Check B Machine with probcli

Type-check a B machine (.mch, .ref, or .imp) using probcli.

Input

File: $ARGUMENTS

Process

0. Check Prerequisites

Verify probcli is installed:

PROBCLI="${PROBCLI:-$HOME/Applications/ProB/probcli}"
if ! which probcli >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ ! -x "$PROBCLI" ]; then
    echo "PROBCLI_NOT_FOUND"
fi

If probcli not found: Stop and tell the user:

probcli is not installed. Run /z-spec:setup probcli first.

1. Locate the Machine

If a file path is provided, use it directly.

If no file specified:

• Look in specs/ for .mch, .ref, or .imp files
• Present options if multiple files exist

2. Run probcli Type-Check

probcli <file>

probcli parses the machine, checks types, and reports errors. Unlike Z specifications (which use fuzz for type-checking), B machines use probcli for both type-checking and animation.

3. Interpret Results

Success: probcli exits with code 0, no error output.

Errors: probcli reports syntax errors, type errors, and well-formedness violations.

Common errors and fixes:

Error	Likely Cause	Fix
Syntax Error	Invalid B syntax	Check clause order (SETS before VARIABLES before INVARIANT)
Type Error	Mismatched types in predicate	Verify variable types in INVARIANT match OPERATIONS usage
Identifier not found	Undefined variable or constant	Add to VARIABLES or CONSTANTS clause
Parse error: expecting END	Missing END keyword	Each PRE/IF/SELECT needs a matching END
Not a B file	Wrong file extension	Use .mch, .ref, or .imp
PROPERTIES missing	CONSTANTS without PROPERTIES	Add PROPERTIES clause with typing constraints

4. Report Results

If successful:

• Confirm the machine type-checks
• List the machine's SETS, VARIABLES, and OPERATIONS

If errors:

• List each error with location
• Suggest specific fixes
• Offer to apply fixes

Reference

• B notation: reference/b-notation.md
• B machine patterns: reference/b-machine-patterns.md
• probcli options: reference/probcli-guide.md