GenET:

GenET is a "generic" GA package. It is generic in the sense that all problem independent mechanisms have been implemented and can be used regardless of application domain. Using the package forces (or allows, however you look at it) concentration on the problem: you have to suggest the best representation, and the best operators for such space that utilize your problem-specific knowledge. You do not have to think about possible GA models or their implementation.

The package, in addition to allowing for fast implementation of applications and being a natural tool for comparing different models and strategies, is intended to become a depository of representations and operators. Currently, only floating point representation is implemented in the library with few operators.

The algorithm provides a wide selection of models and choices. For example, POPULATION models range from generational GA, through steady-state, to (n,m)-EP and (n,n+m)-EP models (for arbitrary problems, not just parameter OPTIMIZATION). (Some are not finished at the moment). Choices include automatic adaptation of operator probabilities and a dynamic ranking mechanism, etc.

Even though the implementation is far from optimal, it is quite efficient - implemented in ATT's C++ (3.0) (functional design) and also tested on gcc. Along with the package you will get two examples. They illustrate how to implement problems with heterogeneous and homogeneous structures, with explicit rep/opers and how to use the existing library (FP). Very soon I will place there another example - our GENOCOP operators for linearly constrained optimization. One more example soon to appear illustrates how to deal with complex structures and non-stationary problems - this is a fuzzy rule-based controller optimized using the package and some specific rep/operators.

If you start using the package, please send evaluations (especially bugs) and suggestions for future versions to the author.

GenET Version 1.00 is available by FTP from ftp://radom.umsl.edu/var/ftp/GenET.tar.Z To learn more, you may get the User's Manual, available in compressed postscript in "/var/ftp/userMan.ps.Z". It also comes bundled with the complete package.

Cezary Z. Janikow, Department of Math and CS, CCB319, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA. Net: <janikow@radom.umsl.edu>