Constructing Programs from Example -el

An autoprogrammer isaninteractive computer program- mingsystem whichautomatically constructs computer programs from example computations executed bytheuser. Theexample calculations aredoneinascratch padfashion atacomputer display using alight pen orother graphic input device, andthesystem stores adetailed history ofallofthesteps executed intheprocess. Thenthesystem automati- cally synthesizes theshortest possible program whichiscapable ofex- ecuting theobserved examples. Thepaper describes thecomputational environment provided bythesystem, proves thattheprogram synthesis technique isboth"sound" and"complete," describes thedesign ofthe system, andgives someprograms itwasusedtocreate. IndexTerms-Automatic programsynthesis, autoprogramming, in- duction techniques, interactive graphics system, interactive program construction, program inference, programming system.