Dakota Reference Manual: package_dot

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## Description

The DOT library[85] contains nonlinear programming optimizers, specifically the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (dot_bfgs) and Fletcher-Reeves conjugate gradient (dot_frcg) methods for unconstrained optimization, and the modified method of feasible directions (dot_mmfd), sequential linear programming (dot_slp), and sequential quadratic programming (dot_sqp) methods for constrained optimization. To use DOT, one of these methods must be specified.

Specialized handling of linear constraints is supported with DOT; linear constraint coefficients, bounds, and targets can be provided to DOT at start-up and tracked internally.

Method Independent Controls - Stopping Critiera

Stopping critiera are set by: `max_iterations`, `max_function_evaluations`, `convergence_tolerance`, and `constraint_tolerance`

Note: The `convergence_tolerance` criterion must be satisfied for two consecutive iterations before DOT will terminate.

Method Independent Controls - Output

The output verbosity specification controls the amount of information generated by DOT: the `silent` and `quiet` settings result in header information, final results, and objective function, constraint, and parameter information on each iteration; whereas the `verbose` and `debug` settings add additional information on gradients, search direction, one-dimensional search results, and parameter scaling factors.

Concurrency

DOT contains no parallel algorithms which can directly take advantage of concurrent evaluations. However, if `numerical_gradients` with `method_source` `dakota` is specified, then the finite difference function evaluations can be performed concurrently (using any of the parallel modes described in the Users Manual[4]). In addition, if `speculative` is specified, then gradients (`dakota` `numerical` or `analytic` gradients) will be computed on each line search evaluation in order to balance the load and lower the total run time in parallel optimization studies.

## Related Topics

## Related Keywords

- dot_sqp : DOT Sequential Quadratic Program