@gusbro’s answer (s(X)) shows you how you somewhat solve this with GNU’s debugger. However, if you cannot afford to see all the printing going on, or it is much too slow, you might consider the following “debugger” available as library(debug) in Scryer.
I personally do not use debuggers offered by Prolog systems for the simple reason that most of them print much too much, are often buggy themselves, and have their own specific ever changing conventions, I can’t afford to learn.
:- op(900, fx, [@,$,$-]).
$-(G_0) :-
catch(G_0, Ex, ( portray_clause(exception:Ex:G_0), throw(Ex) ) ).
$(G_0) :-
portray_clause(call:G_0),
$-G_0,
portray_clause(exit:G_0).
@(G_0) :-
( $-G_0
*-> true
; portray_clause(badfail:G_0),
throw(goal_failed(G_0))
).
:- op(950, fy, *).
*(_).
To use it, simply add $-, $, or @ in front of a specific goal.
$- means: only signal exceptions going through this goal
$ additionally show call and exit
@ assures that there is at least one answer, and if not, it is reported and an exception is thrown.
Use above annotations sparingly!
* removes the goal. This is for generalizing a program doing program modification/program-slicing in a pure monotonic program. You need this in case of unexpected failures. For examples how to use it, see the following answers/debugging sessions
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10.
_/*term*/ replaces a term by an anonymous variable. This generalizes a program even further than * alone. Example sessions:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10.
In this manner you can reduce the information you watch significantly.
In other systems supporting meta_predicate directives like SICStus, YAP and SWI, add in front the following directive:
:- meta_predicate(( $-(0), $(0), @(0) )).