with the selected assignment variable = value and the procedure
063 * {@link MacPropagation#afterUnassigned(Assignment, long, Value)} "undoes" the assignment
064 * variable = value. It means that explanations of all values which were deleted
065 * and which contain assignment variable = value in their explanations need to
066 * be recomputed. This can be done via returning all these values into their
067 * variables' domains followed by arc consistency maintenance over their
068 * variables. <br>
069 * <br>
070 * Parameters:
071 * <table border='1'><caption>Related Solver Parameters</caption>
072 * <tr>
073 * <th>Parameter</th>
074 * <th>Type</th>
075 * <th>Comment</th>
076 * </tr>
077 * <tr>
078 * <td>MacPropagation.JustForwardCheck</td>
079 * <td>{@link Boolean}</td>
080 * <td>If true, only forward checking instead of full arc consistency is
081 * maintained during the search.</td>
082 * </tr>
083 * </table>
084 * 
085 * @author  Tomáš Müller
086 * @version IFS 1.3 (Iterative Forward Search)<br>
087 *          Copyright (C) 2006 - 2014 Tomáš Müller<br>
088 *          <a href="mailto:muller@unitime.org">muller@unitime.org</a><br>
089 *          <a href="http://muller.unitime.org">http://muller.unitime.org</a><br>
090 * <br>
091 *          This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
092 *          it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as
093 *          published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the
094 *          License, or (at your option) any later version. <br>
095 * <br>
096 *          This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
097 *          WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
098 *          MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
099 *          Lesser General Public License for more details. <br>
100 * <br>
101 *          You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
102 *          License along with this library; if not see
103 *          <a href='http://www.gnu.org/licenses/'>http://www.gnu.org/licenses/</a>.
104 * @param <V> Variable
105 * @param <T> Value
106 */
107public class MacPropagation<V extends Variable<V, T>, T extends Value<V, T>> extends ExtensionWithContext<V, T, MacPropagation<V, T>.NoGood> {
108    private static org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger sLogger = org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager.getLogger(MacPropagation.class);
109    private boolean iJustForwardCheck = false;
110    private Progress iProgress;
111
112    /** List of constraints on which arc-consistency is to be maintained */
113    protected List<Constraint<V, T>> iConstraints = null;
114    /** Current iteration */
115    protected long iIteration = 0;
116
117    /** Constructor 
118     * @param solver current solver 
119     * @param properties solver configuration
120     **/
121    public MacPropagation(Solver<V, T> solver, DataProperties properties) {
122        super(solver, properties);
123        iJustForwardCheck = properties.getPropertyBoolean("MacPropagation.JustForwardCheck", false);
124    }
125
126    /** Adds a constraint on which arc-consistency is to be maintained 
127     * @param constraint a hard constraint
128     **/
129    public void addConstraint(Constraint<V, T> constraint) {
130        if (iConstraints == null)
131            iConstraints = new ArrayList<Constraint<V, T>>();
132        iConstraints.add(constraint);
133    }
134
135    /**
136     * Returns true, if arc-consistency is to be maintained on the given
137     * constraint
138     * @param constraint a constraint
139     * @return true if in the set
140     */
141    public boolean contains(Constraint<V, T> constraint) {
142        if (iConstraints == null)
143            return true;
144        return iConstraints.contains(constraint);
145    }
146
147    /**
148     * Before a value is unassigned: until the value is inconsistent with the
149     * current solution, an assignment from its explanation is picked and
150     * unassigned.
151     */
152    @Override
153    public void beforeAssigned(Assignment<V, T> assignment, long iteration, T value) {
154        iIteration = iteration;
155        if (value == null)
156            return;
157        if (!isGood(assignment, value)) {
158            while (!isGood(assignment, value) && !noGood(assignment, value).isEmpty()) {
159                T noGoodValue = noGood(assignment, value).iterator().next();
160                assignment.unassign(iteration, noGoodValue.variable());
161            }
162        }
163        if (!isGood(assignment, value)) {
164            sLogger.warn("Going to assign a bad value " + value + " with empty no-good.");
165        }
166    }
167
168    /**
169     * After a value is assigned: explanations of other values of the value's
170     * variable are reset (to contain only the assigned value), propagation over
171     * the assigned variable takes place.
