[Dip] Generic Block-Angular Implementation of Dip

[Kipp Martin]

Hi:

A generic block-angular decomposition algorithm is now available. It is
based on the Decomposition in Integer Programming (Dip) project jointly 
with the Optimization Services (OS) project. We call this the OS Dip 
solver.  It has the following features:

[1.]  All subproblems are solved via an oracle; either the default 
oracle contained in our distribution or one provided by the user.

[2.] The OS Dip Solver code is independent of the oracle used to 
optimize the subproblems.

[3.] Variables are assigned to blocks using an OS option file, the block
definition and assignment of variables to these blocks has no effect on 
the OS Dip Solver code.

[4.] Different blocks for the same problem can be assigned different 
solver oracles based on the option values given in the OSoL file.

[5.] There is a default oracle implemented (called OSDipBockCoinSolver) 
that currently uses Cbc.

[6.] Users can easily add their own oracles without altering the OS Dip 
Solver code. The user simply creates a separate file containing
the oracle class. The user-provided oracle class  inherits from the 
generic OSDipBlockSolver class. The user need only: 1) add the object 
file name for the new oracle to the Makefile, and 2) add the necessary 
line to OSDipFactoryInitializer.h indicating that the new oracle is 
present.

The code is distributed as part of the ApplicationTemplates subproject 
of CoinBazzar. See

https://projects.coin-or.org/CoinBazaar/wiki/Projects/ApplicationTemplates


Documentation is available at

https://projects.coin-or.org/CoinBazaar/export/296/projects/ApplicationTemplates/osDip/osDip.pdf

Thanks

-- 
Kipp Martin
Professor of Operations Research
and Computing Technology
Booth School of Business
University of Chicago
5807 South Woodlawn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
773-702-7456
kmartin at chicagobooth.edu
http://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/bio.aspx?person_id=12825325568
http://projects.coin-or.org/OS