public ExplorationStep next() {
		if (this.candidates == null) {
			return null;
		}

		while (true) {
			int candidate = this.candidates.next();

			if (candidate < 0) {
				return null;
			}

			try {
				if (this.selectChain == null || this.selectChain.select(candidate, this)) {
					TransactionsIterable support = this.dataset.getSupport(candidate);

					// System.out.println("extending "+Arrays.toString(this.pattern)+
					// " with "+
					// candidate+" ("+this.counters.getReverseRenaming()[candidate]+")");

					Counters candidateCounts = new Counters(this.counters.minSupport, support.iterator(), candidate,
							this.dataset.getIgnoredItems(), this.counters.maxFrequent);

					int greatest = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
					for (int i = 0; i < candidateCounts.closure.length; i++) {
						if (candidateCounts.closure[i] > greatest) {
							greatest = candidateCounts.closure[i];
						}
					}

					if (greatest > candidate) {
						throw new WrongFirstParentException(candidate, greatest);
					}

					// instanciateDataset may choose to compress renaming - if
					// not, at least it's set for now.
					candidateCounts.reuseRenaming(this.counters.reverseRenaming);

					return new ExplorationStep(this, candidate, candidateCounts, support);
				}
			} catch (WrongFirstParentException e) {
				addFailedFPTest(e.extension, e.firstParent);
			}
		}
	}