172     */
173    @Override
174    public void afterAssigned(Assignment<V, T> assignment, long iteration, T value) {
175        iIteration = iteration;
176        if (!isGood(assignment, value)) {
177            sLogger.warn(value.variable().getName() + " = " + value.getName() + " -- not good value assigned (noGood:" + noGood(assignment, value) + ")");
178            setGood(assignment, value);
179        }
180
181        HashSet<T> noGood = new HashSet<T>(1);
182        noGood.add(value);
183        for (Iterator<T> i = value.variable().values(assignment).iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
184            T anotherValue = i.next();
185            if (anotherValue.equals(value))
186                continue;
187            setNoGood(assignment, anotherValue, noGood);
188        }
189        getContext(assignment).propagate(assignment, value.variable());
190    }
191
192    /**
193     * After a value is unassigned: explanations of all values of unassigned
194     * variable are recomputed ({@link Value#conflicts(Assignment)}), propagation undo
195     * over the unassigned variable takes place.
196     */
197    @Override
198    public void afterUnassigned(Assignment<V, T> assignment, long iteration, T value) {
199        iIteration = iteration;
200        if (!isGood(assignment, value))
201            sLogger.error(value.variable().getName() + " = " + value.getName()
202                    + " -- not good value unassigned (noGood:" + noGood(assignment, value) + ")");
203        for (Iterator<T> i = value.variable().values(assignment).iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
204            T anotherValue = i.next();
205            if (!isGood(assignment, anotherValue)) {
206                Set<T> noGood = anotherValue.conflicts(assignment);
207                if (noGood == null)
208                    setGood(assignment, anotherValue);
209                else
210                    setNoGood(assignment, anotherValue, noGood);
211            }
212        }
213        getContext(assignment).undoPropagate(assignment, value.variable());
214    }
215
216    /** good values of a variable (values not removed from variables domain) 
217     * @param assignment current assignment
218     * @param variable given variable
219     * @return set of good values 
220     **/
221    public Set<T> goodValues(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V variable) {
222        return getContext(assignment).goodValues(variable);
223    }
224
225    /** notification that a nogood value becomes good or vice versa */
226    private void goodnessChanged(Assignment<V, T> assignment, T value) {
227        if (isGood(assignment, value)) {
228            goodValues(assignment, value.variable()).add(value);
229        } else {
230            goodValues(assignment, value.variable()).remove(value);
231        }
232    }
233
234    /** removes support of a variable */
235    private void removeSupport(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V variable, T value) {
236        getContext(assignment).supportValues(variable).remove(value);
237    }
238
239    /** adds support of a variable */
240    private void addSupport(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V variable, T value) {
241        getContext(assignment).supportValues(variable).add(value);
242    }
243
244    /** variables explanation 
245     * @param assignment current assignment 
246     * @param value given value
247     * @return no-good for the value
248     **/
249    public Set<T> noGood(Assignment<V, T> assignment, T value) {
250        return getContext(assignment).getNoGood(value);
251    }
252
253    /** is variable good
254     * @param assignment current assignment
255     * @param value given value
256     * @return true if there is no no-good set for the value
257     **/
258    public boolean isGood(Assignment<V, T> assignment, T value) {
259        return getContext(assignment).getNoGood(value) == null;
260    }
261
262    /** sets value to be good 
263     * @param assignment current assignment
264     * @param value given value
265     **/
266    protected void setGood(Assignment<V, T> assignment, T value) {
267        Set<T> noGood = getContext(assignment).getNoGood(value);
268        if (noGood != null)
269            for (T v : noGood)
270                removeSupport(assignment, v.variable(), value);
271        getContext(assignment).setNoGood(value, null);
272        goodnessChanged(assignment, value);
273    }
274
275    /** sets value's explanation 
276     * @param assignment current assignment
277     * @param value given value
278     * @param reason no-good set for the value
279     **/
280    public void setNoGood(Assignment<V, T> assignment, T value, Set<T> reason) {
281        Set<T> noGood = noGood(assignment, value);
282        if (noGood != null)
283            for (T v : noGood)
284                removeSupport(assignment, v.variable(), value);
285        getContext(assignment).setNoGood(value, reason);
286        for (T aValue : reason)
287            addSupport(assignment, aValue.variable(), value);
288        goodnessChanged(assignment, value);
289    }
290
291    private Set<T> reason(Assignment<V, T> assignment, Constraint<V, T> constraint, V aVariable, T aValue) {
292        Set<T> ret = new HashSet<T>();
293
294        for (Iterator<T> i = aVariable.values(assignment).iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
295            T value = i.next();
296            if (constraint.isConsistent(aValue, value)) {
297                if (noGood(assignment, value) == null)
298                    sLogger.error("Something went wrong: value " + value + " cannot participate in a reason.");
299                else
300                    ret.addAll(noGood(assignment, value));
301            }
302        }
303        return ret;
304    }
305    
306    @Override
307    public NoGood createAssignmentContext(Assignment<V, T> assignment) {
308        return new NoGood(assignment);
309    }
310    
311    /** Propagation over the given variable. 
