MPL Modeling System MPL Modeling SystemMPL (Mathematical Programming Language) is an algebraic modeling language that allows you to set up complicated models, involving thousands of constraints, in a clear, concise, and efficient way, and is at the same time very friendly and powerful to use.
MPL offers a feature rich model development environment that takes full advantage of the graphical user interface in MS Windows, making MPL a valuable tool for developing LP models. MPL has features that allow you import data directly from a database and then after solving the problem export the solution back into the database. This along with the ability to be called directly from other Windows applications, such as databases and spreadsheets, make MPL ideal for creating end-user applications.
Models developed in MPL can be used with nearly all LP-solvers on the market today as MPL supports a number of industrial strength solvers that have recently been ported to Windows as DLL libraries as well as traditional DOS solvers.
MPL is supported on several different platforms:
MS Windows: Windows 95/98, Windows NT/2000
OSF Motif: HP 9000, IBM RS-6000, Sun Sparc, and Silicon Graphics, Linux
Since we are constantly working on new releases of MPL, please contact Maximal Software for updated information on supported platforms for MPL.
MPL contains an integrated model development system that offers full support for all standard Windows features, including dialog boxes, mouse support, pull-down menus, graphics, toolbar, and on-line help. Furthermore, MPL supports many graphical user interface features of Windows, tree windows, long filenames for models, illustrative icons for each window type, and context-sensitive on-line help.
MPL allows you to view defined items of the model formulation in an easy-to-browse tree window. Each branch can be expanded and collapsed to show only the elements you are interested in. If you want to get further information about an item, such as solution values for a variable, you simply achieve this by double-clicking on it in the tree.
If you are using MPL to work on multiple models, you can now manage them more effectively by utilizing project files. Project files store information about items such as, open model files and windows, the default working directory, and current option settings for both the modeling system and the solver.
Using Windows DLL (Dynamic Link Library) solvers gives MPL the capability to integrate the solver directly into the modeling environment, resulting in the matrix being transferred between the modeling system and the solver directly through memory. As there are no files involved, this seamless connection is both considerably faster and more robust than the traditional use of files in other modeling systems. MPL supports the state-of-the-art solvers such as CPLEX, XPRESS, and CONOPT, as well as new solvers from other vendors.
MPL fully supports the new context-sensitive help for dialog boxes that are now the standard in Windows 95. To display the help, simply right-click on a item in the dialog box and a small help window will popup with a short explanation on that item. Furthermore, a complete hyper-text version of the manual, covering both the modeling environment and the language, is available in the on-line help system for easy access.
The MPL modeling language is unrivaled in its expressive power, readability, and user-friendliness. It allows you to formulate all your LP models in a single straightforward algebraic modeling language, without any of the archaic syntax rules common in other languages, using advanced features such as, multi-dimensional indexing, set operations, where conditions, external data imports, vector summations, macro definitions, and conditional directives.
The database connection in MPL allows you to import data for the model, directly from a relational database. Then after the model has been solved, you can export the solution back to the database. This new release of MPL, implements a new ODBC database connection that offers support for many new databases and spreadsheets, including both Microsoft® Access® and Excel®. This, along with the new run-time facilities in MPL, allows you to easily create customized end-user applications using the built-in data entry and reporting capabilities of the database.
MPL provides, in a single system, all the essential components needed to
formulate the model, gather and maintain the data, optimize the model, and then analyze
the results. With MPL, you can now achieve a quantum leap in your productivity as a
model developer.
Maximal also offers the OptiMax 2000 Component Library that allows you to create highly customized end-user applications by integrating the MPL Modeling Language with various different programming platforms, such as Visual Basic and C++.
Please check the Maximal Web Site for further information on the MPL Modeling System or contact us directly at:
Maximal Software, Inc.
2111 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22201
U.S.A.
Tel: (703) 522-7900
Fax: (703) 522-7902
Email: info@maximal-usa.com
www.maximal-usa.com
Maximal Software, Inc., MPL User's Manual, Release 4.1, 2000.