passagemath-gap-pkg-semigroups 10.6.29__cp312-abi3-macosx_13_0_x86_64.whl

gap/pkg/semigroups/gap/main/acting.gi

@@ -0,0 +1,779 @@
+############################################################################
+##
+##  main/acting.gi
+##  Copyright (C) 2013-2022                              James D. Mitchell
+##
+##  Licensing information can be found in the README file of this package.
+##
+#############################################################################
+##
+
+# local declarations . . .
+
+# acting semigroups...
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(SemigroupData, "for an acting inverse semigroup rep",
+[IsInverseActingSemigroupRep], ReturnFail);
+
+# different method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(SemigroupData, "for an acting semigroup and lambda orb",
+[IsActingSemigroup, IsLambdaOrb],
+function(S, lambda_orb)
+  local gens, data;
+
+  gens := List(GeneratorsOfSemigroup(S), x -> ConvertToInternalElement(S, x));
+
+  data := rec(gens := gens,
+              genstoapply := [1 .. Length(gens)],
+              graph := [EmptyPlist(Length(gens))],
+              ht := HTCreate(gens[1], rec(treehashsize :=
+                                          SEMIGROUPS.OptionsRec(S).hashlen)),
+              init := false,
+              lambda_orb := lambda_orb,
+              lambdarhoht := [],
+              lenreps := [0],
+              orbit := [[,,, FakeOne(gens)]],
+              orblookup1 := [],
+              orblookup2 := [],
+              parent := S,
+              pos := 0,
+              reps := [],
+              repslens := [],
+              repslookup := [],
+              rholookup := [1],
+              schreiergen := [fail],
+              schreiermult := [fail],
+              schreierpos := [fail],
+              stopper := false);
+
+  Objectify(NewType(FamilyObj(S), IsSemigroupData), data);
+
+  return data;
+end);
+
+InstallMethod(SemigroupData, "for an acting semigroup",
+[IsActingSemigroup], S -> SemigroupData(S, LambdaOrb(S)));
+
+# different method for regular ideals, regular/inverse semigroups, same method
+# for non-regular ideals
+
+InstallMethod(\in,
+"for a multiplicative element and acting semigroup",
+[IsMultiplicativeElement, IsActingSemigroup],
+function(x, S)
+  local data, ht, lambda, lambdao, l, m, rho, rhoo, lambdarhoht, rholookup,
+  new, lookfunc, schutz, ind, reps, repslens, bound, max, membership,
+  lambdaperm, n, found, i;
+
+  if ElementsFamily(FamilyObj(S)) <> FamilyObj(x)
+      or (IsActingSemigroupWithFixedDegreeMultiplication(S)
+          and ActionDegree(x) <> ActionDegree(S))
+      or (ActionDegree(x) > ActionDegree(S)) then
+    return false;
+  elif HasFroidurePin(S) and Position(S, x) <> fail then
+    # check if x is already known to be in S
+    return true;
+  elif HasFroidurePin(S) and IsEnumerated(S) then
+    return false;
+  elif not (IsMonoid(S) and IsOne(x)) then
+    if Length(Generators(S)) > 0
+        and ActionRank(S)(x) >
+        MaximumList(List(Generators(S), y -> ActionRank(S)(y))) then
+      return false;
+    fi;
+  fi;
+
+  if HasMinimalIdeal(S) then
+    if ActionRank(S)(x) < ActionRank(S)(Representative(MinimalIdeal(S))) then
+      return false;
+    fi;
+  fi;
+
+  x := ConvertToInternalElement(S, x);
+
+  data := SemigroupData(S);
+  ht := data!.ht;
+
+  # look for lambda!
