Introduction

Version 3.0067

The COCONUT environment is a modular solver environment for nonlinear continuous global optimization problems with an open-source kernel, which can be expanded by commercial and open-source solver components (inference modules).

The application programmer's interface (API) is designed to make the development of the various module types independent of each other and independent of the internal model representation. It is be a collection of open-source C++ classes protected by the LGPL and GPL license models, so that most of it could be used as part of commercial software (special license regulations are contained in the distribution). It uses the FILIB++ library for interval computations and the matrix template library (MTL) for the internal representation of various matrix classes. The graphs are implemented using the VGTL (Vienna Graph Template Library), and the search database is based on the VDBL (Vienna DataBase Library). Support for dynamic linking relieves the user from recompilation when modules are added or removed. In addition, it is designed for distributed computing, and will probably be developed further (in the upcoming years) to support parallel computing as well.

Search Graph

The solution algorithm is an advanced branch-and-bound scheme which proceeds by working on the search graph, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) of search nodes, each representing an optimization problem, a model. The search nodes come in two flavors: full nodes which record the complete description of a model, and delta nodes which only contain the difference between the model represented by the node and its (then only) parent.

Models, Expressions

The optimization problems (models) stored in the work nodes, which are passed to the various inference engines, are kept as directed acyclic graphs (DAG), as well. This representation has big advantages. Hereby, a complete optimization problem is always represented by a single DAG. The vertices of the graph represent operators similar to computational trees. Constants and variables are sources, objective and constraints are sinks of the DAG.

Every vertex represents a real valued function of n variables. Predefined functions include sum, product, max, min, elementary real functions (exp, log, pow, sqrt, ...), and also some discrete operators like all_diff and count.

Evaluators

For expression graphs (DAG or tree), special forward and backward evaluators are provided. Currently implemented are real function values, function ranges, gradients (real, interval), and slopes. In the near future evaluators for Hessians (real, interval) and second order slopes will be provided, as well.

Module Interfaces

The strategy calls the various model classes to perform clearly distinguished tasks. The management modules and the initializers change the internal structure, the report modules produce output, and the inference modules (inference engines, graph analyzers) calculate information about the models and the search graph.

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