Implement MOEA/D algorithm in HeuristicLab

[bburlacu]

The MOEA/D algorithm is a capable metaheuristic for multi-objective optimization. It would be nice to have it in HeuristicLab.

Publication

​MOEA/D: A Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm Based on Decomposition

Features for HeuristicLab Implementation

• should work with any encoding
• extends BasicAlgorithm, supports Pause
• can use existing operators and analyzers out of the box
• can be extended to implement different flavours (MOEA/D-DRA, MOEA/D-STM, etc.)

[bburlacu]

r16557: Branch HeuristicLab.Algorithms.DataAnalysis and add initial implementation adapted from ​jMetal.

r16560: Create separate plugin for MOEA/D

r16561: Store the population as a List, so it can be cleared when the algorithm is finished in order to save memory. Unversion generated files (Plugin.cs and AssemblyInfo.cs)

r16583: Implement better uniform weight generation, objective scaling, algorithm Pause support.

TODO

• support all encodings (currently only Symbolic Expressions)

• proper wiring (+ handle all events)

• support more than 2 dimensions (implement weight generation - original implementation reads weights from resource files)

• adapt design to HeuristicLab (eg, maybe use scopes, replace utility code with HeuristicLab extensions/utility methods) (partially done)

[bburlacu]

r16630: Migrate to new persistence. Add support for objective scaling.

[bburlacu]

r16649:

• Prevent updating the Ideal and Nadir points with NaN or Infinity values.
• Simplify algorithm code (use arrays instead of lists).
• Add missing StorableType attributes.
• Add hypervolume analysis for the pareto fronts.

[bburlacu]

r16657: Improve performance by caching parameter values. Fix plugin dependencies in Plugin.cs.frame

[bburlacu]

r16688: Eliminate unnecessary cloning. Update to HEAL.Attic-pre4, fix AssemblyTitle

[bburlacu]

r16714: Reference HEAL.Attic dll from HL bin folder and add HeuristicLab.Attic to plugin dependencies.

[kyang]

EMOA/D may stuck in a specific region (objective space) without any updates:

1. DTLZ3: Only explore the region within $f_2 \in (0,0.1)$
2. DTLZ7: Only explore the region within $f_2 \in (0,0.8)$

[gkronber]

@bburlacu please prepare the branch for trunk merge

[bburlacu]

Replying to gkronber:

@bburlacu please prepare the branch for trunk merge

I had a look at this branch and it looks ok to be merged. I am not aware of any outstanding issues with the algorithm.