Week 2-3

These last few weeks we have continued our discussion about SAT problems.  After understanding the format of the benchmark problems and running into a few issues compiling MiniSAT, we finally got the benchmark problems to run on MiniSAT AND produce the correct results :).  We decided our next task is to dig into the MiniSAT code and try to understand how it works to solve the problems.  To do this we decided to form a graph displaying what steps the solver is taking to solve each benchmark.  We are in the process adding code to MiniSAT so that the graph is generated when the as the problem is being solved.  Eventually what we would like to do is have a sort of animation of how MiniSAT is solving a problem.  Right now, we are working to get the code compiling on our own computers (not using the CSE remote computer).

-Mary

Week One (Second Semester)

This week we started our weekly meetings again.  This semester we are planning on meeting twice weekly as a group.  Our meetings this semester will be more discussion based in comparison to last semester. This semester we are starting the SAT side of our research and including Elena and Dr. Dwyer in more in our discussions.  We have started comparing some of the techniques of both fields and are noticing that a lot of the same concepts exist in both fields.  For example a BCP (Boolean Constraint Propagation) in SAT is similar to the domino effect in CSPs.  For the first week we decided to explore SAT using a SAT solver, particularly miniSAT. As of right now, I have downloaded it and (finally) figured out how to compile it.  I plan on looking at some benchmark problems and trying to understand how it works J.

Kick-off meeting for Spring 2012

The entire team (2 ugrad students, Maggie and Mary, 2 grad mentors, Elena and Robert, and 2 faculty sponsors, Matt and Berthe) met for a relaxed meeting on January 6, 2012 at the Oven (Indian restaurant).  We discussed what was accomplished during Fall 2011 (where we focused on studying fundamental CP concepts and implementing search, backtracking, and consistency algorithms).  We agreed to start Spring 2012 by reverse engineering MiniSAT (SAT solver), studying SMT solvers, then diving into the study of constraints that arise in program analysis.  We will be meeting twice per week.  Most likely as follows: Once as a team to discuss progress and once as a smaller team to read tutorial papers.   Below is a photo of the super team taken at the Oven.  From left to right:  Elena, Matt, Berthe, Maggie, Robert,  and Mary.

End of semester meeting, Dec, 22, 2011

On December 22nd, 2011, we met at the Oven (Indian restaurant) for a relaxed brainstorming meeting.  Dr. Dwyer was in South Africa and could not join us.  Elena Sherman (graduate mentor) came to the restaurant, looked around for us, but could not find us although we were seated at the entrance (mishaps occur...), and left :-(   We are sorry, Elena, but we will coordinate better next time.  Were able to attend:  Mary, Maggie, Robert (graduate mentor), and Berthe.  During the dinner, we discussed the joys and difficulties of the fall semester and decided to delay any discussion about the Spring semester to another meeting that Matt and Elena can attend.  After the dinner, we took the photo below, which shows, from left to right, Robert, Mary, and Maggie.  Berthe took the photo.