+  lambda := LambdaFunc(S)(x);
+  lambdao := LambdaOrb(S);
+  if not IsClosedOrbit(lambdao) then
+    Enumerate(lambdao, infinity);
+  fi;
+
+  l := Position(lambdao, lambda);
+
+  if l = fail then
+    return false;
+  fi;
+
+  # strongly connected component of lambda orb
+  m := OrbSCCLookup(lambdao)[l];
+
+  # make sure lambda of x is in the first place of its scc
+  if l <> OrbSCC(lambdao)[m][1] then
+    x := x * LambdaOrbMult(lambdao, m, l)[2];
+  fi;
+
+  # check if x is an existing R-rep
+  if HTValue(ht, x) <> fail then
+    return true;
+  fi;
+
+  # check if rho is already known
+  rho := RhoFunc(S)(x);
+  rhoo := RhoOrb(S);
+  l := Position(rhoo, rho);
+  lambdarhoht := data!.lambdarhoht;
+  rholookup := data!.rholookup;
+
+  new := false;
+
+  if l = fail then
+    # rho is not already known, so we look for it
+    if IsClosedOrbit(rhoo) then
+      return false;
+    fi;
+
+    lookfunc := {_, x} -> rhoo[rholookup[x[6]]] = rho;
+
+    data := Enumerate(data, infinity, lookfunc);
+    l := PositionOfFound(data);
+
+    # rho is not found, so x not in S
+    if l = false then
+      return false;
+    fi;
+    l := rholookup[l];
+    new := true;
+  fi;
+
+  if not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l]) or not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l][m]) then
+    new := true;
+    # lambda-rho-combination not yet seen
+    if IsClosedData(data) then
+      return false;
+    fi;
+
+    lookfunc :=
+    {data, x} -> IsBound(lambdarhoht[l]) and IsBound(lambdarhoht[l][m]);
+
+    data := Enumerate(data, infinity, lookfunc);
+
+    if not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l]) or not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l][m]) then
+      return false;
+    fi;
+  fi;
+
+  schutz := LambdaOrbStabChain(lambdao, m);
+  ind := lambdarhoht[l][m];
+  # the index of the list of reps with same lambda-rho value as x.
+
+  # if the Schutzenberger group is the symmetric group, then x in S!
+  if schutz = true then
+    return true;
+  fi;
+
+  reps := data!.reps;
+  repslens := data!.repslens;
+
+  bound := LambdaBound(S)(LambdaRank(S)(lambda));
+  if IsPosInt(bound) then
+    max := bound / Size(LambdaOrbSchutzGp(lambdao, m));
+  else
+    max := bound;
+  fi;
+
+  if repslens[m][ind] = max then
+    return true;
+  fi;
+
+  membership := SchutzGpMembership(S);
+
+  # if schutz is false, then f has to be an R-rep which it is not...
+  if schutz <> false then
+    # check if x already corresponds to an element of reps[m][ind]
+    lambdaperm := LambdaPerm(S);
+    for n in [1 .. repslens[m][ind]] do
+      if membership(schutz, lambdaperm(reps[m][ind][n], x)) then
+        return true;
+      fi;
+    od;
+  elif new and HTValue(ht, x) <> fail then
+    return true;
+  fi;
+
+  if IsClosedData(data) then
+    return false;
+  elif repslens[m][ind] < max then
+    # enumerate until we find f or finish
+    n := repslens[m][ind];
+    lookfunc := {data, x} -> repslens[m][ind] > n;
+    if schutz = false then
+      repeat
+        # look for more R-reps with same lambda-rho value
+        data := Enumerate(data, infinity, lookfunc);
+        found := data!.found;
+        if found <> false then
+          if repslens[m][ind] = max or x = data[found][4] then
+            return true;
+          fi;
+        fi;
+      until found = false;
+    else
+      repeat
+        # look for more R-reps with same lambda-rho value
+        data := Enumerate(data, infinity, lookfunc);
+        found := data!.found;
+        if found <> false then
+          if repslens[m][ind] = max then
+            return true;
+          fi;
+          for i in [n + 1 .. repslens[m][ind]] do
+            if membership(schutz, lambdaperm(reps[m][ind][i], x)) then
+              return true;
+            fi;
+          od;
+          n := repslens[m][ind];
+        fi;
+      until found = false;
+    fi;
+  fi;
+  return false;
+end);
+
+# different for regular/inverse/ideals
+
+InstallMethod(Size, "for an acting semigroup",
+[IsActingSemigroup], 2,  # to beat the method for a Rees 0-matrix semigroup
+function(S)
+  local data, lenreps, repslens, o, scc, size, n, m, i;
+
+  data := Enumerate(SemigroupData(S), infinity, ReturnFalse);
+  lenreps  := data!.lenreps;
+  repslens := data!.repslens;
+  o   := LambdaOrb(S);
+  scc := OrbSCC(o);
+
+  size := 0;
+
+  for m in [2 .. Length(scc)] do
+    n := Size(LambdaOrbSchutzGp(o, m)) * Length(scc[m]);
+    for i in [1 .. lenreps[m]] do
+      size := size + n * repslens[m][i];
+    od;
+  od;
+
+  return size;
+end);
+
+# data...
