Configuring the Constraints

You can select the parameters that will be used as constraints during execution. The Approximation Loop and Pointer-2 strategies have the same constraint attributes. In addition, because both strategies have the same general intent as the Optimization component, their design parameters have the same attributes as the Optimization component.

  1. Double-click the Exploration component icon .

    The Exploration Component Editor appears.

  2. From the Exploration Component Editor, click the Constraints tab.

  3. Right-click in the table to access various options for working with constraints. For more information, see Setting Table Options.

  4. Perform the following options, which may vary based on your model design:

    1. Determine which parameters you want to use as constraints by selecting the corresponding check boxes in the first column. Alternatively, you can click Check to add all the selected parameters as constraints. To clear all the parameters, click Uncheck.

      If no parameters are selected, you will be prompted to add all parameters as constraints.

    2. Set the Lower Bound and Upper Bound in the corresponding columns.
    3. Set the constraint’s Target in the corresponding column.
    4. Set the constraint’s Scale Factor and Weight Factor in the corresponding columns. Scale factors are used to bring constraint values to the same order of magnitude to improve the efficiency of the optimizers. Weight factors are used to change the importance of various constraints.

      The value of each constraint is calculated as follows:

      • Constraint  Value⁢(Lower⁢Bound) =(LB−Parm×W/S)
      • Constraint⁢ Value⁢(Upper⁢Bound) =(Parm−UB)×W/S
      • Constraint⁡ Value⁢(Target) =(Parm−T)×W/S

      where LB is the lower bound value, UB is the upper bound value, T is the target value, Parm is the parameter value, W is the weight factor, and S is the scale factor.

  5. If desired, click Edit at the bottom of the editor to set attribute values for multiple constraints.

    For more information, see Editing Attributes for Multiple Parameters.

  6. If desired, map any of these constraint attributes to parameters.

    For more information, see Mapping Options and Attributes to Parameters.

  7. If desired, click Disable strategy (execute a single run) to disable the Approximation Loop strategy when the Exploration component executes and instead execute the subflow once.

  8. Click OK to save your changes and to close the Exploration Component Editor.