package yacs.solver;

import yacs.exceptions.*;
import yacs.net.*;

/**
 * <p>Interface für Constraint-Solver innerhalb von YACS.</p>
 *
 * <p>Copyright (C) 2005  Wolfgang Runte
 * <br><br>
 * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
 * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
 * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
 * <br><br>
 * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
 * Lesser General Public License for more details.
 * <br><br>
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
 * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
 * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301
 * USA</p>
 *
 * @author Wolfgang Runte (woru@tzi.org)
 * @version YACS 0.1.1
 */
public interface Solver {

  /**
   * Methode zur Initiierung des Lösungsprozesses des jeweiligen
   * Constraint-Solvers. Liefert <code>true</code>, wenn
   * Wertebereichseinschränkungen vorgenommen wurden, <code>false</code> wenn
   * nicht.
   * @param constraintNet ConstraintNet
   * @return boolean
   * @throws InconsistencyException
   */
  public boolean evaluate(ConstraintNet constraintNet) throws InconsistencyException;

}
