New Features in VisualDOC 5.1

VisualDOC 5.1 includes improvements in robustness, new updates to the underlying optimization engine, a number of new features, and resolution of several known issues. Some of the more prominent enhancements include:

Project based file system in VisualDOC and VisualScript

A project based file system was implemented, which stores all VisualDOC and VisualScript files in a project directory. The user specifies the project directory and the files are automatically created in the directory. The project based file system reduces the number of filenames that the user needs to specify and makes it easier to import VisualScript projects into VisualDOC.

New icon set in VisualDOC and VisualScript

VisualDOC and VisualScript are now using a new icon setup throughout. The new icon set provides larger, more modern looking icons and results in a consistent look and feel between the two products.

Accuracy vs. efficiency trade-off for gradient calculations

The user can now specify whether to concentrate more on accuracy or efficiency when performing finite difference gradient calculations for all direct gradient-based optimization tasks. This feature can result in a significant reduction of computational cost associated with finite difference gradient calculations.

Re-organization of points saving in the database

Each point is now saved in the database directly after the corresponding analysis is completed. This new scheme will minimize data loss during unexpected interruption of analysis execution.

Monte Carlo simulation

Individual Monte Carlo Simulation points can now be saved in the database.
A convergence check was introduced for the Monte Carlo simulation. For example, when the user specifies to run 1000 Monte Carlo points, it may happen that the values of the standard deviations, probabilities of failure, etc. are converged after only 600 points. In this case VisualDOC will stop after performing 600 analyses.

Particle Swarm Optimizer (PSO)

The PSO efficiency is improved by implementing some of the latest theoretical developments with respect to PSO algorithm.

“What-If” study

The user can now see the influence of changing a design variable value on the responses in real time. The response values are automatically updated as the design variables are dragged, using the approximation of the real problem.

VisualScript allows duplicate names

VisualScript now allows the user to define multiple modify and extract actions with the same name. For modify actions, this allows the user to use the same design variable value from VisualDOC in multiple places in the script. For extract actions, it allows the user to update a response value by extracting it multiple times. This is especially useful in loops.

DOE Progress Monitor

A graphical progress monitor is now available for DOE tasks. This progress monitor indicates how may of the DOE points have been completed at any given time.

Improved run time output capturing

The overall runtime was significantly reduced, when running a VisualDOC task that prints large amounts of output to standard output. An improved scheme for capturing the output now minimizes this overhead.

Notes in VisualScript

VisualScript now allows the user to create notes that describe the project. This is stored with the project and is useful when sharing projects among different users.