This answer by Jan Burse shows one of the simplest implementations of a metainterpreter in Prolog:
solve(true) :- !.
solve((A,B)) :- !, solve(A), solve(B).
solve(H) :- clause(H,B), solve(B).
I would like to extend this interpreter so that it can call builtins. The vanilla one isn't able to handle calls such as solve(member(X, [1,2,3,4])). Is this possible using ISO predicates? If not, is it possible using SWI-Prolog predicates?
Stackoverflow is refusing to accept my answer :) that was
Just call/1 them
Edit
For instance
?- [user].
solve(true) :- !.
|: solve((A,B)) :- !, solve(A), solve(B).
|: solve(H) :- clause(H,B), solve(B).
|: solve(T) :- call(T).
|: ^Dtrue.
?- solve(member(X, [1,2,3,4])).
X = 1 ;
X = 2 ;
X = 3 ;
X = 4.
The only addition: solve(T) :- call(T).
I think predicate_property/2 may be useful for your task.
As the name already implies, this predicate relates a predicate (head) to one ore more properties.
For example:
?- predicate_property((A,B), P). P = interpreted ; P = visible ; P = built_in ; P = static ; P = imported_from(system) ; etc.
From such properties, you can deduce whether a predicate is built-in, and the call it directly.
It is also available in SICStus.
Beware though: Not all built-in predicates retain their semantics when called directly. I think discussing what they are and how to interpret them would be well worth its own question.