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(\in, "for a multiplicative element and semigroup data",
+[IsMultiplicativeElement, IsSemigroupData],
+{f, data} -> not Position(data, f) = fail);
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(ELM_LIST, "for semigroup data, and pos int",
+[IsSemigroupData, IsPosInt],
+{o, nr} -> o!.orbit[nr]);
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(Length, "for semigroup data", [IsSemigroupData],
+data -> Length(data!.orbit));
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(Enumerate, "for semigroup data", [IsSemigroupData],
+data -> Enumerate(data, infinity, ReturnFalse));
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(Enumerate, "for semigroup data and limit",
+[IsSemigroupData, IsCyclotomic],
+{data, limit} -> Enumerate(data, limit, ReturnFalse));
+
+# different method for ideals...
+
+# JDM: this has the same problem as orb in Issue #4, the log is not properly
+# formed if the enumeration stops early.
+
+InstallMethod(Enumerate,
+"for an semigroup data, limit, and func",
+[IsSemigroupData, IsCyclotomic, IsFunction],
+function(data, limit, lookfunc)
+  local looking, ht, orb, nr, i, graph, reps, repslens, lenreps, lambdarhoht,
+  repslookup, orblookup1, orblookup2, rholookup, stopper, schreierpos,
+  schreiergen, schreiermult, gens, nrgens, genstoapply, s, lambda,
+  lambdaperm, o, oht, scc, lookup, membership, rho, rho_o, rho_orb, rho_nr,
+  rho_ht, rho_schreiergen, rho_schreierpos, rho_log, rho_logind, rho_logpos,
+  rho_depth, rho_depthmarks, rho_orbitgraph, htadd, htvalue, suc, x, pos, m,
+  rhox, l, ind, pt, schutz, data_val, old, j, n;
+
+  if lookfunc <> ReturnFalse then
+    looking := true;
+  else
+    looking := false;
+  fi;
+
+  if IsClosedData(data) then
+    if looking then
+      data!.found := false;
+    fi;
+    return data;
+  fi;
+
+  data!.looking := looking;
+
+  ht := data!.ht;        # so far found R-reps
+  orb := data!.orbit;    # the so far found R-reps data
+  nr := Length(orb);
+  i := data!.pos;        # points in orb in position at most i have descendants
+  graph := data!.graph;  # orbit graph of orbit of R-classes under left mult
+  reps := data!.reps;    # reps grouped by equal lambda-scc-index and
+                         # rho-value-index
+
+  repslens := data!.repslens;       # Length(reps[m][i])=repslens[m][i]
+  lenreps := data!.lenreps;         # lenreps[m]=Length(reps[m])
+
+  lambdarhoht := data!.lambdarhoht;  # HTValue(lambdarhoht, [m,l])=position
+                                     # in reps[m] of R-reps with
+                                     # lambda-scc-index=m and rho-value-index=l
+
+  repslookup := data!.repslookup;  # Position(orb, reps[m][i][j])
+                                   # = repslookup[m][i][j]
+                                   # = HTValue(ht, reps[m][i][j])
+
+  orblookup1 := data!.orblookup1;  # orblookup1[i] position in reps[m]
+                                   # containing orb[i][4] (the R-rep)
+
+  orblookup2 := data!.orblookup2;  # orblookup2[i] position in
+                                   # reps[m][orblookup1[i]]
+                                   # containing orb[i][4] (the R-rep)
+
+  rholookup := data!.rholookup;    # rholookup[i]=rho-value-index of orb[i][4]
+
+  stopper := data!.stopper;        # stop at this place in the orbit
+
+  # schreier
+  schreierpos := data!.schreierpos;
+  schreiergen := data!.schreiergen;
+  schreiermult := data!.schreiermult;
+
+  # generators
+  gens := data!.gens;
+  nrgens := Length(gens);
+  genstoapply := data!.genstoapply;
+
+  # lambda
+  s := data!.parent;
+  lambda := LambdaFunc(s);
+  lambdaperm := LambdaPerm(s);
+
+  o := data!.lambda_orb;
+  oht := o!.ht;
+  scc := OrbSCC(o);
