choco-users Mailing List for choco

Hello Hadrien,

Following your suggestion, I've added the Howto in the last
section "Inside Choco" of the user guide.

I've added the packages list taken from the Javadoc.

If you have special guidelines to follow, please advise.

--Eric

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Hadrien=20
  To: Eric Amram ; cho...@li...=20
  Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 2:12 PM
  Subject: Re: [Choco-users] CVS Anonymous checkout -- Eclipse HOWTO


  Hello,

  >However, I may contribute right now to the documentation,
  >as I have struggled through the docs & api.
  >Some parts of the wiki could be developed for the dummy  first-time =
users.
  > Please give me your feeling about.

  This would be great. We recently set up the wiki =
http://choco-solver.net/ to
  this end and I have forgotten to mention it :) !
  The "How to check out the CHOCO project" would be very usefull. Feel =
free to add it.

  > Is it possible with current api to :
  > 1/ Launch the search for 60 sec for instance.
  > 2/ If there is a solution found, return it to the user
  > 3/ If there is none (but we know the pb is not unfeasible), alert
  >    the user we keep on searching and RESUME the search=20
  >    FROM WHERE WE WERE before.
  > --> Loop to 1/ as long as needed.

  > Is it possible to call launch() a second time, with restart false,=20
  > while keeping all previous results from the first launch() call ?

  Points 1/ and 2/ are possible with a time limit: =
pb.getSolver().setTimeLimit(time_limit_in_millisecond). If a solution
  has been found, it is restored (the best one found is restored in case =
of optimization).
  However once the limit is reached the solver backtrack to the root =
node.
  I believe it is actually not possible to resume the search after a =
limit has been encountered.
  However, this is exactly what happend when calling nextSolution(), the =
solver restarts the search from the node the solution was found. So this =
behaviour has not been implemented for SearchLimit but should not be =
very difficult to add.
  It could be a TODO added on the wiki page :)

  Hadrien
    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Eric Amram=20
    To: cho...@li...=20
    Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 1:41 PM
    Subject: [Choco-users] CVS Anonymous checkout -- Eclipse HOWTO


    Hello passionate choco users,

    Here is a simple Howto to check out CHOCO project=20
    from SourceForge, with Eclipse.
    This is very easy :

    1/ In the workspace of your choice, do "New Project"
        and choose "CVS" / Checkout Projects from CVS"

    2/ Check "Create a new repository location" and fill=20
        the following info:
        Host :                   choco.cvs.sourceforge.net
        Repository path :   /cvsroot/choco
        User :                   anonymous
        (no password)
        (keep pserver and default port)

    3/ "Use an existing module [...]"
        Select "java"
     =20
    Follow the next screens as usual to create the project.


    WARNING:=20

    1/ You need JUNIT JAR to compile the project properly
        (www.junit.org if you don't have it already in eclipse)

    2/ As I use UTF-8, I had a compile error in a test file :
      In choco.test.integer.NaryRelationTest
      Line 156 & next
      forbiddenTuplesAine  has a "=E9" at the end, so does not compile.
      But I'm sure this will be corrected by the time you read it {;-))

Hello,

>However, I may contribute right now to the documentation,
>as I have struggled through the docs & api.
>Some parts of the wiki could be developed for the dummy  first-time =
users.
> Please give me your feeling about.

This would be great. We recently set up the wiki =
http://choco-solver.net/ to
this end and I have forgotten to mention it :) !
The "How to check out the CHOCO project" would be very usefull. Feel =
free to add it.

> Is it possible with current api to :
> 1/ Launch the search for 60 sec for instance.
> 2/ If there is a solution found, return it to the user
> 3/ If there is none (but we know the pb is not unfeasible), alert
>    the user we keep on searching and RESUME the search=20
>    FROM WHERE WE WERE before.
> --> Loop to 1/ as long as needed.

> Is it possible to call launch() a second time, with restart false,=20
> while keeping all previous results from the first launch() call ?

