Evaluation version of ADMB

Notes on installing evaluation copy

The following is intended to provide some guidance for users interested in evaluating ADModel Builder. There is a new evaluation version with the capacity to make DLL's to use with Splus version 4 release 3 and other applications. since it is new we have kept the odkler version here in case it has bugs. The evaluation copy is designed for use with Windows 95 or Windows NT. Note that the registered licensed versions are available under Linux and Unix as well for a variety of platforms.

Step 1a. Download the file admbvc6.exe from our web site or This is the evaluation version of ADMB. After the download is completed click on the CARRY-ON link to get back here.

Step 2. You will need to purchase the Visual C++ compiler version 6.0 to use this evaluation version of ADMB. (The other evaluation version for DJGPP C++ users a free compiler. You may wish to use this version if you do not already own Visual C++.)

Step 3. The files for ADMB are in a self extracting executable, admbvc6.exe. Create a new directory called c:\admodel, copy admbvc6.exe to it and run admbvc6.exe -d (you need the -d option to create the necessary subdirectories).

Step 4. You must ensure that the compiler and linker can find the header and library files for ADMB. This can be accomplished by setting the INCLUDE and LIB environment strings to the correct values. This can be accomplished with commands like

set INCLUDE=c:\vc6\include;c:\admodel\include
set LIB=c:\vc6\lib;c:\vc6\mfc\lib;c:\admodel\lib

Step 5. You must ensure that the operating system can find the files in c:\admodel\bin. This can be accomplished by putting the directory c:\admodel\bin on your PATH.

Step 6. Download an example file to test evaluation library and compiler, e.g., simple.tpl:

DATA_SECTION
  init_int nobs
  init_vector Y(1,nobs)
  init_vector x(1,nobs)
PARAMETER_SECTION
  init_number a
  init_number b  
  vector pred_Y(1,nobs)
  objective_function_value f
PROCEDURE_SECTION
  pred_Y=a*x+b;
  f=regression(Y,pred_Y);

and simple.dat:

# number of observations

 10

    1.4 4.7  5.1  8.3  9.0  14.5  14.0  13.4  19.2  18 

# observed x values

    -1  0 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8   9

Step 7. Remove the files simple.cpp, simple.obj, and simple.exe from the directory so you will know can they have been recreated properly. Translate/compile/link simple.tpl file by typing:

makeadm simple

Step 8. If there is a new simple.exe file it appears that everything works. Type simple to run the program. You can skip the following steps. Otherwise follow the instructions in steps 9-11.

Step 9. The makeadm command consists of three parts. If you are here one or more of these parts is not functioning properly.

Test the tpl2cpp translator by typing:

tpl2cpp simple This should produce simple.cpp. If it does not then you have failed to put the directory where tpl2cpp.exe is contained on your path (This has to do with the PATH environment string declaration in admodenv.bat.) Do so and try it again.

Step 10. Now you are ready to test the compiler by typing:

myvcc simple If you see something like command cl not found then you have failed to put the directory which contains the file cl.exe on your path. correct this problem and try again.

If the compiler complains about not being able to find a file named admodel.h then you have not put the directory containing this file in the environment string INCLUDE. If the compiler complains about not being able to find a number of other files with names like STDIO.H or FSTREAM.H then you have not put the directories containing those files in the environment string INCLUDE. Correct that. When this step works you should get a file named simple.obj.

Step 11. Now you are ready to test the linker by typing:

linkvcc simple If the linker complains that it can't find a library such as ADMOD32.LIB or ADO32.lib then you have failed to put the directory containing the library in the environment string LIBRARY. Fix that. Eventually you should get everything working and the file simple.exe will be created. Now delete the files simple.exe, simple.obj, and simple.cpp and type:

makeadm simple again. This should now do the whole job of creating simple.exe. OK. AD Model builder is now installed.

Other example files (for fishery models) can be found at:

http://www.refm.noaa.gov/admod/index.htm

Information on a list-serve for modeling (with emphasis on approaches using ADModel Builder can be found at:

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/sam/