transitive.py

"""

An example illustrating how to use the
:meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_subjects` and
:meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_objects` graph methods

Formal definition
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The :meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_objects` method finds all
nodes such that there is a path from subject to one of those nodes
using only the predicate property in the triples. The
:meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_subjects` method is similar; it
finds all nodes such that there is a path from the node to the object
using only the predicate property.

Informal description, with an example
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

In brief, :meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_objects` walks forward
in a graph using a particular property, and
:meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_subjects` walks backward. A good
example uses a property ``ex:parent``, the semantics of which are
biological parentage. The
:meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_objects` method would get all
the ancestors of a particular person (all nodes such that there is a
parent path between the person and the object). The
:meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitive_subjects` method would get all
the descendants of a particular person (all nodes such that there is a
parent path between the node and the person). So, say that your URI is
``ex:person``.

This example would get all of your (known) ancestors, and then get all
the (known) descendants of your maternal grandmother.

.. warning:: The :meth:`transitive_objects` method has the start node
    as the *first* argument, but the :meth:`transitive_subjects`
    method has the start node as the *second* argument.

User-defined transitive closures
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The method :meth:`~rdflib.graph.Graph.transitiveClosure` returns
transtive closures of user-defined functions.

"""

if __name__=='__main__':
    from rdflib import ConjunctiveGraph, URIRef

    person = URIRef('ex:person')
    dad = URIRef('ex:d')
    mom = URIRef('ex:m')
    momOfDad = URIRef('ex:gm0')
    momOfMom = URIRef('ex:gm1')
    dadOfDad = URIRef('ex:gf0')
    dadOfMom = URIRef('ex:gf1')

    parent = URIRef('ex:parent')

    g = ConjunctiveGraph()
    g.add((person, parent, dad))
    g.add((person, parent, mom))
    g.add((dad, parent, momOfDad))
    g.add((dad, parent, dadOfDad))
    g.add((mom, parent, momOfMom))
    g.add((mom, parent, dadOfMom))

    print("Parents, forward from `ex:person`:")
    for i in g.transitive_objects(person, parent):
        print(i)

    print("Parents, *backward* from `ex:gm1`:")
    for i in g.transitive_subjects(parent, momOfMom):
        print(i)