Points 1/ and 2/ are possible with a time limit: =
pb.getSolver().setTimeLimit(time_limit_in_millisecond). If a solution
has been found, it is restored (the best one found is restored in case =
of optimization).
However once the limit is reached the solver backtrack to the root node.
I believe it is actually not possible to resume the search after a limit =
has been encountered.
However, this is exactly what happend when calling nextSolution(), the =
solver restarts the search from the node the solution was found. So this =
behaviour has not been implemented for SearchLimit but should not be =
very difficult to add.
It could be a TODO added on the wiki page :)

Hadrien
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Eric Amram=20
  To: cho...@li...=20
  Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 1:41 PM
  Subject: [Choco-users] CVS Anonymous checkout -- Eclipse HOWTO


  Hello passionate choco users,

  Here is a simple Howto to check out CHOCO project=20
  from SourceForge, with Eclipse.
  This is very easy :

  1/ In the workspace of your choice, do "New Project"
      and choose "CVS" / Checkout Projects from CVS"

  2/ Check "Create a new repository location" and fill=20
      the following info:
      Host :                   choco.cvs.sourceforge.net
      Repository path :   /cvsroot/choco
      User :                   anonymous
      (no password)
      (keep pserver and default port)

  3/ "Use an existing module [...]"
      Select "java"
   =20
  Follow the next screens as usual to create the project.


  WARNING:=20

  1/ You need JUNIT JAR to compile the project properly
      (www.junit.org if you don't have it already in eclipse)

  2/ As I use UTF-8, I had a compile error in a test file :
    In choco.test.integer.NaryRelationTest
    Line 156 & next
    forbiddenTuplesAine  has a "=E9" at the end, so does not compile.
    But I'm sure this will be corrected by the time you read it {;-))

Hello passionate choco users,

Here is a simple Howto to check out CHOCO project=20
from SourceForge, with Eclipse.
This is very easy :

1/ In the workspace of your choice, do "New Project"
    and choose "CVS" / Checkout Projects from CVS"

2/ Check "Create a new repository location" and fill=20
    the following info:
    Host :                   choco.cvs.sourceforge.net
    Repository path :   /cvsroot/choco
    User :                   anonymous
    (no password)
    (keep pserver and default port)

3/ "Use an existing module [...]"
    Select "java"
 =20
Follow the next screens as usual to create the project.


WARNING:=20

1/ You need JUNIT JAR to compile the project properly
    (www.junit.org if you don't have it already in eclipse)

2/ As I use UTF-8, I had a compile error in a test file :
  In choco.test.integer.NaryRelationTest
  Line 156 & next
  forbiddenTuplesAine  has a "=E9" at the end, so does not compile.
  But I'm sure this will be corrected by the time you read it {;-))

Hi all,

When doing optimization problems, we often have=20
to deal with huge exploration space that we can not exhaust.
So we need to add some time limit, especially if there is
a user waiting for.

Is it possible with current api to :
1/ Launch the search for 60 sec for instance.
2/ If there is a solution found, return it to the user
    (as our magnificient heuristics will give one of the best answer)
3/ If there is none (but we know the pb is not unfeasible), alert
    the user we keep on searching and RESUME the search=20
    FROM WHERE WE WERE before.
--> Loop to 1/ as long as needed.

Is it possible to call launch() a second time, with restart false,=20
while keeping all previous results from the first launch() call ?

Thanks for your help,

--Eric

Hello Hadrien,

Thanks for your answers, episodes are getting
more and more interesting {;-)

I'll try the new jar asap.
It would be nice indeed to be able to check out=20
anonymously from CVS directly, to get last evolutions quickly.

About my contribution: I don't consider myself as being
knowledgeable enough to develop new constraints myself.
Maybe in the next months.
However, I may contribute right now to the documentation,
as I have struggled through the docs & api.
Some parts of the wiki could be developed for the dummy=20
first-time users.
Please give me your feeling about.

--Eric=20

=20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Hadrien=20
  To: Eric Amram ; cho...@li...=20
  Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 9:40 AM
  Subject: Re: [Choco-users] Two caveats that can turn into BIG BUGS


  Hello,

  1/ pb.nth( IntVar index, ... ) --> index must be from makeEnumIntVar() =
!!

  Yes ! BoundConsistency is not implemented on the element constraint. =
But it seems to make=20
  more sens in ArcConsistency. Anyway I have added a clear error message =
...=20

  2/ pb.getSolver().attachGoal() is protected. --> Should be public !!

  Yes ! thank you, it is now public

  3/ Is the SourceForge CVS the main repository ?
  I don't find the Solver.setVerbosity() that is documented is the user =
guide...

  Yes sourceforge is the main repository. Let me send you the last jar =
privately until guillaume has published the new
  one and a guideline to checkout the cvsroot as an anonymous user. (He =
promised to do it tonight... :))

  4/ Last but not least: how can I help to contribute to this great =
project ?

  For the moment, the easiest way to contribute is to implement =
constraints. You can send us the code of a constraint and a set of tests =
so we can add them with the corresponding api in Problem. If you want =
then to do more, francois may give you the developper status !


