1. Evolutionary Optimisation for Microsoft Excel
GANetXL
Evolutionary Optimisation for Microsoft Excel
J.Bicik, M.S.Morley, E.C.Keedwell & D.A.Savić

2. Presentation Outline General description
Structure & features of the application
Definition of the optimisation problem
Live demonstration
Software & hardware requirements
Getting GANetXL
Future work
Simplicity – Ease of use : Allow inexperienced users familiar with excel to use the benefits of GA library
Flexibility – To apply GAs on various range of problems without the need to write specialised application.
Extensibility – to be able to enrich the functions offered by the tool -> require source codes -> our own product
The GA library is designed in a very flexible way which allows addition of custom GA operators (selectors, crossovers, mutators) as well as new algorithms.
23 February 2007 2

3. Description
A user friendly add-in which integrates into Microsoft Excel
Uses evolutionary algorithms to solve complex optimisation problems
Interacts with Excel using COM interface
Simplicity – Ease of use : Allow inexperienced users familiar with excel to use the benefits of GA library
Flexibility – To apply GAs on various range of problems without the need to write specialised application.
Extensibility – to be able to enrich the functions offered by the tool -> require source codes -> our own product
The GA library is designed in a very flexible way which allows addition of custom GA operators (selectors, crossovers, mutators) as well as new algorithms.
23 February 2007 3

4. Existing Tools Evolver 4.0 (Palisade)
Premium Solver Platform (Frontline Systems Inc.)
OptWorks Excel (Pi Blue)
GeneHunter (Ward Systems)
Generator (NewLight Industries, Ltd.)
xl bit (XLPert Enterprise)
GenSheet (Inductive Solutions, Inc.)
23 February 2007

5. Motivation
The commercial software does not support multi-objective (MO) optimisation
Use of existing GA library
Flexibility
Extensibility
To let students get in touch with GAs
Simple use
Save money on buying software licenses
Simplicity – Ease of use : Allow inexperienced users familiar with excel to use the benefits of GA library
Flexibility – To apply GAs on various range of problems without the need to write specialised application.
Extensibility – to be able to enrich the functions offered by the tool -> require source codes -> our own product
The GA library is designed in a very flexible way which allows addition of custom GA operators (selectors, crossovers, mutators) as well as new algorithms.
23 February 2007

6. History GA Excel add-in (2003) by F. Zheng GenetXL (2004)
written in Pascal
Single Objective Genetic Algorithms
GenetXL (2004)
written in C++
GA Library in Pascal
SOGA + MOGA (NSGA-II)
GANetXL (2007)
written purely in C++
23 February 2007

7. Structure of GANetXL
23 February 2007 7

8. List of Features Single and multiple-objective optimisation techniques
Support for integration with simulation packages
Suspend, resume
Multiple-objective results browser
Batch runs
User defined constraints & penalty multipliers
23 February 2007

9. Features - Continued Automatic saving of population
Backups of intermediate population
Visualisation of results and progress
Built-in help
User manual
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10. Defining the Problem Decision variables – Genes Objective function(s)
altered by GA within their ranges (x1,x2,x3,x4)
must occupy continuous range
Objective function(s)
used to evaluate the fitness of solutions
(formula in C6)
Constraints
used to limit values of
objective function(s)
(formula in C8)
23 February 2007 10

11. Practical Examples Single-objective Multiple-objective
optimisation of an advertising campaing
Multiple-objective
Link with simulation software
optimisation of the “NY tunnels” problem
Benchmark
Zitzler test T1
Another multiple-objective example
demonstration of population backups
23 February 2007 11

12. Supported Platforms Microsoft Windows Microsoft Excel
Vista (not tested but should work) XP
2000
Microsoft Excel
2010
2007
2003
23 February 2007

13. New features of Excel 2007 Supports multi-core CPUs
The max. number of columns:
extended from 256 to 16,384
The max. number of rows:
extended from 65,536 to 1,048,576
Total amount of PC memory that Excel can use:
extended from 1GB to maximum allowed by Windows
23 February 2007 13

14. Licensing Licenses are bound to specific computer Serial number
contains expiration date
valid for limited number of days
chromosome size, population size
objectives count, generations count
Registration +
HW Identifier
Serial Number
Registration Details
Serial No.
23 February 2007

15. Josef Bicik (j.bicik@exeter.ac.uk)
Getting GANetXL
Download GANetXL from following site:
To obtain a license please follow the installation instructions:
Support, reporting bugs and problems:
Josef Bicik
23 February 2007 15

16. Future Work Add more multiple-objective algorithms
MO Simulated Annealing
ε-NSGA II
Make the application multi-threaded
Visualisation of more than 2 objectives
Do more testing of the application
Any other ideas?
23 February 2007

17. Thank you for your attention!
Questions & Discussion 17

18. Links Evolver 4.0 (Palisade) http://www.palisade-europe.com/evolver/
Premium Solver Platform (Frontline Systems Inc. )
OptWorks Excel (Pi Blue)
GeneHunter (Ward Systems)
Generator (NewLight Industries, Ltd.)
xl bit (XLPert Enterprise )
GenSheet (Inductive Solutions, Inc.)
GA Optimization for MS Excel (freeware)
23 February 2007