-# influences are always merged, no matter the operation performed,
-# as long as the two items are always both present
-foreach my $op ('$s | $f', '$s & $f', '$s & $f & E()', '$s | E() | $f',
- '! $s | ! $f', '!(!(!$s)) | $f') {
+# influence merging tests
+foreach my $test (
+ ['$s | $f' => 1], # OR merges
+ ['! $s | ! $f' => 1], # OR merges with negated terms too
+ ['!(!(!$s)) | $f' => 1],# OR merges with multiple negation too
+ ['$s | $f | E()' => 1], # OR merges, even though E() has no influences
+ ['$s | E() | $f' => 1], # ditto
+ ['E() | $s | $f' => 1], # ditto
+ ['!$s | !$f | E()' => 1],# negated terms also do not block merges
+ ['!$s | E() | $f' => 1],# ditto
+ ['E() | $s | !$f' => 1],# ditto
+ ['$s & $f' => 1], # AND merges if both items have influences
+ ['!$s & $f' => 1], # AND merges negated terms too
+ ['$s & !$f' => 1], # AND merges negated terms too
+ ['$s & $f & E()' => 0], # AND fails to merge since E() has no influences
+ ['$s & E() & $f' => 0], # ditto
+ ['E() & $s & $f' => 0], # ditto
+ ) {
+ my $op=$test->[0];
+ my $influence=$test->[1];
+