OPTAC: a portable software package for analyzing and comparing optimization methods by visualization

A software package for analyzing and comparing optimization methods is presented. This package displays, using different colors, the regions of convergence to the minima of a given function for various optimization methods. It displays also the rate of their convergence as well as the regions of divergence of these methods. Moreover, this package gives quantitative information regarding the total convergence area in a specific domain for various minima. OPTAC (OPTimization Analysis and Comparisons) we are able to “see” in a picture the advantages and disadvantages of any optimization method as well as to compare various methods in order to choose the proper method for a given class of problems. The OPTAC package is self-contained and conforms to the ANSI 1977 Fortran standards.