RORUTA-PostFactum-PreferenceRelatedDeteriorationOrSurplusValueHierarchical

Provider:PUT
Version:1.0

Description

Depending on the need, for a given already fulfilled preference relation between two alternatives: “a is preferred to b”, it finds a one of the two possible types of values. These are the maximal deterioration of the performance of the alternative a or the maximal surplus value of the comprehensive score of this alternative. In the first case, the module finds a minimal value from the range of 0 to 1, that multiplied by the performances on chosen criteria allows to maintain the truth of mentioned preference relation. In the other case, it finds the maximal value that may be subtracted from the comprehensive score of this alternative in order to maintain the truth of this relation. In both cases it is possible to consider the truth of mentioned relation for both all or at least one compatible value funtion. Function supports a hierarchical decomposition of the problem.

Inputs

(For outputs, see below)

criteria

Description:

A list of all considered criteria. The input value should be a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is criteria.

selected criteria

Optional: yes, enabled by default

Description:

A set of ids of the criteria that should be taken into account for modification of the performances. This parameter is used only if the modification of performances is searched.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: criteriaSets

  • Code:

    <criteriaSets>
       <criteriaSet>
          <element><criterionID>[...]</criterionID></element>
          [...]
       </criteriaSet>
    </criteriaSets>
    

alternatives

Description:

The list of all considered alternatives. The input value should be a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is alternatives. Each alternative may be described using two attributes: id and name. While the first one denotes a machine readable name, the second represents a human readable name.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternatives

  • Code:

    <alternatives>
        <alternative id="%1" name="%2" />
        [...]
    </alternatives>
    

hierarchy of criteria

Description:

Description of the hierarchical structure of criteria. Each node of this hierarchy needs to have a unique id attribute. The most nested nodes, should contain a set of criteria. The input value should be provided as a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is hierarchy

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: hierarchy

  • Code:

    <hierarchy>
        <node id="nodes">
            <node id="nodes1">
                <criteriaSet>
                    <element><criterionID>%1</criterionID></element> [...]
                </criteriaSet>
            </node>
            [...]
        </node>
        [...]
    </hierarchy>
    

performances

Description:

Description of evaluation of alternatives on different criteria. It is required to provide the IDs of both criteria and alternatives described previously. The input value should be provided as a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is performanceTable

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: performanceTable

  • Code:

    <performanceTable>
        <alternativePerformances>
            <alternativeID>%1</alternativeID>
            <performance>
                <criterionID>%2</criterionID>
                <value>
                    <real>%3</real>
                </value>
            </performance>
            [...]
        </alternativePerformances>
        [...]
    </performanceTable>
    

characteristic points

Optional: yes, enabled by default

Description:

A set of values associated with the criteria. This input allows to determine what type of value function should be used for the particular criterion. For each criterion that has an associated greater than one value, a piecewise linear value function is used. In this case, the mentioned value denotes a number of characteristic points of this value function. For the criteria that are not listed in this file, or for these for which the provided values are lower than two uses a general value function. The input value should be provided as a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is criteriaValues. Each element should contain both an id of the criterion, and value tag.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: criteriaValues

  • Code:

     <criteriaValues>
        <criterionValue>
            <criterionID>%1</criterionID>
            <value>
                <integer>%2</integer>
            </value>
        </criterionValue>
        [...]
    </criteriaValues>
    

target

Description:

Description of the target to be achieved. It has a form of the weak preference relation. The input value should be provided as a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is alternativesComparisons. It should contain only a one pair of alternative ids that distinguish the weak preference relation between two alternatives. It may be interpreted as “The first alternative should be weakly preffered to the second one.”

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternativesComparisons

  • Code:

    <alternativesComparisons>
        <pairs>
            <pair>
                <initial>
                    <alternativeID>%1</alternativeID>
                </initial>
                <terminal>
                    <alternativeID>%2</alternativeID>
                </terminal>
            </pair>
        </pairs>
    </alternativesComparisons>
    

preferences

Optional: yes, enabled by default

Description:

Set of pairwise comparisons of reference alternatives. For a pair of alternatives three types of comparisons are supported. These are the strict preference, weak preference, and indifference. Values linked to pairs indicate ids of nodes in the hierarchy of criteria tree. If value is not given or if it is equal to 0 pairwise comparison is assumed to concern for the whole set of criteria. Otherwise, the preference relation applies only to a particular node. The input value should be provided as a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is alternativesComparisons. For each type of comparison, a separate alternativesComparisons tag should be used. Within these groups a mentioned types are denoted using a comparisonType tag by respectively strict, weak, and indif label. Comparisons should be provided as pairs of alternatives ids.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternativesComparisons

