The following sections explain how to set limits on how long the solver searches for solutions.
Setting a time limit for the solver
If your program takes a long time to run, we recommend setting a time limit for the solver, which ensures that the program will terminate in a reasonable length of time. The examples below illustrate how to set a limit of 10 seconds for the solver.
Python
"""Solves a problem with a time limit."""
from ortools.sat.python import cp_model
def SolveWithTimeLimitSampleSat():
"""Minimal CP-SAT example to showcase calling the solver."""
# Creates the model.
model = cp_model.CpModel()
# Creates the variables.
num_vals = 3
x = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "x")
y = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "y")
z = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "z")
# Adds an all-different constraint.
model.Add(x != y)
# Creates a solver and solves the model.
solver = cp_model.CpSolver()
# Sets a time limit of 10 seconds.
solver.parameters.max_time_in_seconds = 10.0
status = solver.Solve(model)
if status == cp_model.OPTIMAL:
print(f"x = {solver.Value(x)}")
print(f"y = {solver.Value(y)}")
print(f"z = {solver.Value(z)}")
SolveWithTimeLimitSampleSat()
C++
#include <stdlib.h>
#include "ortools/base/logging.h"
#include "ortools/sat/cp_model.h"
#include "ortools/sat/cp_model.pb.h"
#include "ortools/sat/cp_model_solver.h"
#include "ortools/sat/model.h"
#include "ortools/sat/sat_parameters.pb.h"
#include "ortools/util/sorted_interval_list.h"
namespace operations_research {
namespace sat {
void SolveWithTimeLimitSampleSat() {
CpModelBuilder cp_model;
const Domain domain(0, 2);
const IntVar x = cp_model.NewIntVar(domain).WithName("x");
const IntVar y = cp_model.NewIntVar(domain).WithName("y");
const IntVar z = cp_model.NewIntVar(domain).WithName("z");
cp_model.AddNotEqual(x, y);
// Solving part.
Model model;
// Sets a time limit of 10 seconds.
SatParameters parameters;
parameters.set_max_time_in_seconds(10.0);
model.Add(NewSatParameters(parameters));
// Solve.
const CpSolverResponse response = SolveCpModel(cp_model.Build(), &model);
LOG(INFO) << CpSolverResponseStats(response);
if (response.status() == CpSolverStatus::OPTIMAL) {
LOG(INFO) << " x = " << SolutionIntegerValue(response, x);
LOG(INFO) << " y = " << SolutionIntegerValue(response, y);
LOG(INFO) << " z = " << SolutionIntegerValue(response, z);
}
}
} // namespace sat
} // namespace operations_research
int main() {
operations_research::sat::SolveWithTimeLimitSampleSat();
return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
Java
package com.google.ortools.sat.samples;
import com.google.ortools.Loader;
import com.google.ortools.sat.CpModel;
import com.google.ortools.sat.CpSolver;
import com.google.ortools.sat.CpSolverStatus;
import com.google.ortools.sat.IntVar;
/** Solves a problem with a time limit. */
public final class SolveWithTimeLimitSampleSat {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Loader.loadNativeLibraries();
// Create the model.
CpModel model = new CpModel();
// Create the variables.
int numVals = 3;
IntVar x = model.newIntVar(0, numVals - 1, "x");
IntVar y = model.newIntVar(0, numVals - 1, "y");
IntVar z = model.newIntVar(0, numVals - 1, "z");
// Create the constraint.
model.addDifferent(x, y);
// Create a solver and solve the model.
CpSolver solver = new CpSolver();
solver.getParameters().setMaxTimeInSeconds(10.0);
CpSolverStatus status = solver.solve(model);
if (status == CpSolverStatus.OPTIMAL) {
System.out.println("x = " + solver.value(x));
System.out.println("y = " + solver.value(y));
System.out.println("z = " + solver.value(z));
}
}
private SolveWithTimeLimitSampleSat() {}
}
C#
using System;
using Google.OrTools.Sat;
public class SolveWithTimeLimitSampleSat
{
static void Main()
{
// Creates the model.
