A software system for multiextremal optimization

The system for multiextremal optimization (SYMOP) described here is a program package [7] oriented for using in the computer-aided design (CAD) as some invariant software tool of making efficient design decisions. Besides, it is possible to use this system independently for solivng various optimization problems and systems of nonlinear algebraic equations. The SYMOP package is designed to solve numerically the multicriteria multiextremal multidimensional optimziatin problems with complicated constraints. These problems can be considered as the mathematical models of decision making problems in various applications. For example, these may be identification problems (defining the functional dependencies by experimental data), approximation problems (choosing the optimal parameters of given functions), etc. As shows the SYMOP system differs from packages of similar purpose. On the one hand, the SYMOP is oriented upon solving complicated decision-making problems. On the other hand, a wide set of optimization problems can be solved by this system. Also, the decision making process performed by the SYMOP system is similar to the techniques used in the CAD to choose an optimal decision. The system has been implemented on the IBM/360-compatible ES-1035 computer and if runs under the ES OS operating system. It was written in FORTRAN-IV. As minimum the system needs 200Kb of internal and 2Mb of external memory. For dialogue the ES-7920 alphabetic displays are used.