  Hadrien
    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Eric Amram=20
    To: cho...@li...=20
    Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 6:52 PM
    Subject: [Choco-users] Two caveats that can turn into BIG BUGS


    Hi all,

    I would like to notify 2 caveats I've spotted (actually that
    made my code crash {:-((

    1/ pb.nth( IntVar index, ... ) --> index must be from =
makeEnumIntVar() !!

       It is said to take a IntVar, but if you provide a variable
       from  pb.makeBoundIntVar, it crashes :
       IntervalIntDomain.getIterator  throws an exception.
       That was a tough bug to find...

    2/ pb.getSolver().attachGoal() is protected. --> Should be public !!

       So the only mean to set the FIRST goal of the solver
       is to setVarSelector / setValSelector / setValIterator
       before the generateSearchSolver()
       That's a little bit tricky, and prevent from using anything else =
than AssignVar.

       The wiki doc "Define your own tree search" is not in sync with =
the code
       (it uses attachGoal).


    Hope it helps to make Choco better !!

    --Eric

Hello,

1/ pb.nth( IntVar index, ... ) --> index must be from makeEnumIntVar() =
!!

Yes ! BoundConsistency is not implemented on the element constraint. But =
it seems to make=20
more sens in ArcConsistency. Anyway I have added a clear error message =
...=20

2/ pb.getSolver().attachGoal() is protected. --> Should be public !!

Yes ! thank you, it is now public

3/ Is the SourceForge CVS the main repository ?
I don't find the Solver.setVerbosity() that is documented is the user =
guide...

Yes sourceforge is the main repository. Let me send you the last jar =
privately until guillaume has published the new
one and a guideline to checkout the cvsroot as an anonymous user. (He =
promised to do it tonight... :))

4/ Last but not least: how can I help to contribute to this great =
project ?

For the moment, the easiest way to contribute is to implement =
constraints. You can send us the code of a constraint and a set of tests =
so we can add them with the corresponding api in Problem. If you want =
then to do more, francois may give you the developper status !
=20

Hadrien
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Eric Amram=20
  To: cho...@li...=20
  Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 6:52 PM
  Subject: [Choco-users] Two caveats that can turn into BIG BUGS


  Hi all,

  I would like to notify 2 caveats I've spotted (actually that
  made my code crash {:-((

  1/ pb.nth( IntVar index, ... ) --> index must be from makeEnumIntVar() =
!!

     It is said to take a IntVar, but if you provide a variable
     from  pb.makeBoundIntVar, it crashes :
     IntervalIntDomain.getIterator  throws an exception.
     That was a tough bug to find...

  2/ pb.getSolver().attachGoal() is protected. --> Should be public !!

     So the only mean to set the FIRST goal of the solver
     is to setVarSelector / setValSelector / setValIterator
     before the generateSearchSolver()
     That's a little bit tricky, and prevent from using anything else =
than AssignVar.

     The wiki doc "Define your own tree search" is not in sync with the =
code
     (it uses attachGoal).


  Hope it helps to make Choco better !!

  --Eric

Hello Hadrien,

Thank you for your answers, I can't stand waiting for the next
episodes {;-)

The java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException was indeed linked to
that, because of a pb.nth() constraint that does not support BoundIntVar
as index.

Is the SourceForge CVS the main repository ?
I don't find the Solver.setVerbosity() that is documented is the user =
guide...

Bye,

--Eric


  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Hadrien=20
  To: Eric Amram ; cho...@li...=20
  Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 2:00 PM
  Subject: Re: [Choco-users] Choco, CVS & =
UnsupportedOperationException...


  Hello,
  Some answers :),=20

  > 2/ Are there features that are still not implemented in the .jar, =
like some parts of the AC2001 or the RandomIntValSelector ?
  > I've noticed some "TODO" remaining in the code.=20
  To my knowledge AC2001 for binary constraints as well as the =
RandomIntValSelector are available.
  However the GAC2001 (for n-ary constraints) is not yet fully available

  > 3/ One of my algorithms runs smoothly, but the other, more complex, =
generate a=20
  > "UnsupportedOperationException at =
choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator"=20
  > Here is the stacktrace:=20
  > Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException=20

  Yes this is because you ask for a domain iterator on a BounIntVar =
variable. A BoundIntVar
  is only managed by its lower and upper bound so that "holes" in the =
domain are taken into account.
  So you can not iterate on its domain. You can know whether a variable =
v is Enumerated or not with v.isEnumerated().