312     * @param assignment current assignment
313     * @param variable given variable
314     **/
315    protected void propagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V variable) {
316        getContext(assignment).propagate(assignment, variable);
317    }
318    
319    /**
320     * Propagation undo over the given variable. All values having given
321     * variable in their explanations needs to be recomputed. This is done in
322     * two phases: 1) values that contain this variable in explanation are
323     * returned back to domains (marked as good) 2) propagation over variables
324     * which contains a value that was marked as good takes place
325     * @param assignment current assignment
326     * @param variable given variable
327     */
328    public void undoPropagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V variable) {
329        getContext(assignment).undoPropagate(assignment, variable);
330    }
331
332    /**
333     * Assignment context
334     */
335    public class NoGood implements AssignmentContext {
336        private Map<V, Set<T>[]> iNoGood = new HashMap<V, Set<T>[]>();
337        private Map<V, Map<T, Set<T>>> iNoGoodVal = new HashMap<V, Map<T, Set<T>>>();
338        
339        /**
340         * Initialization. Enforce arc-consistency over the current (initial)
341         * solution. AC3 algorithm is used.
342         */
343        public NoGood(Assignment<V, T> assignment) {
344            iProgress = Progress.getInstance(getModel());
345            iProgress.save();
346            iProgress.setPhase("Initializing propagation:", 3 * getModel().variables().size());
347            for (Iterator<V> i = getModel().variables().iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
348                V aVariable = i.next();
349                supportValues(aVariable).clear();
350                goodValues(aVariable).clear();
351            }
352            for (Iterator<V> i = getModel().variables().iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
353                V aVariable = i.next();
354                for (Iterator<T> j = aVariable.values(assignment).iterator(); j.hasNext();) {
355                    T aValue = j.next();
356                    Set<T> noGood = aValue.conflicts(assignment);
357                    setNoGood(aValue, noGood);
358                    if (noGood == null) {
359                        goodValues(aVariable).add(aValue);
360                    } else {
361                    }
362                }
363                iProgress.incProgress();
364            }
365            Queue<V> queue = new LinkedList<V>();
366            for (Iterator<V> i = getModel().variables().iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
367                V aVariable = i.next();
368                for (Constraint<V, T> constraint : aVariable.hardConstraints()) {
369                    propagate(assignment, constraint, aVariable, queue);
370                }
371                iProgress.incProgress();
372            }
373            if (!iJustForwardCheck)
374                propagate(assignment, queue);
375            for (Iterator<V> i = getModel().variables().iterator(); i.hasNext();) {
376                V aVariable = i.next();
377                List<T> values2delete = new ArrayList<T>();
378                for (Iterator<T> j = aVariable.values(assignment).iterator(); j.hasNext();) {
379                    T aValue = j.next();
380                    if (getNoGood(aValue) != null && getNoGood(aValue).isEmpty()) {
381                        values2delete.add(aValue);
382                    }
383                }
384                for (T val : values2delete)
385                    aVariable.removeValue(0, val);
386                if (aVariable.values(assignment).isEmpty()) {
387                    sLogger.error(aVariable.getName() + " has empty domain!");
388                }
389                iProgress.incProgress();
390            }
391            iProgress.restore();
392        }
393        
394        public Set<T>[] getNoGood(V variable) {
395            return iNoGood.get(variable);
396        }
397        
398        public void setNoGood(V variable, Set<T>[] noGood) {
399            if (noGood == null)
400                iNoGood.remove(variable);
401            else
402                iNoGood.put(variable, noGood);
403        }
404        
405        public Set<T> getNoGood(T value) {
406            Map<T, Set<T>> ng = iNoGoodVal.get(value.variable());
407            if (ng == null) return null;
408            return ng.get(value);
409        }
410        
411        public void setNoGood(T value, Set<T> noGood) {
412            Map<T, Set<T>> ng = iNoGoodVal.get(value.variable());
413            if (ng == null) {
414                ng = new HashMap<T, Set<T>>();
415                iNoGoodVal.put(value.variable(), ng);
416            }
417            if (noGood == null)
418                ng.remove(value);
419            else
420                ng.put(value, noGood);
421        }
422        
423        /** support values of a variable */