CpModel model = new CpModel();
// Creates the variables.
int num_vals = 3;
IntVar x = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "x");
IntVar y = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "y");
IntVar z = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "z");
// Adds a different constraint.
model.Add(x != y);
// Creates a solver and solves the model.
CpSolver solver = new CpSolver();
// Adds a time limit. Parameters are stored as strings in the solver.
solver.StringParameters = "max_time_in_seconds:10.0";
CpSolverStatus status = solver.Solve(model);
if (status == CpSolverStatus.Optimal)
{
Console.WriteLine("x = " + solver.Value(x));
Console.WriteLine("y = " + solver.Value(y));
Console.WriteLine("z = " + solver.Value(z));
}
}
}
Stopping a search after a specified number of solutions
As an alternative to setting a time limit, you can make the solver terminate after it finds a specified number of solutions. The examples below illustrate how to stop the search after five solutions.
Python
"""Code sample that solves a model and displays a small number of solutions."""
from ortools.sat.python import cp_model
class VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit(cp_model.CpSolverSolutionCallback):
"""Print intermediate solutions."""
def __init__(self, variables, limit):
cp_model.CpSolverSolutionCallback.__init__(self)
self.__variables = variables
self.__solution_count = 0
self.__solution_limit = limit
def on_solution_callback(self):
self.__solution_count += 1
for v in self.__variables:
print(f"{v}={self.Value(v)}", end=" ")
print()
if self.__solution_count >= self.__solution_limit:
print(f"Stop search after {self.__solution_limit} solutions")
self.StopSearch()
def solution_count(self):
return self.__solution_count
def StopAfterNSolutionsSampleSat():
"""Showcases calling the solver to search for small number of solutions."""
# Creates the model.
model = cp_model.CpModel()
# Creates the variables.
num_vals = 3
x = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "x")
y = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "y")
z = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "z")
# Create a solver and solve.
solver = cp_model.CpSolver()
solution_printer = VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit([x, y, z], 5)
# Enumerate all solutions.
solver.parameters.enumerate_all_solutions = True
# Solve.
status = solver.Solve(model, solution_printer)
print(f"Status = {solver.StatusName(status)}")
print(f"Number of solutions found: {solution_printer.solution_count()}")
assert solution_printer.solution_count() == 5
StopAfterNSolutionsSampleSat()
C++
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <atomic>
#include "ortools/base/logging.h"
#include "ortools/sat/cp_model.h"
#include "ortools/sat/cp_model.pb.h"
#include "ortools/sat/cp_model_solver.h"
#include "ortools/sat/model.h"
#include "ortools/sat/sat_parameters.pb.h"
#include "ortools/util/sorted_interval_list.h"
#include "ortools/util/time_limit.h"
namespace operations_research {
namespace sat {
void StopAfterNSolutionsSampleSat() {
CpModelBuilder cp_model;
const Domain domain(0, 2);
const IntVar x = cp_model.NewIntVar(domain).WithName("x");
const IntVar y = cp_model.NewIntVar(domain).WithName("y");
const IntVar z = cp_model.NewIntVar(domain).WithName("z");
Model model;
// Tell the solver to enumerate all solutions.
SatParameters parameters;
parameters.set_enumerate_all_solutions(true);
model.Add(NewSatParameters(parameters));
// Create an atomic Boolean that will be periodically checked by the limit.
