public CandidateSolution <T, S> FindBestSolution()
{
// keep track of best overall, average fitness scores
float bestFitnessScoreAllTime = (IsLowerFitnessBetter ? float.MaxValue : float.MinValue);
float bestAverageFitnessScore = (IsLowerFitnessBetter ? float.MaxValue : float.MinValue);
CandidateSolution <T, S> bestTreeAllTime = null;
int bestSolutionGenerationNumber = 0, bestAverageFitnessGenerationNumber = 0;
// elitism
int numElitesToAdd = (int)(ElitismRate * PopulationSize);
// depending on whether elitism is used, or the selection type, we may need to sort candidates by fitness (which is slower)
bool needToSortByFitness =
SelectionStyle == SelectionStyle.RouletteWheel ||
SelectionStyle == SelectionStyle.Ranked ||
ElitismRate > 0;
Stopwatch timer = new Stopwatch();
// create an initial population of random trees, passing the possible functions, consts, and variables
for (int p = 0; p < PopulationSize; p++)
{
CandidateSolution <T, S> tree = new CandidateSolution <T, S>(primitiveSet, RandomTreeMinDepth, RandomTreeMaxDepth);
tree.CreateRandom();
currentGeneration.Add(tree);
}
// loop over generations
int currentGenerationNumber = 0;
while (true)
{
timer.Restart();
// for each tree, find and store the fitness score
// multithread the fitness evaluation
Parallel.ForEach(currentGeneration, (candidate) =>
{
// calc the fitness by calling the user-supplied function via the delegate
float fitness = myFitnessFunction(candidate);
candidate.Fitness = fitness;
});
// single-threaded approach, for debugging
//foreach (var candidate in currentGeneration)
// candidate.Fitness = myFitnessFunction(candidate);
// now check if we have a new best
float bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration = (IsLowerFitnessBetter ? float.MaxValue : float.MinValue);
CandidateSolution <T, S> bestTreeThisGeneration = null;
float totalFitness = 0;
foreach (var tree in currentGeneration)
{
totalFitness += tree.Fitness;
// find best of this generation, update best all-time if needed
bool isBestThisGeneration = false;
if (IsLowerFitnessBetter)
{
isBestThisGeneration = tree.Fitness < bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration;
}
else
{
isBestThisGeneration = tree.Fitness > bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration;
}
if (isBestThisGeneration)
{
bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration = tree.Fitness;
bestTreeThisGeneration = tree;
bool isBestEver = false;
if (IsLowerFitnessBetter)
{
isBestEver = bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration < bestFitnessScoreAllTime;
}
else
{
isBestEver = bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration > bestFitnessScoreAllTime;
}
if (isBestEver)
{
bestFitnessScoreAllTime = bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration;
bestTreeAllTime = tree.Clone();
bestSolutionGenerationNumber = currentGenerationNumber;
}
}
}
// determine average fitness and store if it's all-time best
float averageFitness = totalFitness / PopulationSize;
if (IsLowerFitnessBetter)
{
if (averageFitness < bestAverageFitnessScore)
{
bestAverageFitnessGenerationNumber = currentGenerationNumber;
bestAverageFitnessScore = averageFitness;
}
}
else
{
if (averageFitness > bestAverageFitnessScore)
{
bestAverageFitnessGenerationNumber = currentGenerationNumber;
bestAverageFitnessScore = averageFitness;
}
}
// report progress back to the user, and allow them to terminate the loop
EngineProgress progress = new EngineProgress()
{
GenerationNumber = currentGenerationNumber,
AvgFitnessThisGen = averageFitness,
BestFitnessThisGen = bestFitnessScoreThisGeneration,
BestFitnessSoFar = bestFitnessScoreAllTime,
TimeForGeneration = timer.Elapsed
};
// there are two forms here, and if they aren't defined, this code just drops through
bool keepGoing = true;
if (myProgressFunction != null)
{
myProgressFunction(progress);
}
if (myProgressWithCandidateFunction != null)
{
keepGoing = myProgressWithCandidateFunction(progress, bestTreeThisGeneration);
}
if (!keepGoing)
{
break; // user signalled to end looping
}
// termination conditions
if (currentGenerationNumber >= MinGenerations)
{
// exit the loop if we're not making any progress in our average fitness score or our overall best score
if (((currentGenerationNumber - bestAverageFitnessGenerationNumber) >= StagnantGenerationLimit) &&
((currentGenerationNumber - bestSolutionGenerationNumber) >= StagnantGenerationLimit))
{
break;
}
// maxed out?
if (currentGenerationNumber >= MaxGenerations)
{
break;
}
}
// we may need to sort the current generation by fitness, depending on SelectionStyle
if (needToSortByFitness)
{
if (IsLowerFitnessBetter)
{
currentGeneration = currentGeneration.OrderBy(c => c.Fitness).ToList();
}
else
{
currentGeneration = currentGeneration.OrderByDescending(c => c.Fitness).ToList();
}
}
// depending on the SelectionStyle, we may need to adjust all candidate's fitness scores
AdjustFitnessScores(currentGeneration);
// Start building the next generation
List <CandidateSolution <T, S> > nextGeneration = new List <CandidateSolution <T, S> >();
// Elitism
var theBest = currentGeneration.Take(numElitesToAdd);
foreach (var peakPerformer in theBest)
{
nextGeneration.Add(peakPerformer);
}
// now create a new generation using fitness scores for selection, and crossover and mutation
while (nextGeneration.Count < PopulationSize)
{
// select parents
CandidateSolution <T, S> parent1 = null, parent2 = null;
switch (SelectionStyle)
{
case SelectionStyle.Tourney:
parent1 = TournamentSelectParent();
parent2 = TournamentSelectParent();
break;
case SelectionStyle.RouletteWheel:
case SelectionStyle.Ranked:
parent1 = RouletteSelectParent();
parent2 = RouletteSelectParent();
break;
}
// cross them over to generate two new children
CandidateSolution <T, S> child1, child2;
CrossOverParents(parent1, parent2, out child1, out child2);
// Mutation
if (Randomizer.GetFloatFromZeroToOne() < MutationRate)
{
child1.Mutate();
}
if (Randomizer.GetFloatFromZeroToOne() < MutationRate)
{
child2.Mutate();
}
// then add to the new generation
nextGeneration.Add(child1);
nextGeneration.Add(child2);
}
// move to the next generation
currentGeneration = nextGeneration;
currentGenerationNumber++;
}
bestTreeAllTime.Root.SetCandidateRef(bestTreeAllTime);
return(bestTreeAllTime);
}