Minimum number of moves

Question

In this page http://cseweb.ucsd.edu/classes/fa09/cse130/misc/prolog/goat_etc.html it is demonstrated how to solve the popular wolf, goat and cabbage puzzle.

change(e,w).
change(w,e).

move([X,   X,Goat,Cabbage],   wolf,[Y,   Y,Goat,Cabbage]) :- change(X,Y).
move([X,Wolf,   X,Cabbage],   goat,[Y,Wolf,   Y,Cabbage]) :- change(X,Y).
move([X,Wolf,Goat,      X],cabbage,[Y,Wolf,Goat,      Y]) :- change(X,Y).
move([X,Wolf,Goat,Cabbage],nothing,[Y,Wolf,Goat,Cabbage]) :- change(X,Y).

oneEq(X,X,_).
oneEq(X,_,X).

safe([Man,Wolf,Goat,Cabbage]) :-
    oneEq(Man,Goat,   Wolf),
    oneEq(Man,Goat,Cabbage).

solution([e,e,e,e],[]).
solution(Config,[FirstMove|OtherMoves]) :-     
    move(Config,FirstMove,NextConfig),     
    safe(NextConfig),                     
    solution(NextConfig,OtherMoves).

But in order to find an actual solution with this program it is necessary to specify the exact number of moves needed, like this:

?- length(X,7), solution([w,w,w,w],X).
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, wolf, goat, cabbage, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
X = [goat, nothing, cabbage, goat, wolf, nothing, goat] ;
false.

Is there a standard way to find a minimum moves solution without having to specify the number of moves in the above program?

Answer 1

length/2 has generative capability, then just avoid specifying the value:

?- length(X,_),solution([w,w,w,w],X).