Operations Research/Computer Science Interfaces Series Optimization Software Class Libraries

Optimization problems in practice are diverse and evolve over time, giving rise to - quirements both for ready-to-use optimization software packages and for optimization software libraries, which provide more or less adaptable building blocks for app- cation-specific software systems. Stefan Vos and David Woodruff have edited a carefully refereed volume by experts on optimization software class libraries. The book focuses on flexible and powerful collections of computational objects for addressing complex optimization problems. These component class libraries are suitable for use in the increasing number of optimization applications that stand alone or are imbedded in advanced planning, engineering, and bioinformatics applications. Most researchers today use a number of modelling language software packages and a number of software solvers to solve computational problems. This book outlines packaged software class libraries to enable researchers to find cost-effective and efficient methods of getting problems coded into the computer, or into a modelling language package or into optimizing solvers - hence providing software coding solutions to whatever specialized needs a specific problem might require. This text seeks to provide the reader with a rich overview of the variety of components for framing problems.