+  lookup := o!.scc_lookup;
+
+  membership := SchutzGpMembership(s);
+
+  # rho
+  rho := RhoFunc(s);
+  rho_o := RhoOrb(s);
+  rho_orb := rho_o!.orbit;
+  rho_nr := Length(rho_orb);
+  rho_ht := rho_o!.ht;
+  rho_schreiergen := rho_o!.schreiergen;
+  rho_schreierpos := rho_o!.schreierpos;
+
+  rho_log := rho_o!.log;
+  rho_logind := rho_o!.logind;
+  rho_logpos := rho_o!.logpos;
+  rho_depth := rho_o!.depth;
+  rho_depthmarks := rho_o!.depthmarks;
+
+  rho_orbitgraph := rho_o!.orbitgraph;
+
+  # initialise the data if necessary
+  if data!.init = false then
+    for i in [2 .. Length(scc)] do
+      reps[i] := [];
+      repslookup[i] := [];
+      repslens[i] := [];
+      lenreps[i] := 0;
+    od;
+    data!.init := true;
+    i := data!.pos;
+  fi;
+
+  if IsBoundGlobal("ORBC") then
+    htadd := HTAdd_TreeHash_C;
+    htvalue := HTValue_TreeHash_C;
+  else
+    htadd := HTAdd;
+    htvalue := HTValue;
+  fi;
+
+  while nr <= limit and i < nr and i <> stopper do
+
+    i := i + 1;
+
+    #               for the rho-orbit               #
+    if rholookup[i] >= rho_depthmarks[rho_depth + 1] then
+      rho_depth := rho_depth + 1;
+      rho_depthmarks[rho_depth + 1] := rho_nr + 1;
+    fi;
+    rho_logind[rholookup[i]] := rho_logpos;
+    suc := false;
+    #                                               #
+
+    for j in genstoapply do  # JDM
+      x := gens[j] * orb[i][4];
+      pos := htvalue(oht, lambda(x));
+      m := lookup[pos];   # lambda-value-scc-index
+
+      # put lambda(x) in the first position in its scc
+      if pos <> scc[m][1] then
+        x := x * LambdaOrbMult(o, m, pos)[2];
+      fi;
+
+      rhox := rho(x);
+      l := htvalue(rho_ht, rhox);
+
+      if l = fail then  # new rho-value, new R-rep
+
+        #                update rho-orbit             #
+        rho_nr := rho_nr + 1;
+        l := rho_nr;
+        rho_orb[rho_nr] := rhox;
+        htadd(rho_ht, rhox, rho_nr);
+
+        rho_orbitgraph[rho_nr] := EmptyPlist(nrgens);
+        rho_orbitgraph[rholookup[i]][j] := rho_nr;
+
+        rho_schreiergen[rho_nr] := j;
+        rho_schreierpos[rho_nr] := rholookup[i];
+
+        suc := true;
+        rho_log[rho_logpos] := j;
+        rho_log[rho_logpos + 1] := rho_nr;
+        rho_logpos := rho_logpos + 2;
+        rho_o!.logpos := rho_logpos;
+        #                                              #
+
+        nr := nr + 1;
+        lenreps[m] := lenreps[m] + 1;
+        ind := lenreps[m];
+        lambdarhoht[l] := [];
+        lambdarhoht[l][m] := ind;
+
+        reps[m][ind] := [x];
+        repslookup[m][ind] := [nr];
+        repslens[m][ind] := 1;
+
+        orblookup1[nr] := ind;
+        orblookup2[nr] := 1;
+
+        pt := [s, m, o, x, false, nr];
+        # semigroup, lambda orb scc index, lambda orb, rep,
+        # IsGreensClassNC, index in orbit
+
+      elif not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l]) then
+        # old rho-value, but new lambda-rho-combination
+        # update rho orbit graph
+        rho_orbitgraph[rholookup[i]][j] := l;
+        nr := nr + 1;
+        lenreps[m] := lenreps[m] + 1;
+        ind := lenreps[m];
+        lambdarhoht[l] := [];
+        lambdarhoht[l][m] := ind;
+
+        reps[m][ind] := [x];
+        repslookup[m][ind] := [nr];
+        repslens[m][ind] := 1;
+
+        orblookup1[nr] := ind;
+        orblookup2[nr] := 1;
+
+        pt := [s, m, o, x, false, nr];
+      elif not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l][m]) then
+        # old rho-value, but new lambda-rho-combination
+
+        # update rho orbit graph
+        rho_orbitgraph[rholookup[i]][j] := l;
+
+        nr := nr + 1;
+        lenreps[m] := lenreps[m] + 1;
+        ind := lenreps[m];
