README
1******************************************************************************
2* SYMPHONY VRP Application *
3******************************************************************************
4
5The SYMPHONY VRP application is a solver for the standard Capacitated Vehicle
6Routing Problem. It can also solve Traveling Salesman Problem instances and
7can be configured to utilize cutting plane routines from the CONCORDE TSP
8solver, available from http://www.math.princeton.edu/tsp/concorde.html. This
9solver uses many of the bells and whistles of SYMPHONY and is probably not the
10best option for beginners trying to learn the ropes. Please download one of
11the other applications, such as MATCH, for a more gentle introduction.
12
13******************************************************************************
14* INSTALLATION *
15******************************************************************************
16
17Please see the INSTALL file for a guide to compiling the SYMPHONY VRP application.
18
19*******************************************************************************
20* USING THE SOLVER *
21*******************************************************************************
22
23This file briefly introduces the use of the SYMPHONY VRP solver. To use the
24VRP solver, type the executable name followed by one or more of the
25command-line switches. There are two required switches. You must specify the
26location of the data file by using "-F 'filename'" (type this after executable
27name) and you must specify the desired number of routes using "-N 'n'", where
28'n' is the desired number of routes. Below is a list of other parameters that
29can be set on the command line. This list can also be obtained by typing the
30executable name followed by "-H". Notice that all application-specific
31parameters are denoted by a capital letter.
32
33 -H: help,
34 -E: use sparse edge set,
35 -R: solve as a Traveling Salesman Problem,
36 -S file: load sparse graph from 'file',
37 -F file: problem data is in 'file',
38 -B i: which candidates to check in strong branching,
39 -V i: how to construct the base set of variables,
40 -K k: use 'k' closest edges to build sparse graph,
41 -N n: use 'n' routes,
42 -C c: use capacity 'c');
43
44There are a number of other (for now) undocumented parameters that can be used
45to fine-tune the performance of the solver. These must be set in a parameter
46file. The SYMPHONY User's Manual explains the use of the parameter file.
47
48Some of SYMPHONY's native parameters can also be set on the command
49line. Below is a list of these parameters. This list can also be obtained by
50typing the executable name with no command-line arguments. Note that all
51SYMPHONY parameters are denoted by a lowercase letter. Note that there are
52dozens of other parameters that can be set with the use of a parameter
53file. These parameters are listed in the SYMPHONY User's Manual.
54
55 -h: help
56 -a: no cut timeout
57 -d: enable graph drawing
58 -g: use cut generator
59 -r: do repricing in root
60 -t: trim the tree
61 -b: don't perform branch and cut
62 -u ub: use upper bound 'ub'
63 -p procs: allow 'procs' active nodes
64 -n i: use node selection rule 'i'
65 -v i: set verbosity to level 'i'
66 -s cands: use 'cands' candidates for strong branching
67 -c i: use rule 'i' to compare candidates
68 -k i: use rule 'i' to select child
69 -m n: allow a max of 'n' cuts to enter per iteration
70 -l n: allow a max of 'n' cut pools
71 -i n: allow a max of 'n' iterations in presolve
72 -f file: read parameters from parameter file 'file'
73
74AUTHORS
75
76The SYMPHONY VRP application was developed by Ted Ralphs
77(ted@lehigh.edu).
78
79BUG REPORTS
80
81Please submit bug reports at https://projects.coin-or.org/SYMPHONY
82