Training course module 1

Introduction to Xpress-MP

This training course aims to:

• familiarize you with optimization models and techniques, and the terminology used to describe them;
• rapidly build up an understanding of the Xpress-Mosel model programming language and familiarity with Xpress-IVE
• teach you how to apply optimization models and techniques using Xpress-MP, and give you lots of practice doing so through a series of linked projects that illustrate the underlying LP and MIP concepts;
• give you practice and confidence formulating optimization models and understanding their solution;
• show you how to embed an optimization model within an application/solution using Dash's optimization components.

Most topic areas include practical work to reinforce the contents of the presentation, giving you practice and confidence so you are able to apply the techniques in your specialist area. At the end of the course, you will be able to build sophisticated models, exploit powerful MIP techniques to model discrete decisions and logical conditions, build applications that incorporate optimization functionality using the Xpress-Mosel component library, and understand how to solve the problems and interpret the solutions obtained.

The course is not a replacement for the reference manuals, but concentrates on the topics which are important in practice. You will be encouraged to use the reference manuals throughout the course, to gain familiarity the topics covered and to become aware of the full range of functionality.

Requirements

Experience required: a basic understanding of algebra and familiarity with standard Windows applications would be an advantage. Some experience of programming development, using C/C++ or VB/VBA is required for the final section on embedding optimization.

Resources required: the course is built around a series of linked projects for which participants will use the Xpress-IVE optimization and modeling development environment, and the Xpress-Mosel libraries.

• Participants will need to bring a laptop computer running one of Dash's supported Windows platforms. (Please refer here to check currently supported Windows platforms.)
• The latest Xpress-MP software will be provided on CD-ROM at the beginning of each course. If your computer does not have a CD-ROM drive, or you foresee any problems installing Xpress-MP on your computer at the beginning of the course, please contact Dash to arrange to have Xpress-MP installed in advance. Temporary Xpress-MP software based licenses and data files for the practical work will be emailed to participants in advance of the course.
• Part of the course covers importing/exporting data to/from external data sources using ODBC, and this is illustrated using Microsoft Excel. You will find it very useful to follow these practical exercises and we recommend that participants have Microsoft Excel (97, 2000 or XP) installed on their computers.
• The final section of the course shows how to embed an optimization model within an application, and full practical exercises are included. Participants may choose to complete these exercises in C/C++ or VB/VBA, and must have suitable software. For C/C++, please use Microsoft Visual Studio C/C++ (version 6).
  
  

Synopsis

Day 1