new-time-point [Function]

Purpose

The new-time-point function causes Loom to advance to a new knowledge base state. It runs the instance classifier to recompute the type of each instance which may have been affected by updates that occurred since the last time point. It also fires productions and performs any tasks that have been scheduled.

Syntax

new-time-point

Arguments

This function takes no arguments.

Value

The value of this function is the number of the new state. Due to production side-affects, the number system may have advanced more than one state before the call returns. The last state is returned.

Remarks

The instance classifier cannot be run until all concepts have been classified.

The instance-classification cycle has the highest priority, followed by the production-firing cycle, and then by the task-performing cycle.

The functions createm, tellm, forgetm, and destroym each call new-time-point just before they return.

If the :emit-match-stars feature is set, an asterisk is printed whenever the type of an instance changes. If the :display-match-changes feature is set when an update occurs, Loom indicates which concepts have entered or exited the type of each affected instance, and which instances have entered or exited production memory (rete nodes).

Examples

(new-time-point) ==> 34