Reference: Zygmont, A. SOLACE: Systems Optimization Laboratory's Automated Computational Expertise. May, 1988.
Abstract: SOLACE represents the first step in the development of an intelligent interface for NPSOL, a nonlinear optimization package comprising 15,000 lines of FORTRAN. NPSOL will optimize a nonlinear objective function subject to bounds, linear constraints, and nonlinear constrainsts on the variables. SOLACE incorporates the expertise of the NPSOL developers to help users at both the front end, for the preparation of correct NPSOL input, and the back end, for the analysis of the output and the diagnosis of errorful results. The report focuses on the back end of the interface which includes a data interpreter called SOLINT and an expert system called SOLES. Presently, the system determines the quality of numerical computation and recommends changes and actions to the user. Knowledge in the system is distributed among three distinct and major components: NPSOL, SOLINT, and SOLES. The effect of this distribution on knowledge elicitation, system development, and system testing is discussed. SOLES was developed using the Personal Consultant Plus expert system tool and the interpreter, SOLINT, was implemented in FORTRAN. To facilitate the discussion of the total system the essentials of the domain, NPSOL, are presented. The report concludes with an example demonstrating SOLACE's performance.
Notes: 55 pages.