std::atomic<bool> stopped(false);
model.GetOrCreate<TimeLimit>()->RegisterExternalBooleanAsLimit(&stopped);
const int kSolutionLimit = 5;
int num_solutions = 0;
model.Add(NewFeasibleSolutionObserver([&](const CpSolverResponse& r) {
LOG(INFO) << "Solution " << num_solutions;
LOG(INFO) << " x = " << SolutionIntegerValue(r, x);
LOG(INFO) << " y = " << SolutionIntegerValue(r, y);
LOG(INFO) << " z = " << SolutionIntegerValue(r, z);
num_solutions++;
if (num_solutions >= kSolutionLimit) {
stopped = true;
LOG(INFO) << "Stop search after " << kSolutionLimit << " solutions.";
}
}));
const CpSolverResponse response = SolveCpModel(cp_model.Build(), &model);
LOG(INFO) << "Number of solutions found: " << num_solutions;
CHECK_EQ(num_solutions, kSolutionLimit);
}
} // namespace sat
} // namespace operations_research
int main() {
operations_research::sat::StopAfterNSolutionsSampleSat();
return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
Java
package com.google.ortools.sat.samples;
import com.google.ortools.Loader;
import com.google.ortools.sat.CpModel;
import com.google.ortools.sat.CpSolver;
import com.google.ortools.sat.CpSolverSolutionCallback;
import com.google.ortools.sat.IntVar;
/** Code sample that solves a model and displays a small number of solutions. */
public final class StopAfterNSolutionsSampleSat {
static class VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit extends CpSolverSolutionCallback {
public VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit(IntVar[] variables, int limit) {
variableArray = variables;
solutionLimit = limit;
}
@Override
public void onSolutionCallback() {
System.out.printf("Solution #%d: time = %.02f s%n", solutionCount, wallTime());
for (IntVar v : variableArray) {
System.out.printf(" %s = %d%n", v.getName(), value(v));
}
solutionCount++;
if (solutionCount >= solutionLimit) {
System.out.printf("Stop search after %d solutions%n", solutionLimit);
stopSearch();
}
}
public int getSolutionCount() {
return solutionCount;
}
private int solutionCount;
private final IntVar[] variableArray;
private final int solutionLimit;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Loader.loadNativeLibraries();
// Create the model.
CpModel model = new CpModel();
// Create the variables.
int numVals = 3;
IntVar x = model.newIntVar(0, numVals - 1, "x");
IntVar y = model.newIntVar(0, numVals - 1, "y");
IntVar z = model.newIntVar(0, numVals - 1, "z");
// Create a solver and solve the model.
CpSolver solver = new CpSolver();
VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit cb =
new VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit(new IntVar[] {x, y, z}, 5);
// Tell the solver to enumerate all solutions.
solver.getParameters().setEnumerateAllSolutions(true);
// And solve.
solver.solve(model, cb);
System.out.println(cb.getSolutionCount() + " solutions found.");
if (cb.getSolutionCount() != 5) {
throw new RuntimeException("Did not stop the search correctly.");
}
}
private StopAfterNSolutionsSampleSat() {}
}
C#
using System;
using Google.OrTools.Sat;
public class VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit : CpSolverSolutionCallback
{
public VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit(IntVar[] variables, int solution_limit)
{
variables_ = variables;
solution_limit_ = solution_limit;
}
public override void OnSolutionCallback()
{
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Solution #{0}: time = {1:F2} s", solution_count_, WallTime()));
foreach (IntVar v in variables_)
{
Console.WriteLine(String.Format(" {0} = {1}", v.ToString(), Value(v)));
}
solution_count_++;
if (solution_count_ >= solution_limit_)
{
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Stopping search after {0} solutions", solution_limit_));
StopSearch();
}
}
public int SolutionCount()
{
return solution_count_;
}
private int solution_count_;
private IntVar[] variables_;
private int solution_limit_;
}
public class StopAfterNSolutionsSampleSat
{
static void Main()
{
// Creates the model.
CpModel model = new CpModel();
// Creates the variables.
int num_vals = 3;
IntVar x = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "x");
IntVar y = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "y");
IntVar z = model.NewIntVar(0, num_vals - 1, "z");
// Creates a solver and solves the model.
CpSolver solver = new CpSolver();
VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit cb = new VarArraySolutionPrinterWithLimit(new IntVar[] { x, y, z }, 5);
solver.StringParameters = "enumerate_all_solutions:true";
solver.Solve(model, cb);
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Number of solutions found: {0}", cb.SolutionCount()));
}
}