424        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
425        private Set<T> supportValues(V variable) {
426            Set<T>[] ret = getNoGood(variable);
427            if (ret == null) {
428                ret = new Set[] { new HashSet<T>(1000), new HashSet<T>() };
429                setNoGood(variable, ret);
430            }
431            return ret[0];
432        }
433        
434        /** good values of a variable (values not removed from variables domain) 
435         * @param variable given variable
436         * @return set of good values 
437         **/
438        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
439        private Set<T> goodValues(V variable) {
440            Set<T>[] ret = getNoGood(variable);
441            if (ret == null) {
442                ret = new Set[] { new HashSet<T>(1000), new HashSet<T>() };
443                setNoGood(variable, ret);
444            }
445            return ret[1];
446        }
447        
448        /** propagation over a constraint */
449        private void propagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, Constraint<V, T> constraint, V aVariable, Queue<V> queue) {
450            if (goodValues(aVariable).isEmpty())
451                return;
452            List<T> conflicts = conflictValues(assignment, constraint, aVariable);
453
454            if (conflicts != null && !conflicts.isEmpty()) {
455                for (T conflictValue : conflicts) {
456                    if (!queue.contains(conflictValue.variable()))
457                        queue.add(conflictValue.variable());
458                    Set<T> reason = reason(assignment, constraint, aVariable, conflictValue);
459                    // sLogger.debug("  "+conflictValue+" become nogood (c:"+constraint.getName()+", r:"+reason+")");
460                    setNoGood(conflictValue, reason);
461                    if (reason.isEmpty())
462                        (conflictValue.variable()).removeValue(iIteration, conflictValue);
463                }
464            }
465        }
466        
467        protected boolean propagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V aVariable, V anotherVariable, List<T> adepts) {
468            if (goodValues(aVariable).isEmpty())
469                return false;
470            boolean ret = false;
471            List<T> conflicts = null;
472            for (Constraint<V, T> constraint : anotherVariable.constraintVariables().get(aVariable)) {
473                for (T aValue : goodValues(aVariable)) {
474                    if (conflicts == null)
475                        conflicts = conflictValues(constraint, aValue, adepts);
476                    else
477                        conflicts = conflictValues(constraint, aValue, conflicts);
478                    if (conflicts == null || conflicts.isEmpty())
479                        break;
480                }
481                if (conflicts != null && !conflicts.isEmpty())
482                    for (T conflictValue : conflicts) {
483                        Set<T> reason = reason(assignment, constraint, aVariable, conflictValue);
484                        // sLogger.debug("  "+conflictValue+" become nogood (c:"+constraint.getName()+", r:"+reason+")");
485                        setNoGood(conflictValue, reason);
486                        adepts.remove(conflictValue);
487                        if (reason.isEmpty())
488                            (conflictValue.variable()).removeValue(iIteration, conflictValue);
489                        ret = true;
490                    }
491            }
492            return ret;
493        }
494
495        protected boolean propagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V aVariable, V anotherVariable) {
496            if (goodValues(anotherVariable).isEmpty())
497                return false;
498            return propagate(assignment, aVariable, anotherVariable, new ArrayList<T>(goodValues(anotherVariable)));
499        }
500
501        /** Propagation over the given variable. 
502         * @param assignment current assignment
503         * @param variable given variable
504         **/
505        protected void propagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V variable) {
506            Queue<V> queue = new LinkedList<V>();
507            if (assignment.getValue(variable) != null) {
508                for (Constraint<V, T> constraint : variable.hardConstraints()) {
509                    if (contains(constraint))
510                        propagate(assignment, constraint, assignment.getValue(variable), queue);
511                }
512            } else {
513                for (Constraint<V, T> constraint : variable.hardConstraints()) {
514                    if (contains(constraint))
515                        propagate(assignment, constraint, variable, queue);
516                }
517            }
518            if (!iJustForwardCheck && !queue.isEmpty())
519                propagate(assignment, queue);
520        }
521
522        /** Propagation over the queue of variables.
