tablix2_plot - Tablix data plotter

tablix2_plot command [ options ]

Tablix is a powerful free software kernel for solving general timetabling problems. It uses a coarse-grained parallel genetic algorithm in combination with other techniques to construct sensible timetables from XML formatted problem descriptions. Tablix can run on a single host as well as on a heterogeneous parallel virtual machine using PVM3.

tablix2_plot can be used to plot various types of population convergence graphs using data in files usually named conv0.txt , conv1.txt , ... Tablix will save convergence data into these files if it was compiled with the --enable-conv option.

These graphs can be useful for example to get a rough estimate of time required to solve a particular problem (note that tablix2_plot can be safely used with files that are still written to by a running Tablix session).

Graphs are plotted with gnuplot using the default output terminal (which is in most cases a X11 display). Encapsulated postscript files can be obtained by setting EPSOUTPUT environment variable. Scalable vector graphics files can be obtained by setting SVGOUTPUT environment variable. The contents of these variables are used by tablix2_plot as a file name to write to.

tablix2_plot --conv-fitness [ --scale SCALE ] [ PREFIX ] ...

Plot population convergence graph using convergence data in files conv*.txt in the current directory. One line is drawn for each computing node. It shows the fitness value of the best timetable versus generation count.

Use the PREFIX option, if you used the -o option with Tablix. You can use more than one PREFIX option to plot multiple convergence graphs in one window.

Use the SCALE option to adjust the vertical scale.

tablix2_plot --fit-fitness [ --scale SCALE ] [ PREFIX ] ...

Same as --conv-fitness above, except that an exponential function is also drawn on the graph using least squares fitting. This can be used to get a rough estimate of the time required to find a solution.

The SCALE parameter is used to adjust the horizontal scale in this case.

tablix2_plot --functions [ --scale SCALE ] CONVFILE

Plot the return value of each fitness function versus generation count. Return values of mandatory fitness functions are plotted with thicker lines.

CONVFILE must be a file with Tablix population convergence data (usually named conv*.txt ).

Use the SCALE option to adjust the vertical scale.

If Tablix was started with the following command:

tablix2 -o u1_ sample.xml

then the following command plots the population convergence graph:

tablix2_plot --conv-fitness u1_

Encapsulated postscript version of the same graph can be obtained with the following command in bash shell:

EPSOUTPUT=graph.eps tablix2_plot --conv-fitness u1_

To see which mandatory restriction is preventing Tablix from finding the solution, use the per module plot, possibly with a small vertical scale:

tablix2_plot --functions --scale 100 u1_conv0.txt

In addition to gnuplot tablix2_plot utility depends on a number of common UNIX programs (mktemp, grep, sed, awk, ...) that may not be available on all systems. The script is not currently capable of properly detecting if any required programs are missing.

Tomaz Solc (tomaz.solc@siol.net)

tablix2(1), Tablix User's Manual, Tablix modules HOWTO, Tablix on Morphix HOWTO