ACUTA

Provider:UTAR
Version:2.0

Description

Computes ACUTA method - analytic center for UTA - which provides a set of additive value functions that have a central position in the polyhedron of admissible value functions, given some preference information (preference relation).

Inputs

(For outputs, see below)

criteria

Description:

A list of criteria. Criteria can be activated or desactivated via the <active> tag (true or false). By default (no <active> tag), criteria are considered as active.

alternatives

Description:

A list of alternatives. Alternatives can be activated or desactivated via the <active> tag (true or false). By default (no <active> tag), alternatives are considered as active.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternatives

  • Code:

    <alternatives>
            <alternative>
                    <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
            </alternative>
    </alternatives>
    

performanceTable

Description:

Values of criteria for different alternatives. It must contains IDs of both criteria and alternatives previously described.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: performanceTable

  • Code:

    <performanceTable>
            <alternativePerformances>
                    <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
                    <performance>
                            <criterionID>[...]</criterionID>
                            <value>
                            <real>[...]</real>
                    </value>
                    </performance>
            </alternativePerformances>
    </performanceTable>
    

preferenceDirections

Description:

Optimization direction for the selected criteria (min or max).

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: criteriaValues

  • Code:

    <criteriaValues>
            <criterionValue>
                    <criterionID>[...]</criterionID>
                    <value>
                            <label>[...]</label>
                    </value>
            </criterionValue>
    </criteriaValues>
    

criteriaSegments

Description:

Number of segments in each value function to be constructed by UTA.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: criteriaValues

  • Code:

    <criteriaValues>
            <criterionValue>
                    <criterionID>[...]</criterionID>
                    <value>
                            <integer>[...]</integer>
                    </value>
            </criterionValue>
    </criteriaValues>
    

alternativesRank

Optional: yes, enabled by default

Description:

Ranking (preorder) of alternatives, corresponding to pariwize preference and indifference statements.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternativesValues

  • Code:

    <alternativesValues>
            <alternativeValue>
                    <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
                    <value>
                            <integer>[...]</integer>
                    </value>
            </alternativeValue>
    </alternativesValues>
    

alternativesPreferences

Optional: yes, enabled by default

Description:

Asymmetric part of the preference relation, representing strict preference statements, under the form of paiwise comparisons of alternatives.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternativesValues

  • Code:

    <alternativesComparisons>
            <pairs>
                    <pair>
                            <initial>
                                    <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
                            </initial>
                            <terminal>
                                    <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
                            </terminal>
                    </pair>
                    [...]
            </pairs>
    </alternativesComparisons>
    

alternativesIndifferences

Optional: yes, enabled by default

Description:

Symmetric part of the preference relation, representing indifference statements, under the form of paiwise comparisons of alternatives.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternativesValues

  • Code:

    <alternativesComparisons>
            <pairs>
                    <pair>
                            <initial>
                                    <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
                            </initial>
                            <terminal>
                                    <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
                            </terminal>
                    </pair>
                    [...]
            </pairs>
    </alternativesComparisons>
    

delta

Description:

Optional delta value for UTA - delta is the utility gap between two successive alternatives in the preference ranking.

GUI information:

  • Parameter values can be defined via the GUI or the XMCDA file, by default via GUI.

  • Name: delta

    Delta value for UTA

    • Constraint description: Delta should be positive and small
    • Type: float

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: methodParameters

  • Code:

    <methodParameters>
            <parameter>
                    <value>
                            <real>%1</real>
                    </value>
            </parameter>
    </methodParameters>
    

Outputs

valueFunctions

Description:

Constructed value functions for the selected criteria and the provided rankings, using ACUTA method.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: criteria

  • Code:

    <criteria mcdaConcept="criteria">
            <criterion>
                    <criterionID>[...]</criterionID>
                    <criterionFunction>
                            <points>
                                    <point>
                                            <abscissa><real>[...]</real></abscissa>
                                            <ordinate><real>[...]</real></ordinate>
                                    </point>
                            </points>
                    </criterionFunction>
            </criterion>
    </criteria>
    

messages

Description:

Log message.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: methodMessages

  • Code:

    <methodMessages mcdaConcept="methodMessage">
            <logMessage>
                    <text>[...]</text>
            </logMessage>
            <errorMessage>
                    <text>[...]</text>
            </errorMessage>
    </methodMessages>
    

For further technical details on the web service underlying this program, have a look at its documentation here.