Tutorial

The StoppingInterface package offers a Stopping-compatible buffer of external solvers. The current list includes:

We explain below how to design your buffer.

StoppingInterface Tutorial: use a buffer

In the case where one algorithm/solver is not Stopping-compatible, a buffer solver is required to unify the formalism.

We illustrate this situation here with the Ipopt solver.

Remark in the buffer function: If the solver stops with success but the stopping condition is not satisfied, one option is to iterate and reduce the various tolerances.

using Ipopt, ADNLPModels, NLPModelsIpopt, Stopping
nlp = ADNLPModel(x -> (x[1] - 1)^2 + 100 * (x[2] - x[1]^2)^2, [-1.2; 1.0])
ADNLPModel - Model with automatic differentiation backend ADModelBackend{
  ForwardDiffADGradient,
  ForwardDiffADHvprod,
  EmptyADbackend,
  EmptyADbackend,
  EmptyADbackend,
  ForwardDiffADHessian,
  EmptyADbackend,
}
  Problem name: Generic
   All variables: ████████████████████ 2      All constraints: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
            free: ████████████████████ 2                 free: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           lower: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                lower: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           upper: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                upper: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
         low/upp: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0              low/upp: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           fixed: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                fixed: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
          infeas: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0               infeas: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
            nnzh: (  0.00% sparsity)   3               linear: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
                                                    nonlinear: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
                                                         nnzj: (------% sparsity)         

  Counters:
             obj: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                 grad: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                 cons: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
        cons_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0             cons_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                 jcon: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           jgrad: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                  jac: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0              jac_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
         jac_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                jprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0            jprod_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
       jprod_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0               jtprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0           jtprod_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
      jtprod_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                 hess: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                hprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           jhess: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0               jhprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     

The traditional way to solve an optimization problem using NLPModelsIpopt.

stats = ipopt(nlp, print_level = 0)
"Execution stats: first-order stationary"

Use y0 (general),zL (lower bound), and zU (upper bound) for the initial guess of Lagrange multipliers.

Using Stopping, the idea is to create a buffer function.

function solveIpopt(stp :: NLPStopping)

  stats = ipopt(nlp, print_level     = 0,
                     tol             = stp.meta.rtol,
                     x0              = stp.current_state.x,
                     max_iter        = stp.meta.max_iter,
                     max_cpu_time    = stp.meta.max_time,
                     dual_inf_tol    = stp.meta.atol,
                     constr_viol_tol = stp.meta.atol,
                     compl_inf_tol   = stp.meta.atol)

  # Update the meta boolean with the output message
  if stats.status == :first_order stp.meta.suboptimal      = true end
  if stats.status == :acceptable  stp.meta.suboptimal      = true end
  if stats.status == :infeasible  stp.meta.infeasible      = true end
  if stats.status == :small_step  stp.meta.stalled         = true end
  if stats.status == :max_iter    stp.meta.iteration_limit = true end
  if stats.status == :max_time    stp.meta.tired           = true end

  stp.meta.nb_of_stop = stats.iter
  x = stats.solution

  # Not mandatory, but in case some entries of the State are used to stop
  fill_in!(stp, x)
  stop!(stp)

  return stp
end
solveIpopt (generic function with 1 method)

We now illustrate the use of the buffer function. First, we define a NLPAtX state, a NLPStopping and use unconstrained_check optimality function.

nlp_at_x = NLPAtX(nlp.meta.x0)
stop = NLPStopping(nlp, nlp_at_x, optimality_check = unconstrained_check)
Stopping.NLPStopping{ADNLPModel{Float64, Vector{Float64}, Vector{Int64}}, Stopping.StoppingMeta{Float64, Float64, Nothing, Stopping.var"#46#54", Stopping.var"#47#55"{Stopping.var"#46#54"}, typeof(Stopping.unconstrained_check)}, Stopping.StopRemoteControl, Stopping.NLPAtX{Float64, Float64, Vector{Float64}}, Stopping.VoidStopping{Any, Stopping.StoppingMeta, Stopping.StopRemoteControl, Stopping.GenericState, Nothing, Stopping.VoidListofStates}, Stopping.VoidListofStates}
It has no main_stp.
It doesn't keep track of the state history.
Problem is ADNLPModel - Model with automatic differentiation backend ADModelBackend{
  ForwardDiffADGradient,
  ForwardDiffADHvprod,
  EmptyADbackend,
  EmptyADbackend,
  EmptyADbackend,
  ForwardDiffADHessian,
  EmptyADbackend,
}
  Problem name: Generic
   All variables: ████████████████████ 2      All constraints: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
            free: ████████████████████ 2                 free: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           lower: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                lower: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           upper: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                upper: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
         low/upp: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0              low/upp: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           fixed: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                fixed: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
          infeas: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0               infeas: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
            nnzh: (  0.00% sparsity)   3               linear: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
                                                    nonlinear: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
                                                         nnzj: (------% sparsity)         

  Counters:
             obj: ████████████████████ 45                grad: ███████████⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 23                cons: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
        cons_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0             cons_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                 jcon: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           jgrad: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                  jac: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0              jac_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
         jac_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                jprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0            jprod_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
       jprod_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0               jtprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0           jtprod_lin: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
      jtprod_nln: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0                 hess: ██████████⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 21               hprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
           jhess: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0               jhprod: ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ 0     
 No user-defined structure is furnished.

In a first scenario, we solve again the problem with the buffer solver.

solveIpopt(stop)
stop.current_state.x, status(stop), stop.meta.nb_of_stop
([1.0, 1.0], :Optimal, 23)

In a second scenario, we check the control on the maximum number of iterations.

nbiter = stop.meta.nb_of_stop
reinit!(stop, rstate = true, x = nlp.meta.x0) #rstate is set as true to allow reinit! modifying the State
stop.meta.max_iter = max(nbiter - 4, 1)

solveIpopt(stop)
# Final status is :IterationLimit
stop.current_state.x, status(stop)
([0.9994793790596685, 0.9989483423579474], :IterationLimit)