Threshold species!

[Greven]

I would presume most of you have tried either Avida or Tierra, or both.

I don't want to give a description, but those of you who have tried them know that they save new 'genomes' if they get above a certain threshold (normally 3).

This could be really nice to have when running evolutionary simulations, because often you dont what to sit and watch the screen for 6 hours or more, and push the snapshot button, now and then.

The bestbot save is extremly useless too. And I am not talking about a snapshot, but all possibly evolved 'bot-species' which will reach a user defined threshold will be saved. When you want to just look at evolution alone, the snapshot feature is useless, only the different genomes are interesting.

I know you will add more database recording etc., but beginning with this simple feature, you will be able to build onto this at a later stage in the developement, and it will be easy to implement.

I know I can add this to the source code, and I have alot of experince with VB, but I cant get the source code to function properly and when I compile it is even worse.
 :(   :shoot: VB :pokey:

This could be really nice! :clap:

~Greven

[PurpleYouko]

This sounds like a very useful addition to the scripting function.

What is your problem with source code?
Did you get VB 6.0 or soem freebie version like you get with one of those "visual basic for dummies" books.
I bought one of those a few years back and DarwinBots won't run on it at all.

[Numsgil]

A working version of VB6 is also on the FTP.  Try it.

[shvarz]

Do you know about the snapshot analysis tool made by PY?  It is very usefull and actually lists all the genomes in the snapshot and their frequencies.  

The feature you are suggesting would be quite useful of course.  On the other hand, its usefulness will go away if you switch to sexual reproduction - the resources necessary to analyze and align all the genome sequences correctly will be enormous.

[Carlo]

A working version of VB6 is also on the FTP.  Try it.

Oh god.

LANCE: I don't know you, who is this, don't come here, I'm hangin' up.

[PurpleYouko]

Do you really think it is a good idea putting VB up there?

Then again, does it include the MSDN help files? I really could use a set of those at home.  :D

[Numsgil]

We're still obscure enough that I don't think it's a problem.  If it gets a problem, I'll remove it.

Shhh, it's a secret ;)

[Botsareus]

Now we are talking about making the program closedsource?

[Numsgil]

No Bots, we're talking about Visual Basic itself.  The program.

[Botsareus]

Closedsource? Cool word, thanks Num.

[Greven]

What is your problem with source code?
Did you get VB 6.0 or soem freebie version like you get with one of those "visual basic for dummies" books.
I bought one of those a few years back and DarwinBots won't run on it at all.

I got VB 6 Enterprise Edition. When I try to run the source code, and error occur in the string-function, cant remember what error, I am at work now, but I will try it once more when I get home, and report the exact error etc. tomorrow!

Do you know about the snapshot analysis tool made by PY? It is very usefull and actually lists all the genomes in the snapshot and their frequencies.

I know about the snapshot function, but I dont what to push the button once every 10 min. or so. Also when I am at work or sleeping I cant push the button either... :P  ;)
And because of that I can lose important mutants / mutations in the evolutionary race.  :(

The feature you are suggesting would be quite useful of course. On the other hand, its usefulness will go away if you switch to sexual reproduction - the resources necessary to analyze and align all the genome sequences correctly will be enormous. 

That is quiet true, but still sexual reproduction is still under discussion, or so I think, and is not finished yet.  :unsure:

~Greven

[shvarz]

And because of that I can lose important mutants / mutations in the evolutionary race

If they are so important, why would they disappear so quickly?  :)

I think at some point we had the option of "snapshot" being done every N minutes.  Not sure if it still there of if it works, look in "recording" options.

[PurpleYouko]

The old database system (still there and usable) records the DNA of each and every robot as it dies.

It has its uses but what we need is a more versatile system, most likely based on scripts, that will allow us to take snapshots at intervals or when something interesting happens.
The scripts already include taking a snapshot when a specific mutation occurs. The trouble is that you still have to manually enter the file name and path. We probably need to set up a "seed" path and filename, then append an incremented digit to the end for each save.

[Shen]

I havnt been able to get the database recording working for some time. I get "File Error 52" whatever that is. Snapshot works fine though.

[PurpleYouko]

You do?

I guess I just assumed that it still worked since I never physically disabled it when I added snapshot.

Yet another thing to add to the "to do list" sigh  :sad2: