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Given that you plan to define your model in a program written in Visual Basic or C/C++,
VB.NET or C#, or Java or MATLAB, your best choice is the
Solver Platform SDK. The SDK
is a great tool for both modeling risk analysis problems that
can be solved with Monte Carlo simulation, and for modeling
resource allocation problems that can be solved with
optimization.If your problem involves
an optimization model of some size, let's consider the last two
questions we posed earlier:
 | What type of problem
(linear programming, nonlinear optimization, etc.) do you want to solve? |
| What size of problem (number of decision
variables and constraints) do you want to solve? |
The type of optimization problem you have depends
on:
| The types of mathematical relationships
(e.g. linear,
nonlinear or nonsmooth) between your objective and constraints and
your decision variables. |
| The types of decision variables
(real-valued or integer-valued) you have in your model. |
| The type of solution you want --
globally optimal or locally optimal -- for nonlinear
optimization problems. |
If you're not sure what type of problem you have,
click on Optimization Problem Types for
an in-depth discussion. But you may want to start with
Frontline Systems' Solver Platform SDK, because it
bundles together several Solvers that together will handle all
types of optimization problems up to certain size limits.
Click on Frontline
Systems Solvers for Developers for further information.
The size of your problem is measured by the number
of decision variables and the number of constraints.
If you have not yet defined your model in these terms, you may not
know its size -- see below for ideas on estimating problem size.
If your problem is small to medium size, you can
develop your application using a single licensed copy of our Solver Platform
SDK, then purchase runtime licenses for the specific Solver you
need. If
your problem is relatively large, you can use a large-scale
Solver Engine that "plugs in" to the Solver Platform
SDK. Click on Frontline
Systems Solvers for Developers for further information.
Often -- though not always -- the number of
decision variables will be greater than the number of constraints
and will determine the "size limit;" also, it may easier
to estimate the number of decision variables up-front. To
understand what kind of decision variables you may have, take our Solver
Tutorial, paying special attention to the page Defining
a Model.
Back to Select the Best Product for Your
Needs
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To Learn More:
For instant access to example models, full-text User Guides,
and to download free 15-day trial versions of our
software products whenever you're ready, you can register now. |
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| Our Premium Solver Platform
works with existing Excel Solver models, solves much larger problems up to hundreds of
times faster, and solves new kinds of problems via Evolutionary Solver.
Solver Engines plug into the Premium Solver Platform. |
| Solver
Platform SDK makes it easy to solve any type
or size of optimization problem in your Visual Basic,
VB.NET, C/C++, C#, Java, or MATLAB program. And
it's easy to deploy your application with our flexible
licensing for software vendors and corporate
developers. |
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