Prolog Constraint Processing : Packing Squares

Question

I\'m trying to solve a constraint processing problem in prolog.

I need to pack 4 squares of 5x5,4x4,3x3 and 2x2 in a grid of 10x10. They may not overlap.

My

Answer 1

Since version 3.8.3 SICStus Prolog offers a number of dedicated placement constraints that match your packing problem nicely. In particular, as your packing problem is two-dimensional, you should consider using the disjoint2/1 constraint.

The following code snippet uses disjoint2/1 to express that rectangles are non-overlapping. The main relation is area_boxes_positions_/4.

:- use_module(library(clpfd)).
:- use_module(library(lists)).

area_box_pos_combined(W_total*H_total,W*H,X+Y,f(X,W,Y,H)) :-
    X #>= 1,
    X #=< W_total-W+1,
    Y #>= 1,
    Y #=< H_total-H+1.

positions_vars([],[]).
positions_vars([X+Y|XYs],[X,Y|Zs]) :-
    positions_vars(XYs,Zs).

area_boxes_positions_(Area,Bs,Ps,Zs) :-
    maplist(area_box_pos_combined(Area),Bs,Ps,Cs),
    disjoint2(Cs),
    positions_vars(Ps,Zs).

On to some queries! First, your initial packing problem:

?- area_boxes_positions_(10*10,[5*5,4*4,3*3,2*2],Positions,Zs),
   labeling([],Zs).
Positions = [1+1,1+6,5+6,5+9],
Zs        = [1,1,1,6,5,6,5,9] ? ...

Next, let's minimize the total area that is required for placing all squares:

?- domain([W,H],1,10),
   area_boxes_positions_(W*H,[5*5,4*4,3*3,2*2],Positions,Zs),
   WH #= W*H,
   minimize(labeling([ff],[H,W|Zs]),WH).
W         = 9,
H         = 7,
Positions = [1+1,6+1,6+5,1+6],
Zs        = [1,1,6,1,6,5,1,6],
WH        = 63 ? ...

---

Visualizing solutions

What do individual solutions actually look like? ImageMagick can produce nice little bitmaps...

Here's some quick-and-dirty code for dumping the proper ImageMagick command:

:- use_module(library(between)).
:- use_module(library(codesio)).

drawWithIM_at_area_name_label(Sizes,Positions,W*H,Name,Label) :-
    Pix = 20,

    % let the ImageMagick command string begin
    format('convert -size ~dx~d xc:skyblue', [(W+2)*Pix, (H+2)*Pix]),

    % fill canvas 
    format(' -stroke none -draw "fill darkgrey rectangle ~d,~d ~d,~d"', 
           [Pix,Pix, (W+1)*Pix-1,(H+1)*Pix-1]),

    % draw grid
    drawGridWithIM_area_pix("stroke-dasharray 1 1",W*H,Pix),

    % draw boxes
    drawBoxesWithIM_at_pix(Sizes,Positions,Pix),

    % print label
    write( ' -stroke none -fill black'),
    write( ' -gravity southwest -pointsize 16 -annotate +4+0'),
    format(' "~s"',[Label]),

    % specify filename
    format(' ~s~n',[Name]).

Above code for drawWithIM_at_area_name_label/5 relies on two little helpers:

drawGridWithIM_area_pix(Stroke,W*H,P) :-   % vertical lines
    write(' -strokewidth 1 -fill none -stroke gray'),
    between(2,W,X),
    format(' -draw "~s path \'M ~d,~d L ~d,~d\'"', [Stroke,X*P,P, X*P,(H+1)*P-1]),
    false.
drawGridWithIM_area_pix(Stroke,W*H,P) :-   % horizontal lines
    between(2,H,Y),
    format(' -draw "~s path \'M ~d,~d L ~d,~d\'"', [Stroke,P,Y*P, (W+1)*P-1,Y*P]),
    false.
drawGridWithIM_area_pix(_,_,_).

drawBoxesWithIM_at_pix(Sizes,Positions,P) :-
    Colors = ["#ff0000","#00ff00","#0000ff","#ffff00","#ff00ff","#00ffff"],
    write(' -strokewidth 2 -stroke white'),
    nth1(N,Positions,Xb+Yb),
    nth1(N,Sizes,    Wb*Hb),
    nth1(N,Colors,   Color),
    format(' -draw "fill ~sb0 roundrectangle ~d,~d ~d,~d ~d,~d"',
           [Color, Xb*P+3,Yb*P+3, (Xb+Wb)*P-3,(Yb+Hb)*P-3, P/2,P/2]),
    false.
drawBoxesWithIM_at_pix(_,_,_).

Using the visualizers

Let's use the following two queries to produce some still images.

?- drawWithIM_at_area_name_label([5*5,4*4,3*3,2*2],[1+1,6+1,6+5,1+6],9*7,
                                 'dj2_9x7.gif','9x7').

?- drawWithIM_at_area_name_label([5*5,4*4,3*3,2*2],[1+1,1+6,5+6,5+9],10*10,
                                 'dj2_10x10.gif','10x10').

Let's use the following hack-query to produce an image for each solution of the placement of above rectangles on a board of size 9*7:

?- retractall(nSols(_)), 
   assert(nSols(1)), 
   W=9,H=7,
   Boxes = [5*5,4*4,3*3,2*2],
   area_boxes_positions_(W*H,Boxes,Positions,Zs),
   labeling([],Zs), 
   nSols(N), 
   retract(nSols(_)), 
   format_to_codes('dj2_~5d.gif',[N],Name),
   format_to_codes('~dx~d: solution #~d',[W,H,N],Label),
   drawWithIM_at_area_name_label(Boxes,Positions,W*H,Name,Label),
   N1 is N+1,
   assert(nSols(N1)),
   false.

Next, execute all ImageMagick commands output by above queries.

At last, build an animation of the solution set of the third query using ImageMagick:

$ convert -delay 15  dj2_0.*.gif   dj2_9x7_allSolutions_1way.gif 
$ convert dj2_9x7_allSolutions_1way.gif -coalesce -duplicate 1,-2-1 \
          -quiet -layers OptimizePlus -loop 0 dj2_9x7_allSolutions.gif

Results

First, one solution for board size 10*10:

Second, one solution for a board of minimum size (9*7):

Last, all solutions for a board of minimum size (9*7):

---

Edit 2015-04-14

Since version 7.1.36 the SWI-Prolog clpfd library supports the constraint disjoint2/1.

Edit 2015-04-22

Here's a sketch of an alternative implementation based on the tuples_in/2 constraint:

1. For each pair of boxes determine all positions at which these two would be non-overlapping.
2. Encode the valid combinations as lists of tuples.
3. For each pair of boxes post one tuples_in/2 constraint.

As a private proof-of-concept, I implemented some code following that idea; like @CapelliC in his answer, I get 169480 distinct solutions for the boxes and board-size the OP stated.

The runtime is comparable to the other clp(FD) based answers; in fact it is very competitive for small boards (10*10 and smaller), but gets a lot worse with larger board sizes.

Please acknowledge that, for the sake of decency, I refrain from posting the code:)