MPS File Reader Object

Systems and Computer Engineering

Carleton University

Ottawa, Canada

The MPS File Reader is a windows object that exposes properties and methods that allow you to:

• Read standard and free-format MPS files,
• View the contents as equations,
• Submit variable values and receive back the constraint and objective function values at that point,
• Edit existing MPS files or create new MPS files,
• Write out MPS files.

 

It is expected that a major user of this software object will be academic software developers who are working in mathematical programming. Writing an input/output routine for reading and writing MPS files is a tedious chore.  Since we have done this chore as part of another project, we are making the resulting object generally available.

 

The MPS file reader is a 32-bit windows object. After downloading and installing the software, reference the object from your development environment and use the environment's object browser (and the brief help file included with the object) to access the properties and methods the object exposes.

Version History

• Current version is 1.2, released February 28, 2003. Changes:
• Compilation changes to enhance C++ compatibility.
• Progress bar shown during MPS file reading
• Minor bug fixes.
• Source code for a Visual C++ program showing how the object is used (revised March 4, 2003).
• Version 1.1 was released January 27, 2003. Changes:
• The user interface GUI can now be displayed in two modes: (i) editing of the MPS model is enabled, or (ii) editing of the MPS model is disabled.
• Rows are now grouped into two classes: (i) binding rows (constraints), and (ii) nonbinding rows (usually objectives).
• Minor bug fixes.
• Source code for an example Visual Basic program showing how the object is used.
• Version 1.0 was released October 10, 2002.

Download

The full-featured software is available for free download. Instructions:

• Permission to use the object is not needed, but as a courtesy, please email the author to indicate that you are will be using it, and to be notified when new releases are available.
• If you use the object as part of your own software project, please acknowledge the source.
• Download MPS object (3 Mbytes).
• Download source for Visual Basic 6.0 demonstration program (7 kbytes) illustrating use of the object.

• Download source for Visual C++ 6.0 demonstration program (51 kbytes) illustrating use of the object. See the included file RunningC++DemoProgram.txt for instructions on linking the demo program with the object.

Installation Notes

• The installation files are WinZipped. First unzip the files into an installation directory.
• Run install.exe. Choose a different directory as the installation target.
• The required files scrrun.dll and msvcrt.dll are not included in the package because they frequently cause installation difficulties. Omitting them is not a problem on most systems, however, if your system complains:
• More information on the scrrun.dll problem is available at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q254166, including a downloadable version of scrrun.dll if needed.
• Msvcrt.dll is already installed on the newer windows operating systems, so you should not need it. If it is not already installed on your system, you may be able to download it from the Microsoft web site.
• The final result of running the installation is a DLL by the name of MPSfileReader.dll.
• Once installed on your computer, you will need to make a reference to the object in your development environment in order to use it. For example, in Visual Basic, you need to open the dialog box under Project|References and then check the box next to "MPS File Reader Object (J.W. Chinneck)"

Authors

• John W. Chinneck (website http://www.sce.carleton.ca/faculty/chinneck.html)
• Michael Capewell
• Walid Ibrahim

 

Last update: March 4, 2003.