  > 4/ There is a "bad.jar" in the contrib section. Is it contained in =
the .jar now, or still aside?

  It is included in the current version.
  check the http://choco-solver.net in the user-guide section, the part =
on "advanced constraints" describes the latest
  added global constraints.

  Hop it helps. Answers for the remaining questions will come soon :) =
...=20
  We need to publish the last jar.

  Hadrien
    ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Eric Amram=20
    To: cho...@li...=20
    Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 4:44 PMSubject: [Choco-users] Choco, CVS =
& UnsupportedOperationException...


          Hello,=20
          =20
          First of all, congratulations for this piece of software, =
that's a great achievement! =20
          I used to be a user of choco in Claire language, and using =
Java is much easier and convenient. Thank you !=20
          =20
          As I'm rewriting old apps in choco-java, I'm encountering hard =
points I have trouble to solve.=20
          =20
          A few question to you guys, who have the Wisdom and Knowledge =
of the Source:=20
          =20
          1/ Is the 1_1_02.jar the latest available version or is the =
CVS version more complete??=20
              Is the CVS version of SourceForge up-to-date ?
          =20
          2/ Are there features that are still not implemented in the =
.jar, like some parts of the AC2001 or the RandomIntValSelector ? I've =
noticed some "TODO" remaining in the code.=20
          =20
          3/ One of my algorithms runs smoothly, but the other, more =
complex, generate a=20
          "UnsupportedOperationException at =
choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator"=20
          =20
          Here is the stacktrace:=20
          =20
          Exception in thread "main" =
java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException=20
          at choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator(Unknown =
Source)=20
          at =
choco.integer.constraints.Element.updateValueFromIndex(Unknown Source)=20
          at choco.integer.constraints.Element.awake(Unknown Source)=20
          at choco.prop.ConstraintEvent.propagateEvent(Unknown Source)=20
          at choco.prop.ConstraintEventQueue.propagateSomeEvents(Unknown =
Source)=20
          at choco.AbstractProblem.propagate(Unknown Source)=20
          at =
choco.search.AbstractGlobalSearchSolver.incrementalRun(Unknown Source)=20
          at choco.Solver.launch(Unknown Source)=20
          ...=20
          =20
          Would you know where it could come from ???=20
          =20
          =20
          4/ There is a "bad.jar" in the contrib section. Is it =
contained in the .jar now, or still aside?=20
          =20
          5/ Last but not least: how can I help to contribute to this =
great project ?=20
          =20
          Thank you in advance,=20
          =20
          --Eric=20


          P.S.: The choco.sourceforge.net site "Latest downloads" =
section is outdated,
                  since it gives version 1_1_01=20

Hello,
Some answers :),=20

> 2/ Are there features that are still not implemented in the .jar, like =
some parts of the AC2001 or the RandomIntValSelector ?
> I've noticed some "TODO" remaining in the code.=20
To my knowledge AC2001 for binary constraints as well as the =
RandomIntValSelector are available.
However the GAC2001 (for n-ary constraints) is not yet fully available

> 3/ One of my algorithms runs smoothly, but the other, more complex, =
generate a=20
> "UnsupportedOperationException at =
choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator"=20
> Here is the stacktrace:=20
> Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException=20

Yes this is because you ask for a domain iterator on a BounIntVar =
variable. A BoundIntVar
is only managed by its lower and upper bound so that "holes" in the =
domain are taken into account.
So you can not iterate on its domain. You can know whether a variable v =
is Enumerated or not with v.isEnumerated().

> 4/ There is a "bad.jar" in the contrib section. Is it contained in the =
.jar now, or still aside?

It is included in the current version.
check the http://choco-solver.net in the user-guide section, the part on =
"advanced constraints" describes the latest
added global constraints.

Hop it helps. Answers for the remaining questions will come soon :) ...=20
We need to publish the last jar.

Hadrien
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Eric Amram=20
  To: cho...@li...=20
  Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 4:44 PMSubject: [Choco-users] Choco, CVS & =
UnsupportedOperationException...


