At the beginning of optimization, Isight
creates the following files (see File Formats Used by External Executable Optimization Plug-ins):
- technique options file
- problem formulation file
Isight
calls the external executable program using the following command syntax
(the order of the arguments in the command is always the same):
my.exe techniqueOptionsFileName problemFormulationFileName inputValuesFileName goRunSubflowSignalFileName subflowResultsFileName
In this command:
- my.exe is the name of the external executable program.
- techniqueOptionsFileName is the name (full path) of
the technique options file created by Isight.
- problemFormulationFileName is the name (full path) of
the problem formulation file created by Isight.
- inputValuesFileName is the name (full path) of the file
where the external executable program must write input values of all
points that must be evaluated by Isight
(subflow analyses to be executed).
- goRunSubflowSignalFileName is the name (full path) of
the signal file that the external executable program must create when
it is done writing input values and starts waiting for Isight
to execute the design points.
- subflowResultsFileName is the name (full path) of the
file where Isight
will write all output values after executing subflow analysis for all
design points.
The external executable program reads the technique options file and the
problem formulation file and starts optimization.
When a new design point or multiple design points must be evaluated,
the program creates an input values file (inputValuesFileName) using the file name provided in the command line arguments.
After writing input values for all design points, the program closes
the input values file. Leaving the file open may prevent Isight
from being able to read it.
The external executable program creates a signal file using the file
name provided in the command line arguments (goRunSubflowSignalFileName ).
The signal file is used to signal that all subflow analyses are complete
and the results are available.
The external executable program closes the signal file, which is required
so that Isight
can delete the file later.
Isight
evaluates all the design points found in the input values file and writes
output values into the subflow results file (subflowResultsFileName)
whose name was sent to the external executable program via the command
line arguments.
Isight
deletes the signal file, which indicates to the external executable program
that all subflow analyses are finished and the results are available
for processing.
The external executable program opens the subflow results file whose
name (subflowResultsFileName) was sent via the command line
arguments.
The external executable program reads the output values and then closes
the subflow results file.
The external executable program repeats Steps 4-11 as many times as
necessary until the optimization algorithm finishes the optimization
run.
The external executable program exits with a return code that indicates
to Isight
the success (return code of zero) or failure (any nonzero value) of the
optimization run.