Is it possible to configure a selection filter by annotation

[mikepictor]

I don't use a config XML, all my configuration is via annotations.

I want to add a selection filter, but I can't find any annotation to flag it's inclusion. Is the XML config file the only way to include selection filters? The documentation seems to only describe XML configuration.

Thank you

[triceo]

Not that I know of. You can configure a pinning filter on @PlanningEntity, but not a generic selection filter.

Do note though that XML is not the only way of configuring the solver. In fact, the XML is just a serialized version of SolverConfig - so if you start from that class, you can build your config in code without any XML.

[triceo]

Yes, I see your point. In fact, value ranges on entities are there to serve this exact purpose:

• If the truck "knows" the earliest availability, then that is the start of the value range.
• If the truck's earliest availability is based on some shadow variable (such as arrival of some other truck), then that shadow variable is the start of the value range.
• The end of the value range is harder to figure out; but you can make an educated guess. For example, if you only expect trucks to be out for 8 hours at most, make the end be start + 8 + safety margin.

By applying these rules, you get the range from [0, end of planning horizon + safety margin] to something significantly smaller, therefore significantly reducing the "useless" computation time. But as I said before, ranges on entities are not supported with list variables and since you're mentioning trucks, you're likely using those.

[mikepictor]

Yes, I came up with an idea. I had the value range provider in the solution, but I noticed we could have it on the entity, and so each entity can have a value range unique to it's truck time. I am going to try that. Takes some re-architecting, but it could remove many hours from the "eligible" times of the Temporal value range. That will feel like a better solution if I can get my ducks in a row.

[mikepictor]

Pinned entities still need a value range provider?

I got an error saying that the range provider on my pinned entity was null...but it's pinned. It should need a value range. I mean...I guess I can set one, but that was very unexpected.

[triceo]

I guess the code that checks for that doesn't also check if the entity is pinned or not. I can see how that could be a bug. But since pinning is a runtime thing, I can also see the logic behind enforcing value ranges on all entities; if the entity becomes unpinned, you don't want the solver to suddenly fail as it encounters an unpinned entity without a value range.

[mikepictor]

yeah...in this case it was an version of the entity that is always pinned. I have multiple sub-classes, 2 of which are perma pinned, the rest can be planned.

It's fine, I gave it a value range of 12:00 to 12:05 and called it a day.

It's working, thank you for your help. I now have all tasks using their own value range based on the truck arrival time. That should save a lot of useless time ranges.