+        lambdarhoht[l][m] := ind;
+
+        reps[m][ind] := [x];
+        repslookup[m][ind] := [nr];
+        repslens[m][ind] := 1;
+
+        orblookup1[nr] := ind;
+        orblookup2[nr] := 1;
+
+        pt := [s, m, o, x, false, nr];
+      else
+        # old lambda-rho combination
+        ind := lambdarhoht[l][m];
+        pt := [s, m, o, x, false, nr + 1];
+
+        # check membership in Schutzenberger group via stabiliser chain
+        schutz := LambdaOrbStabChain(o, m);
+
+        if schutz = true then
+          # the Schutzenberger group is the symmetric group
+          graph[i][j] := repslookup[m][ind][1];
+          rho_orbitgraph[rholookup[i]][j] := l;
+          continue;
+        else
+          if schutz = false then
+            # the Schutzenberger group is trivial
+            data_val := htvalue(ht, x);
+            if data_val <> fail then
+              graph[i][j] := data_val;
+              rho_orbitgraph[rholookup[i]][j] := l;
+              continue;
+            fi;
+          else
+            # the Schutzenberger group is neither trivial nor symmetric group
+            old := false;
+            for n in [1 .. repslens[m][ind]] do
+              if membership(schutz, lambdaperm(reps[m][ind][n], x)) then
+                old := true;
+                graph[i][j] := repslookup[m][ind][n];
+                rho_orbitgraph[rholookup[i]][j] := l;
+                break;
+              fi;
+            od;
+            if old then
+              continue;
+            fi;
+          fi;
+          nr := nr + 1;
+          repslens[m][ind] := repslens[m][ind] + 1;
+          reps[m][ind][repslens[m][ind]] := x;
+          repslookup[m][ind][repslens[m][ind]] := nr;
+          orblookup1[nr] := ind;
+          orblookup2[nr] := repslens[m][ind];
+          # update rho orbit graph and rholookup
+          rho_orbitgraph[rholookup[i]][j] := l;
+        fi;
+      fi;
+      rholookup[nr] := l;  # orb[nr] has rho-value in position l of the rho-orb
+
+      orb[nr] := pt;
+      schreierpos[nr] := i;     # orb[nr] is obtained from orb[i]
+      schreiergen[nr] := j;     # by multiplying by gens[j]
+      schreiermult[nr] := pos;  # and ends up in position <pos> of
+                                # its lambda orb
+      htadd(ht, x, nr);
+      graph[nr] := EmptyPlist(nrgens);
+      graph[i][j] := nr;
+
+      # are we looking for something?
+      if looking then
+        # did we find it?
+        data!.pos := i - 1;
+        if lookfunc(data, pt) then
+          data!.found := nr;
+          rho_o!.depth := rho_depth;
+          return data;
+        fi;
+      fi;
+    od;
+
+    # for the rho-orbit
+    if suc then
+      rho_log[rho_logpos - 2] := -rho_log[rho_logpos - 2];
+    else
+      rho_logind[rholookup[i]] := 0;
+    fi;
+
+  od;
+
+  # for the data-orbit
+  data!.pos := i;
+
+  if looking then
+    data!.found := false;
+  fi;
+  if nr = i then
+    SetFilterObj(data, IsClosedData);
+    SetFilterObj(rho_o, IsClosedOrbit);
+    rho_o!.orbind := [1 .. rho_nr];
+  fi;
+
+  # for the rho-orbit
+  if i <> 0 then
+    rho_o!.pos := rholookup[i];
+    rho_o!.depth := rho_depth;
+  fi;
+
+  return data;
+end);
+
+# not currently applicable for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(OrbitGraph, "for semigroup data",
+[IsSemigroupData], data -> data!.graph);
+
+# not currently applicable for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(OrbitGraphAsSets, "for semigroup data",
+[IsSemigroupData], data -> List(data!.graph, Set));
+
+# returns the index of the representative of the R-class containing x in the
+# parent of data. Note that this depends on the state of the data, it only
+# tells you if it is there already, it doesn't try to find it.
