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- OPTIMIZATION
-
-
- A. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
-
- The optimization section of COMPACT is the single most
- powerful option available to the user. By proper application,
- the designer can avoid wasting valuable time and effort per-
- suing an inappropriate design approach. Here, one can simply
- define what response is desired, start the optimization pro-
- cedure, and simply walk away, allowing the program to tackle
- the finer points of the design process.
- However, don't permit yourself to assume a false sense
- of security, thinking that all one must do is patch together
- some circuit out of the blue, define some idealistic response,
- and then expect the program to accomplish the seemingly impos-
- sible. It may, in fact, be impossible. Proper optimization
- requires that certain general guidelines be adhered to. We
- shall discuss this at length in a later section.
- Optimization is accomplished by use of a modified razor
- search routine, some aspects of steepest decent having been
- applied. Randomization of variables is provided, allowing
- some amount of ability in preventing being trapped in local
- minima. In optimization, we are searching for the best re-
- sponse available, given the bounds of what we feel is both de-
- sirable and acceptable as far as performance is concerned.
- Up to 6 element parameters may be optimized, and up to 20
- optimization frequencies and goals may be specified. These
- objectives are written using the objectives editor, a descrip-
- tion of which can be found in the following chapter.
-
- B. MENU OPTIONS
-
- The menu options define the same functions as in the edi-
- tors, with the exception being that all of the optimization
- elements are displayed on the screen. This creates some dif-
- ferences in the overall function of the selections, which are:
-
- LIST ELEMENTS ...... This is a partial screen dump
- request. That portion of the
- screen that pertains to the ele-
- ments themselves and the error
- function is transfered to the
- printer.
-
- OBJECTIVES ......... Transfers the user to the objec-
- tives editor. See the following
- chapter for a description.
-
- SENSITIVITY ........ Request for sensitivity analysis,
- covered in the next section.
-
-
-
-
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