523         * @param assignment current assignment
524         * @param queue variable queue
525         **/
526        protected void propagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, Queue<V> queue) {
527            while (!queue.isEmpty()) {
528                V aVariable = queue.poll();
529                for (Constraint<V, T> constraint : aVariable.hardConstraints()) {
530                    if (contains(constraint))
531                        propagate(assignment, constraint, aVariable, queue);
532                }
533            }
534        }
535        
536        /** propagation over a constraint */
537        private void propagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, Constraint<V, T> constraint, T anAssignedValue, Queue<V> queue) {
538            Set<T> reason = new HashSet<T>(1);
539            reason.add(anAssignedValue);
540            Collection<T> conflicts = conflictValues(assignment, constraint, anAssignedValue);
541            if (conflicts != null && !conflicts.isEmpty())
542                for (T conflictValue : conflicts) {
543                    // sLogger.debug("  "+conflictValue+" become nogood (c:"+constraint.getName()+", r:"+reason+")");
544                    setNoGood(conflictValue, reason);
545                    if (!queue.contains(conflictValue.variable()))
546                        queue.add(conflictValue.variable());
547                }
548        }
549        
550        /**
551         * Propagation undo over the given variable. All values having given
552         * variable in thair explanations needs to be recomputed. This is done in
553         * two phases: 1) values that contain this variable in explanation are
554         * returned back to domains (marked as good) 2) propagation over variables
555         * which contains a value that was marked as good takes place
556         * @param assignment current assignment
557         * @param variable given variable
558         */
559        public void undoPropagate(Assignment<V, T> assignment, V variable) {
560            Map<V, List<T>> undoVars = new HashMap<V, List<T>>();
561            NoGood context = getContext(assignment);
562            while (!context.supportValues(variable).isEmpty()) {
563                T value = context.supportValues(variable).iterator().next();
564                Set<T> noGood = value.conflicts(assignment);
565                if (noGood == null) {
566                    setGood(assignment, value);
567                    List<T> values = undoVars.get(value.variable());
568                    if (values == null) {
569                        values = new ArrayList<T>();
570                        undoVars.put(value.variable(), values);
571                    }
572                    values.add(value);
573                } else {
574                    setNoGood(value, noGood);
575                    if (noGood.isEmpty())
576                        (value.variable()).removeValue(iIteration, value);
577                }
578            }
579
580            Queue<V> queue = new LinkedList<V>();
581            for (V aVariable : undoVars.keySet()) {
582                List<T> values = undoVars.get(aVariable);
583                boolean add = false;
584                for (V x : aVariable.constraintVariables().keySet()) {
585                    if (propagate(assignment, x, aVariable, values))
586                        add = true;
587                }
588                if (add)
589                    queue.add(aVariable);
590            }
591            for (V x : variable.constraintVariables().keySet()) {
592                if (propagate(assignment, x, variable) && !queue.contains(variable))
593                    queue.add(variable);
594            }
595            if (!iJustForwardCheck)
596                propagate(assignment, queue);
597        }
598        
599        private List<T> conflictValues(Assignment<V, T> assignment, Constraint<V, T> constraint, T aValue) {
600            List<T> ret = new ArrayList<T>();
601
602            for (V variable : constraint.variables()) {
603                if (variable.equals(aValue.variable()))
604                    continue;
605                if (assignment.getValue(variable) != null)
606                    continue;
607
608                for (T value : goodValues(variable))
609                    if (!constraint.isConsistent(aValue, value))
610                        ret.add(value);
611            }
612            return ret;
613        }
614
615        private List<T> conflictValues(Constraint<V, T> constraint, T aValue, List<T> values) {
616            List<T> ret = new ArrayList<T>(values.size());
617            for (T value : values)
618                if (!constraint.isConsistent(aValue, value))
619                    ret.add(value);
620            return ret;
621        }
622
623        private List<T> conflictValues(Assignment<V, T> assignment, Constraint<V, T> constraint, V aVariable) {
624            List<T> conflicts = null;
625            for (T aValue : goodValues(aVariable)) {
626                if (conflicts == null)
627                    conflicts = conflictValues(assignment, constraint, aValue);
628                else
629                    conflicts = conflictValues(constraint, aValue, conflicts);
630                if (conflicts == null || conflicts.isEmpty())
631                    return null;
632            }
633            return conflicts;
634        }        
635    }
636
637}