        Hello,=20
        =20
        First of all, congratulations for this piece of software, that's =
a great achievement! =20
        I used to be a user of choco in Claire language, and using Java =
is much easier and convenient. Thank you !=20
        =20
        As I'm rewriting old apps in choco-java, I'm encountering hard =
points I have trouble to solve.=20
        =20
        A few question to you guys, who have the Wisdom and Knowledge of =
the Source:=20
        =20
        1/ Is the 1_1_02.jar the latest available version or is the CVS =
version more complete??=20
            Is the CVS version of SourceForge up-to-date ?
        =20
        2/ Are there features that are still not implemented in the =
.jar, like some parts of the AC2001 or the RandomIntValSelector ? I've =
noticed some "TODO" remaining in the code.=20
        =20
        3/ One of my algorithms runs smoothly, but the other, more =
complex, generate a=20
        "UnsupportedOperationException at =
choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator"=20
        =20
        Here is the stacktrace:=20
        =20
        Exception in thread "main" =
java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException=20
        at choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator(Unknown =
Source)=20
        at =
choco.integer.constraints.Element.updateValueFromIndex(Unknown Source)=20
        at choco.integer.constraints.Element.awake(Unknown Source)=20
        at choco.prop.ConstraintEvent.propagateEvent(Unknown Source)=20
        at choco.prop.ConstraintEventQueue.propagateSomeEvents(Unknown =
Source)=20
        at choco.AbstractProblem.propagate(Unknown Source)=20
        at =
choco.search.AbstractGlobalSearchSolver.incrementalRun(Unknown Source)=20
        at choco.Solver.launch(Unknown Source)=20
        ...=20
        =20
        Would you know where it could come from ???=20
        =20
        =20
        4/ There is a "bad.jar" in the contrib section. Is it contained =
in the .jar now, or still aside?=20
        =20
        5/ Last but not least: how can I help to contribute to this =
great project ?=20
        =20
        Thank you in advance,=20
        =20
        --Eric=20


        P.S.: The choco.sourceforge.net site "Latest downloads" section =
is outdated,
                since it gives version 1_1_01=20

Hi all,

I would like to notify 2 caveats I've spotted (actually that
made my code crash {:-((

1/ pb.nth( IntVar index, ... ) --> index must be from makeEnumIntVar() =
!!

   It is said to take a IntVar, but if you provide a variable
   from  pb.makeBoundIntVar, it crashes :
   IntervalIntDomain.getIterator  throws an exception.
   That was a tough bug to find...

2/ pb.getSolver().attachGoal() is protected. --> Should be public !!

   So the only mean to set the FIRST goal of the solver
   is to setVarSelector / setValSelector / setValIterator
   before the generateSearchSolver()
   That's a little bit tricky, and prevent from using anything else than =
AssignVar.

   The wiki doc "Define your own tree search" is not in sync with the =
code
   (it uses attachGoal).


Hope it helps to make Choco better !!

--Eric

      Hello,=20
      =20
      First of all, congratulations for this piece of software, that's a =
great achievement! =20
      I used to be a user of choco in Claire language, and using Java is =
much easier and convenient. Thank you !=20
      =20
      As I'm rewriting old apps in choco-java, I'm encountering hard =
points I have trouble to solve.=20
      =20
      A few question to you guys, who have the Wisdom and Knowledge of =
the Source:=20
      =20
      1/ Is the 1_1_02.jar the latest available version or is the CVS =
version more complete??=20
          Is the CVS version of SourceForge up-to-date ?
      =20
      2/ Are there features that are still not implemented in the .jar, =
like some parts of the AC2001 or the RandomIntValSelector ? I've noticed =
some "TODO" remaining in the code.=20
      =20
      3/ One of my algorithms runs smoothly, but the other, more =
complex, generate a=20
      "UnsupportedOperationException at =
choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator"=20
      =20
      Here is the stacktrace:=20
      =20
      Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException =

      at choco.integer.var.IntervalIntDomain.getIterator(Unknown Source) =

      at choco.integer.constraints.Element.updateValueFromIndex(Unknown =
Source)=20
      at choco.integer.constraints.Element.awake(Unknown Source)=20
      at choco.prop.ConstraintEvent.propagateEvent(Unknown Source)=20
      at choco.prop.ConstraintEventQueue.propagateSomeEvents(Unknown =
Source)=20
      at choco.AbstractProblem.propagate(Unknown Source)=20
      at choco.search.AbstractGlobalSearchSolver.incrementalRun(Unknown =
Source)=20
      at choco.Solver.launch(Unknown Source)=20
      ...=20
      =20
      Would you know where it could come from ???=20
      =20
      =20
      4/ There is a "bad.jar" in the contrib section. Is it contained in =
the .jar now, or still aside?=20
      =20
      5/ Last but not least: how can I help to contribute to this great =
project ?=20
      =20
      Thank you in advance,=20
      =20
      --Eric=20


      P.S.: The choco.sourceforge.net site "Latest downloads" section is =
outdated,
              since it gives version 1_1_01=20