  • Code:

    <alternativesComparisons>
        <comparisonType>
            %1<!-- type of preference: strong, weak, or indif -->
        </comparisonType>
        <pairs>
            <pair>
                <initial>
                    <alternativeID>%2</alternativeID>
                </initial>
                <terminal>
                    <alternativeID>%3</alternativeID>
                </terminal>
                <value>
                    <label>%4</label>
                </value>
            </pair>
            [...]
        </pairs>
    </alternativesComparisons>
    

intensities-of-preferences

Optional: yes, enabled by default

Description:

Set of comparisons of intensities of preference. For a pair of preference relations three types of comparisons are supported. These are the strict preference, weak preference, and indifference. Values linked to pairs, determine ids of nodes in the hierarchy of criteria tree. If value is not given or if it is equal to 0 intensity of preference is assumed to concern for the whole set of criteria. Otherwise, the statement applies only to a particular node. The input value should be provided as a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is alternativesComparisons. For each type of comparison, a separate alternativesComparisons tag should be used. Within these groups aforementioned types are denoted using a comparisonType tag by respectively strict, weak, and indif label. Comparisons should be provided as pairs of two elementary sets of alternatives ids. The following form is expected:

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternativesComparisons

  • Code:

    <alternativesComparisons>
        <comparisonType>
            %1<!-- type of preference: strong, weak, or indif -->
        </comparisonType>
        <pairs>
            <pair>
                <initial>
                    <alternativesSet>
                        <element>
                            <alternativeID>%2</alternativeID>
                        </element>
                        <element>
                            <alternativeID>%3</alternativeID>
                        </element>
                    </alternativesSet>
                </initial>
                <terminal>
                    <alternativesSet>
                        <element>
                            <alternativeID>%4</alternativeID>
                        </element>
                        <element>
                            <alternativeID>%5</alternativeID>
                        </element>
                    </alternativesSet>
                </terminal>
                <value>
                    <label>%6</label>
                </value>
            </pair>
        </pairs>
    </alternativesComparisons>
    

parameters

Description:

Method parameters
strict %1 - Single boolean value. Determines whether to use sctrictly increasing (true) or monotonously increasing (false) value functions. type_of_result %2 - Determines whether analyse the modification of performances or comprehensive score. precision %3 - A float value between 0 and 1 (bounds excluded). It describes the precision of expected result. possible_or_necessary %4 - One of the two label values (possible or necessary). This parameter determines whether a target should be satisfied by one (possible) or all(necessary) compatible value functions.

GUI information:

  • Name: Use strictly increasing value functions?

    Single boolean value. Determines whether to use sctrictly increasing (true) or monotonously increasing (false) value functions.

    • Default value: false
  • Name: type of result

    Type of searched value

    • Type: drop-down list
    • Possible values:
      • deterioration (XMCDA label : deterioration) (default)
      • surplus-value (XMCDA label : surplus-value)
  • Name: precision of the result

    • Constraint description: A float value between 0 and 1 (bounds excluded). It denotes the expected precision of the result.
    • Type: float
    • Default value: 0.005
  • Name: Whether the target should be achieved possibly or necessarily?

    One of the two label values (possible or necessary). This parameter determines whether a target should be satisfied by one (possible) or all(necessary) value functions

    • Type: drop-down list
    • Possible values:
      • possible (XMCDA label : possible)
      • necessary (XMCDA label : necessary) (default)

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: methodParameters

  • Code:

     <methodParameters>
        <parameter name="strict">
            <value>
                <boolean>%1</boolean>
            </value>
        </parameter>
        <parameter name="type_of_result">
            <value><label>%2</label></value>
        </parameter>
        <parameter name="precision">
            <value>
                <real>%3</real>
            </value>
        </parameter>
        <parameter name="possible_or_necessary">
            <value><label>%4</label></value>
        </parameter>
    </methodParameters>
    

Outputs

result

Description:

A set of real values associated with the id of the considered alternative. Depending on chosen option, these values may denote the deteriorations of performances of the alternative or the surplus values of its comprehensive score. The output value should be provided as a valid XMCDA document whose main tag is alternativesValues. Each alternatives values group describes another node of the hierarchy tree. The id attributes denotes the ids of considered nodes.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: alternativesValues

  • Code:

    <alternativesValues id=%1>
        <alternativeValue>
            <alternativeID>[...]</alternativeID>
            <value>
                <real>[...]</real>
            </value>
         </alternativeValue>
    </alternativesValues>
    

messages

Description:

A list of messages generated by the algorithm.

XMCDA related:

  • Tag: methodMessages

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