CUTEr and SifDec: A constrained and unconstrained testing environment, revisited

ABSTRACT

The initial release of CUTE, a widely used testing environment for optimization software, was described by Bongartz, et al. [1995]. A new version, now known as CUTEr, is presented. Features include reorganisation of the environment to allow simultaneous multi-platform installation, new tools for, and interfaces to, optimization packages, and a considerably simplified and entirely automated installation procedure for unix systems. The environment is fully backward compatible with its predecessor, and offers support for Fortran 90/95 and a general C/C++ Application Programming Interface. The SIF decoder, formerly a part of CUTE, has become a separate tool, easily callable by various packages. It features simple extensions to the SIF test problem format and the generation of files suited to automatic differentiation packages.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  G. Mathematics of Computing
  G.1 NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
      G.1.6 Optimization
          Subjects: Constrained optimization

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques
          Subjects: User interfaces
      D.2.5 Testing and Debugging
          Subjects: Testing tools (e.g., data generators, coverage testing)
      D.2.6 Programming Environments
          Subjects: Programmer workbench
      D.2.7 Distribution, Maintenance, and Enhancement
          Subjects: Portability

  G. Mathematics of Computing
  G.1 NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
      G.1.3 Numerical Linear Algebra
          Subjects: Sparse, structured, and very large systems (direct and iterative methods)
      G.1.6 Optimization
          Subjects: Unconstrained optimization
  G.4 MATHEMATICAL SOFTWARE
      Subjects: Certification and testing

General Terms:
Algorithms, Experimentation, Performance, Reliability, Verification

Keywords:
Nonlinearly constrained optimization, SIF format, heterogeneous environment, shared filesystems, testing environment