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(Position,
+"for semigroup data, multiplicative element, and zero cyc",
+[IsSemigroupData, IsMultiplicativeElement, IsZeroCyc],
+function(data, x, n)
+  local S, o, l, m, val, schutz, lambdarhoht, ind, repslookup, reps, repslens,
+  membership, lambdaperm;
+
+  S := data!.parent;
+  x := ConvertToInternalElement(S, x);
+  o := data!.lambda_orb;
+  l := Position(o, LambdaFunc(S)(x));
+
+  if l = fail then
+    return fail;
+  fi;
+
+  m := OrbSCCLookup(o)[l];
+
+  if l <> OrbSCC(o)[m][1] then
+    x := x * LambdaOrbMult(o, m, l)[2];
+  fi;
+
+  val := HTValue(data!.ht, x);
+  schutz := LambdaOrbStabChain(o, m);
+
+  if val <> fail then
+    return val;
+  elif schutz = false then
+    return fail;
+  fi;
+
+  l := Position(RhoOrb(S), RhoFunc(S)(x));
+
+  if l = fail then
+    return fail;
+  fi;
+
+  lambdarhoht := data!.lambdarhoht;
+
+  if not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l]) or not IsBound(lambdarhoht[l][m]) then
+    return fail;
+  fi;
+
+  ind := lambdarhoht[l][m];
+  repslookup := data!.repslookup[m][ind];
+
+  if schutz = true then
+    return repslookup[1];
+  fi;
+
+  reps := data!.reps[m][ind];
+  repslens := data!.repslens[m][ind];
+  membership := SchutzGpMembership(S);
+  lambdaperm := LambdaPerm(S);
+
+  for n in [1 .. repslens] do
+    if membership(schutz, lambdaperm(reps[n], x)) then
+      return repslookup[n];
+    fi;
+  od;
+  return fail;
+end);
+
+InstallMethod(PositionOfFound, "for semigroup data",
+[IsSemigroupData],
+function(data)
+  if not(data!.looking) then
+    ErrorNoReturn("not looking for anything");
+  fi;
+  return data!.found;
+end);
+
+# same method for ideals
+
+BindGlobal("SizeOfSemigroupData",
+function(data)
+  local lenreps, repslens, o, scc, size, n, m, i;
+
+  if not IsSemigroupData(data) then
+    ErrorNoReturn("the argument must be a semigroup data object");
+  elif not data!.init then
+    return 0;
+  fi;
+
+  lenreps := data!.lenreps;
+  repslens := data!.repslens;
+  o := LambdaOrb(data!.parent);
+  scc := OrbSCC(o);
+
+  size := 0;
+  for m in [2 .. Length(scc)] do
+    n := Size(LambdaOrbSchutzGp(o, m)) * Length(scc[m]);
+    for i in [1 .. lenreps[m]] do
+      size := size + n * repslens[m][i];
+    od;
+  od;
+  return size;
+end);
+
+# different method for ideals
+
+InstallMethod(ViewObj, [IsSemigroupData],
+function(data)
+  Print("<");
+
+  if IsClosedData(data) then
+    Print("closed ");
+  else
+    Print("open ");
+  fi;
+  Print("semigroup ");
+
+  Print("data with ", Length(data!.orbit) - 1, " reps, ",
+        Length(LambdaOrb(data!.parent)) - 1, " lambda-values, ",
+        Length(RhoOrb(data!.parent)) - 1, " rho-values>");
+  return;
+end);
+
+# we require a fake one in the case that the objects we are dealing with don't
+# have one.
+
+InstallMethod(String, "for the universal fake one",
+[SEMIGROUPS_IsUniversalFakeOne], obj -> "<universal fake one>");
+
+InstallMethod(\*,
+"for the universal fake one and a multiplicative element",
+[SEMIGROUPS_IsUniversalFakeOne, IsMultiplicativeElement],
+{x, y} -> y);
+
+InstallMethod(\*,
+"for a multiplicative element and the universal fake one",
+[IsMultiplicativeElement, SEMIGROUPS_IsUniversalFakeOne],
+ReturnFirst);
+
+InstallMethod(\<, "for the universal fake one and a multiplicative element",
+[SEMIGROUPS_IsUniversalFakeOne, IsMultiplicativeElement], ReturnTrue);
+
+InstallMethod(\<, "for a multiplicative element and the universal fake one",
+[IsMultiplicativeElement, SEMIGROUPS_IsUniversalFakeOne], ReturnFalse);