Inputs

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Before running your optimization, you need to set up your inputs. If you used the code converter, the inputs will be automatically populated for you. You will probably need to adjust them to suite your requirements.

For each input in your strategy, the inputs frame contains the Input Number, Chromosome Number, Gene Number, Input Name, and Min/Max/Inc values.

If the inputs that Optimax automatically added during code conversion are not what you require or if you manually inserted the OMX calls into your strategy, you can cut and paste the inputs into this screen. Click Select All, then Delete, then place your cursor in the Input Name field, then click Paste.

There must be an input listed here for each OMX_GetParm function call in your strategy. The names listed here must match the names listed on the OMX_GetParm calls. (The comparison however, is case-insensitive.) For example, if you have two GetParm calls, there must two inputs listed here, as shown above. If the names on the GetParm calls are Len1 and Len2, then the figure above displays how they should appear. The order doesn't matter.

Adjust the minimum, maximum and increment values as you desire and set the chromosome numbers on each gene. Group inputs together that have something in common. For example, if you use two stochastics in your strategy, you might use two chromosomes, as shown below.

The Estimates calculator can help you determine how long your optimization is likely to run.

If you do not wish to use one of the inputs for an optimization, set the maximum equal to the minimum and set the increment to 0. You could also delete the input, but you would then need to go to the strategy and remove the GetParm call for that input as well.

When you have finished setting up your inputs, click the Validate button. This will validate your inputs and it will update the Estimate fields at the bottom of the window.

Estimates
This section is a small calculator for estimating durations, permutations and generations. You can type values into any of the fields, and it will calculate the rest. For example, to determine how long a search will take, you can type the number of permutations, or let Optimax fill it in. Then, enter the number of seconds (approximately) each iteration of your strategy takes in the Seconds box. The duration of both exhaustive and genetic searches will be calculated and displayed.

Or, if you want to determine the number of permutations that will fit within a given duration, change the duration field and the permutations or generations will automatically update. For example, if you want to run a genetic optimization overnight, change the duration to 8 hours, and the number of generations that can be completed in that time will be computed from the number of seconds per iteration, and the Initial Population Size.

Clicking Validate updates the Permutations and Duration fields from the inputs above it.