+lemma star_decomp_l :
+ ∀A,R,x,y.star A R x y → x = y ∨ ∃z.R x z ∧ star A R z y.
+#A #R #x #y #Hstar elim Hstar
+[ #b #c #Hleft #Hright *
+ [ #H1 %2 @(ex_intro ?? c) % //
+ | * #x0 * #H1 #H2 %2 @(ex_intro ?? x0) % /2/ ]
+| /2/ ]
+qed.
+
+(* right associative version of star *)
+inductive starl (A:Type[0]) (R:relation A) : A → A → Prop ≝
+ |sstepl: ∀a,b,c.R a b → starl A R b c → starl A R a c
+ |refll: ∀a.starl A R a a.
+
+lemma starl_comp : ∀A,R,a,b,c.
+ starl A R a b → R b c → starl A R a c.
+#A #R #a #b #c #Hstar elim Hstar
+ [#a1 #b1 #c1 #Rab #sbc #Hind #a1 @(sstepl … Rab) @Hind //
+ |#a1 #Rac @(sstepl … Rac) //
+ ]
+qed.
+
+lemma star_compl : ∀A,R,a,b,c.
+ R a b → star A R b c → star A R a c.
+#A #R #a #b #c #Rab #Hstar elim Hstar
+ [#b1 #c1 #sbb1 #Rb1c1 #Hind @(sstep … Rb1c1) @Hind
+ |@(sstep … Rab) //
+ ]
+qed.
+
+lemma star_to_starl: ∀A,R,a,b.star A R a b → starl A R a b.
+#A #R #a #b #Hs elim Hs //
+#d #c #sad #Rdc #sad @(starl_comp … Rdc) //
+qed.
+
+lemma starl_to_star: ∀A,R,a,b.starl A R a b → star A R a b.
+#A #R #a #b #Hs elim Hs // -Hs -b -a
+#a #b #c #Rab #sbc #sbc @(star_compl … Rab) //
+qed.
+
+fact star_ind_l_aux: ∀A,R,a2. ∀P:predicate A.
+ P a2 →
+ (∀a1,a. R a1 a → star … R a a2 → P a → P a1) →
+ ∀a1,a. star … R a1 a → a = a2 → P a1.
+#A #R #a2 #P #H1 #H2 #a1 #a #Ha1
+elim (star_to_starl ???? Ha1) -a1 -a
+[ #a #b #c #Hab #Hbc #IH #H destruct /3 width=4/
+| #a #H destruct /2 width=1/
+]
+qed-.
+
+(* imporeved version of star_ind_l with "left_parameter" *)
+lemma star_ind_l: ∀A,R,a2. ∀P:predicate A.
+ P a2 →
+ (∀a1,a. R a1 a → star … R a a2 → P a → P a1) →
+ ∀a1. star … R a1 a2 → P a1.
+#A #R #a2 #P #H1 #H2 #a1 #Ha12
+@(star_ind_l_aux … H1 H2 … Ha12) //
+qed.
+
+(* TC and star *)