parallelizing optimization tasks for functions evaluated by external devices

2011 10 11
2 个回答
回答已采纳
4 次查看（30 天）

0 个投票

Hello, I need to optimize two functions of different variables, let's call them F1(X1) and F2(X2), using GA algorithm. The functions are evaluated on an external device which allows for parallelization: you pass two variable sets {X1,X2} and get back two scalars {F1,F2} in just one step. A single step takes long time, so I am forced to do evaluations in parallel. I am trying to use Parallel Comp. Toolbox construct 'spmd' and having difficulty synchronizing function evaluations in the two labs running two different GA sessions. I had an idea to use 'gcat(X)' command to consolidate arguments {X1,X2} from different labs in order to pass them to external HW, but I don't know how to access arguments of GA and how to synchronize function calls from different labs. Any help ?? - Thank you.

请先登录，再回答此问题。

 采纳的回答

Walter Roberson
Walter Roberson 2011-10-11

0 个投票

labSend() and labReceive() and labBarrier() perhaps?

3 个评论
显示 1更早的评论 隐藏 1更早的评论

matlabUser
matlabUser 2011-10-11
Walter, thank you for reply. I am a beginner in Parallel Toolbox, can you please specify how to use these functions in my case? To be able to use labSend, labReceive, I need an access to the data to be sent to another lab, in my case this is the current argument values in the optimization routine. When I call the GA optimization function, I provide a function handle and additional parameters, and the current arguments are internal to thjis algorithm, i can't access them...
My problem is that I don't know how to build a sort of a "task scheduler", where function handles of the two labs point to, in a way that it waits before it collects the calls from the two labs, consolidates two argument sets into one and sends to the external device for functions evaluation. Can this "scheduler object" be inside the spmd construct and how to build it? -Thanks a lot
Walter Roberson
Walter Roberson 2011-10-11
spmd a chunk of code. The first thing the chunk of code checks is labindex. If it is 0, then make that invocation the mediator. Otherwise (other labs), call GA with a function handle, and in the function so designated, extract the current arguments and labSend them to lab 0, then labReceive to wait for the processed reply, and continue with the GA.
matlabUser
matlabUser 2011-10-11
OK, I wrote a couple of lines following your advise. Do you think the code below makes sense and is what you ment to say? I also missing if I need labBarrier or not, and if it is legal to use function definition inside spmd ... Thank you so much!!!
spmd(3)
if labindex==0
data1 = labReceive(1);
data2 = labreceive(2);
fullData = [data1,data2];
[result1 result2] = ProcessByExternalDevice(fullData);
labSend(result1,1); labSend(result2,2)
end
if labindex==1
% Create a function that extracts x1, sends to lab 0, and returns y1
function y1 = F1(x1)
% extracting argument x1:
labSend(x1,0);
y1 = labReceive(0);
end
% perform optimization:
X1out = ga(@F1, ...<parameters>... )
end
if labindex==2
function y2 = F2(x2)
% extracting argument x2:
labSend(x2,0);
y2 = labReceive(0);
end
% perform optimization:
X2out = ga(@F2, ...<parameters>... )
end
end

请先登录，再进行评论。

更多回答（1 个）

matlabUser
matlabUser 2011-10-12

0 个投票

OK, for those who are interested I am putting a working script below (Minimization of the two functions in parallel using spmd construct). I am using a simple quadratic function as an example of "external hardware function".
function [y1,y2] = process(x1, x2)
y1 = (x1-15).^2;
y2 = (x2-27).^2;
pause(.1); % putting a pause here to imitate hardware delay
end
First, you have to create an "argument extractor function" and put it in the same directory, out of the main script (spmd does not like handles to nested functions):
function y = argExtractor(x)
mediator = 3;
% extracting arg x which labs 1&2 send to the mediator
labSend(x,mediator,1); % data=x, destination=mediator, tag = 1
y = labReceive(mediator);
end
Then, in the main script put this:
scheduler = findResource;
scheduler.ClusterSize = 3;
matlabpool(3)
spmd
% Specify the mediator lab
mediator = 3;
if labindex == mediator
% Initialize data
data1 = 0; data2 = 0;
while (~isnan(data1)) || (~isnan(data2))
% Check if data is available from lab 2 and receive it
if labProbe(1,1) && labProbe(2,1)
data1 = labReceive(1,1);
data2 = labReceive(2,1);
[result1 result2] = process(data1,data2);
disp('HW functions 1&2 evaluated');
labSend(result1,1);
labSend(result2,2);
elseif labProbe(1,1) && (labProbe(2,2) || isnan(data2))
data1 = labReceive(1,1);
data2 = NaN; %
[result1 result2] = process(data1,data2);
disp('HW function 1 evaluated');
labSend(result1,1);
elseif (labProbe(1,2) || isnan(data1)) && labProbe(2,1)
data1 = NaN; %
data2 = labReceive(2,1);
[result1 result2] = process(data1,data2);
disp('HW function 2 evaluated');
labSend(result2,2);
elseif (labProbe(1,2) || isnan(data1)) ...
&& (labProbe(2,2) || isnan(data2))
data1 = labReceive(1,2); %NaN;
data2 = labReceive(2,2); %NaN;
disp('Exiting because both optimizers finished');
end
end
end
if labindex < 3
% perform optimization:
[Xout,fval,exitflag] = fminunc(@argExtractor,5);
labSend(NaN,mediator,2);
end
end
% Print the results
X1out = Xout{1}
X2out = Xout{2}
exitFlag1 = exitflag{1}
exitFlag2 = exitflag{2}
matlabpool close

2 个评论
显示 无 隐藏 无

Walter Roberson
Walter Roberson 2011-10-12
Trivial change:
if labindex < 3
should be
if labindex < mediator
matlabUser
matlabUser 2011-10-13
Hi, I have got another problem: the handle of the "external hardware function" is not passed to the "mediator" lab properly. My "external function" is an anonymous function defined outside spmd, and in its definition I use a handle to some application:
ExtFunctionHandle = @(X1,X2) ExternalFunction(X1,X2, ..., oApp, ...)
Here oApp is an application object which I opened on the client using ActiveX server:
oApp = actxserver('hardware_application');
(I control my external device via a special application by making assignments like oApp.register_in = Value, to send arguments, and result = oApp.register_out to read back the function values.)
I called this function handle right before spmd, and saw no problems. But when my mediator lab tries to call it, error message appears: "Trying to reference a field of an un-structured object". So, my lab worker recognizes the anonymous function handle, but the application object is not passed form the client to the lab... I tried to open the application object and create an anonymous function handle within lab worker to make are app object is passed correctly, but I am getting errors saying I can't create anonymous function within spmd body. So here is a dilemma... Any ideas? -Thanks!

请先登录，再进行评论。

类别

在 帮助中心 和 File Exchange 中查找有关 MATLAB Mobile 的更多信息

标签

Community Treasure Hunt

Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!

Start Hunting!

Translated by