# Aquarium 3.0 Alpha 2

Build Date: 18-02-2002

- What is this?
- What do I need to make it work?
- What does 'Alpha' mean?
- What does this Alpha contain?
- What does older Alpha contained?
- How to use it?
- Tips
- I found a bug, what can I do?

## What is this?

This the new Aquarium projet. The aim of this project is to demonstrate how complex and powerfull genetic algorithm can be.

## What do I need to make it work?

You need a Java Virtual Machine (JVM, also called JRE). Take the 1.3.1_02 from http://java.sun.com, or the final 1.4.
Note 1: 1.4 will speed up your simulation by 2.5 (yes 2.5 if you use the GUI).
Note 2: On my Windows jdk 1.4 and 1.3.1 does live well together
If you have a jdk1.2.x or 1.1.x this won't work.

## What does 'Alpha' mean?

'Alpha' means that

- there are lot of things missing
- there are bugs
- there is a very small documentation (user documentation)
- the Java documentation may contains mistakes
- Sources will not be available (some classes will be obfucasted)
- build will not be very user friendly

## What does this Alpha contain?

In this second Alpha :

- Documentation

- XML specification
- Small tutorial for GUI
- LifeRoom and FoodMap editor documentation
- The preference.txt file is a commanted preference file

- For GUI

- You can now edit/save your preferences using the GUI
- Editors work better
- You have direct acces to the log viewer
- A new status bar will indicates the remaining time and other information

- For Command line

- Unvisible things ;-)
- Code improves

## What does older Alpha contained?

The first Alpha

you will have acces to 3 different applications.

- - No graphics, in this mode you can launch an experiment, but you will see nothing. Logs will be generated, and it will be your only result.
  Advantages:
  - You can make huge simulation
  - You will not consume lot of memory
  - You won't be able to interfer with the experiment
  - Should be very stable
  Disadvantages:
  - It's not very funny
  - And all specification must be done throught files
- With graphics, in this mode you will be able to view what is happening.
  Advantages:
  - You can view every thing
  - You will be able to edit specification throught windows
  - You will be able to interfer with the experiment
  - Is funny to watch
  Disadvantages:
  - Will take much more memory
  - Lots of thing missing right now
- You can visualy analyse your log file with a build in GraphViewer

## How to use it?

- commande line.
  - Recommended configuration: P200Mz and 64Mo
  - Take a look at the preferences.ini file
  - Use the runcmd.sh or runcmd.bat file
- With graphics.
  - Recommended configuration: P500Mz and 128Mo
  - Take a look at the preferences.ini file
  - Use the runit.sh or runit.bat file
- Analyse of logs
  - Recommended configuration: P200Mz and 64Mo
  - Use the runviewer.sh or runviewer.bat file
  Read the lauch script file if you want to use specific options

## Tips

- Using the 1.4 final J2SDK will speed up the application. As an example a 15000 turns, with 50 worms, 1 food, and 150x150 life room
  - with 1.3.1-02 => 4 minutes
  - with 1.4 => 1m53 minutes
- Under Linux, using the graphics can be very slow, but if you minimize the visible life room it will increase the speed of the simulation.
- Activating the log of the DNA convergence degre is not a good idea if you make a imulation with more than 100 worms. Since this method is in O(n²).
- The log viewer is able to read any file tabuled, and with a string looking like #<legend>X Y1 Y2 Y3</legend>

## I found a bug, what can I do?

Send me an email renaud91@hotmail.com

## Finally

I am looking for a job, so if you're interested, feel free to contact me at renaud91@hotmail.com