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D A T A   F I L E S
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This file is a list of files in the "st/db", "st/save", "st/temp",
"st/debug", and "st/backup" directories, which include input and
output data of ST Module.


-= Input ("st/db") =-

The "input" files include the initial world model, knowledge base, and
parameters for customizing ST Module; we should include them into the
release. ST Module inputs these data, and does not modify them; the
only exception is worldstate.stp, which is updated during "publish."

plugins.sys (XML): The list of optional DLL components used by ST
Module, which include learning and elicitation mechanisms; these
components should be in the "st/lib" directory.

params.txt (text): The parameters that control the learning and search
algorithms; we can customize ST Module by changing these parameters.

question.txt, template.txt (text): The templates for generating
English sentences with questions to the user.

worldstate.stp (XML): The scheduling scenario, which includes
available rooms, conference events, and initial schedule. The system
updates this file during each "publish" operation.

scenario.dtd, scenario.xsd: The XML schema for parsing worldstate.stp.

room.rul (XML): The list of default "room" rules, which allow the
automated derivation of implied room properties.

event.rul (XML): The list of default "event" rules, which allow the
automated derivation of implied event properties.

global.rul (XML): The list of default rules for global conference
properties. The preconditions of these rules include global properties,
and their effects may affect not only global properties, but also
properties of multiple rooms and events.

vendorFiles.ord (XML): The names of the files with the vendor data,
which should be in the "st/db" directory.

costFunction.ord (XML): The cost-penalty function, which specifies the
dependency between the overall schedule cost and the penalty for
incurring this cost, along with the default rules for updating this
function. We may use a different name for this file, and we should
specify its name in vendorFiles.ord.

vendors.ord (XML): The list of the initially known vendors, offered
items, and their prices. We may use a different name for this file,
and we should specify its name in vendorFiles.ord. If "st/db" does 
not include this file, ST Module initially has no vendor knowledge.

order.ord (XML): The list of the initial vendor orders, placed before
the beginning of the scheduling process. We may use a different name
for this file, and we should specify its name in vendorFiles.ord. If
"st/db" does not include this file, there are no initial orders.

bumpFunction.cmr (XML): The bumping-penalty function, which specifies
the dependency between the overall "bumping cost" and the penalty for
incurring it, along with the default rules for updating this function.


-= System state ("st/save") =-

These files are the result of saving the system state. The system
generates them when exiting, and it can reload them when re-starting.

worldstate.stp (XML): The current world states.

costFunction.ord (XML): The current cost-penalty function, along with
the related default rules.

vendors.ord (XML): The list of known vendors, offered items, and their
prices.

lowestCosts.ord (XML): The list of known lowest costs of items.

multiOrders.ord (XML): The list of current multi-orders.

simpleOrders.ord (XML): The list of current simple vendor orders.

bestOrders.ord (XML): The optimal order selection, generated by Vendor
Optimizer.

resourceFn.ord, preOrders.ord (XML): Intermediate results of Vendor
Optimizer, used in constructing the optimal order selection.

bumpFunction.cmr (XML): The current bumping penalty function, along
with the related default rules.


-= Temporary files ("st/temp") =-

These files are intermediate files generated during the execution. We
should not include them into the release, and ST Module should remove
them when the user exits the system.

worldstate.original (XML): A copy of the initial "worldstate.stp"
file. The back-end uses it for generating a list of differences between
the current and initial schedule, passed to Briefing Assistant.

worldstate.old (XML): A copy of the "worldstate.stp" file during the
last "commit" operation. The back-end uses it for generating a list of
differences between the current and previously committed schedule,
passed to Briefing Assistant.

whatIfWorld.stp (XML): The current world state (similar to
worldstate.stp), passed from API to Schedule Optimizer.

assignments.stp (XML): The assignments produced during the
optimization, passed from Schedule Optimizer to API.

whatIfAssignmentCopy.stp: A copy of assignments.stp, produced when
Schedule Optimizer does not release assignment.stp.

ScoringThread_toBeScored.stp (XML): The current world state (similar
to worldstate.stp), passed from API to Schedule Optimizer for
determining the event scores.

ScoringThread_toBeScoredAsst.stp (XML): The results of scoring the
current world state, passed from Schedule Optimizer to API; it
includes a list of current assignments and their scores.

toBeScored.stp (XML) [remove]: A copy of the world state before the
optimization, created by the back-end in order to compare it with the
optimization results. Since the new version of Schedule Optimizer
never worsens the schedule, I think we no longer need this file.

toBeScoredAssn.stp (XML) [remove]: The results of scoring the
"toBeScored.stp" world state, passed from Schedule Optimizer to the
back-end. I think we no longer need this file.

sentToGUI (XML): A list of the current assignments, passed from
Schedule Optimizer to the back-end.

assignments.stp (XML): A list of the current assignments, passed from
the back-end to Integrated Elicitor.

tobeElicitedWorldState.stp (XML): The current world state (similar to
worldstate.stp), passed from API to Heuristic Elicitor. It is
"flattened," that is, all inherited property values in the room and
event hierarchies are explicitly specified.

tobeElicitedAssignments.stp (XML): A list of current assignments,
extracted from "tobeElicitedWorldState.stp", which is passed from
Schedule Optimizer to Heuristic Elicitor.

heuristicTempWorld.stp (XML): A worldstate (similar to worldstate.stp)
used by Auxiliary Elicitor. The system produces it by constructing a
random state and applying Schedule Optimizer with a low time bound.

heuristicTempAssignments.stp (XML): A list of the assignments in the
"heuristicTempWorld.stp" file, passed from the back-end to Auxiliary
Elicitor.

elicit.txt, elicitorStrings.txt (text): Intermediate output of
Integrated Elicitor. The first file is the list of uncertain values,
sorted by importance, and the second is a list of related questions.

elicitorStrings.xml (XML): The final output of Integrated Elicitor,
which includes pointers to uncertain variables and related questions.
ST GUI loads this file and passes it to the Radar console.

vendorQuestions.xml (XML): The final output of Vendor Elicitor, which
includes questions about vendors and their prices. ST GUI loads this
file and passes it to the Radar console.


-= Debugging output ("st/debug") =-

These files contain the debugging output; the system never inputs data
from them. The system should create these files only in the debugging
mode, and we should not include them into the release.

st-gui-log.txt (text): Log of all user actions, generated by ST GUI.
If the system initially includes this file, it appends the new log in
the end of the old file.

rules.txt (text): Log of errors during the application of default rules.


-= Backup files ("st/backup") =-

The "backup" files are backups produced during the runtime; we should
not include them into the release.

oldworldstate-XXXX.stp (XML): The backups of worldstate.stp; when the
user "publishes" the schedule, the system updates worldstate.stp, and
backs up its earlier version. The first backup is worldstate-0000.stp,
the second is worldstate-0001.stp, and so on.