Quick start for Gundalf Optimiser

Instructions

If at any stage you are unsure of a parameter just hold the mouse over its label and a pop-up help will appear giving you more information.

In addition to the Designer functionality, amongst other things, the Optimiser allows you to generate an environmental report, optimise an array or analyse its stability. Here we will just consider the optimisation functionality.

• After logging in, you enter the geometry definition page. You can add a few guns to the working array using the "Add gun" button. Alternatively you upload an existing array file (one ending in .sba) from your local computer by clicking on the "Library array management" button and following the upload dialog. However you enter it, Gundalf will draw the array for you. When you are satisfied with it, you can continue to the physical parameter section.

• Accept all the defaults in the physical parameter section and continue to the service selection section.

• Select the option "Optimiser analysis". It has a small icon next to it , which matches the equivalent icon in Gundalf Windows. Continue to modelling parameters.

• You will now be invited to provide a gun inventory. Optimising an array involves exchanging guns between the working array and the inventory in order to improve it according to some criterion you specify. The gun inventory is simply a list of guns which are available, not including those in the working array. Here you can upload an inventory file (suffix .gnv) from your local computer, or you can simply create one using the "Add gun to working inventory" option. You can also save the working inventory to your local computer using the "Inventory management" button. When you are happy with the inventory, continue to the optimisation parameter section.

• Optimisation parameters comprise three kinds: optimisation parameters, variants and run parameters, which include constraints. You can default these if you just want to do a quick run. Continue to the rest of the modelling parameters, accept the defaults, and continue to the filter parameters.

• Here you can choose one of many kinds of filter.

• Now proceed to the Check modelling details section. If all looks well, press the button to run the Gundalf model.

• Gundalf will now attempt to optimise your array. When it is complete, a report will appear. You can read through this in your browser or you can download a pdf file of the report and you are done.

• You may now exit and optionally save your working array and/or the whole session (includes the array and inventory/configuration parameters in one file) to your local computer for use later. Gundalf will not retain the array or any inventory/configuration parameters after you exit.