dac_plugin_explained.md

Interacting with the DAC plugin CSV file interface

Overview

To collect live simulation statistics, the DAC plugin can be activated, though this will likely slow the simulation down slightly. Instructions on how to activate it in the .argos parameter file is detailed here.

By activating it in the .argos file, a .csv file will be created. You will be able to choose the path of the .csv file and how often it's being written to.

The file acts as an interface/log for the ARGoS simulation that you can read from. Presently, the only (running) statistics output are

• the number of active robots at log time,
• the number of disabled robots at log time, and
• the fraction of correct decisions made by the active robots at log time. Note that the fraction of correct decisions is affected by the num_bins argument that you set in the .argos file.

Description

An example of the .csv file would look like the following if opened in a text editor:

121222_075629,experimentstats
,range,0.700000
,speed,10.000000
,density,5.500000,area,3.078761
,robots,11
,fillratio,0.950000
,sensorprob,0.525000
121222_075629,trialindex,0
121222_075631,trialstats
,simseconds,50
,active,11
,motion_disabled,0
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,0
,fractioncorrectdecisions,0.636364
121222_075632,trialstats
,simseconds,100
,active,6
,motion_disabled,5
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,5
,fractioncorrectdecisions,0.333333
121222_075632,trialindex,1
121222_075633,trialstats
,simseconds,50
,active,11
,motion_disabled,0
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,0
,fractioncorrectdecisions,0.363636
121222_075635,trialstats
,simseconds,100
,active,6
,motion_disabled,5
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,5
,fractioncorrectdecisions,0.500000
121222_075635,trialindex,2
121222_075636,trialstats
,simseconds,50
,active,11
,motion_disabled,0
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,0
,fractioncorrectdecisions,0.363636
121222_075638,trialstats
,simseconds,100
,active,6
,motion_disabled,5
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,5
,fractioncorrectdecisions,1.000000
121222_075638,experimentstats
,range,0.700000
,speed,10.000000
,density,5.500000,area,3.078761
,robots,11
,fillratio,0.950000
,sensorprob,0.975000
121222_075638,trialindex,0
121222_075640,trialstats
,simseconds,50
,active,11
,motion_disabled,0
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,0
,fractioncorrectdecisions,1.000000
121222_075642,trialstats
,simseconds,100
,active,6
,motion_disabled,5
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,5
,fractioncorrectdecisions,1.000000
121222_075642,trialindex,1
121222_075645,trialstats
,simseconds,50
,active,11
,motion_disabled,0
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,0
,fractioncorrectdecisions,1.000000
121222_075646,trialstats
,simseconds,100
,active,6
,motion_disabled,5
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,5
,fractioncorrectdecisions,1.000000
121222_075646,trialindex,2
121222_075648,trialstats
,simseconds,50
,active,11
,motion_disabled,0
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,0
,fractioncorrectdecisions,1.000000
121222_075650,trialstats
,simseconds,100
,active,6
,motion_disabled,5
,comms_disabled,0
,sense_disabled,5
,fractioncorrectdecisions,1.000000
121222_075650,experimentcomplete

The same file would look like the following if you opened it in MS Excel or Google Sheets:

121222_075629	experimentstats
	range	0.700000
	speed	10.000000
	density	5.500000	area	3.078761
	robots	11
	fillratio	0.950000
	sensorprob	0.525000
121222_075629	trialindex	0
121222_075631	trialstats
	simseconds	50
	active	11
	motion_disabled	0
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	0
	fractioncorrectdecisions	0.636364
121222_075632	trialstats
	simseconds	100
	active	6
	motion_disabled	5
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	5
	fractioncorrectdecisions	0.333333
121222_075632	trialindex	1
121222_075633	trialstats
	simseconds	50
	active	11
	motion_disabled	0
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	0
	fractioncorrectdecisions	0.363636
121222_075635	trialstats
	simseconds	100
	active	6
	motion_disabled	5
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	5
	fractioncorrectdecisions	0.500000
121222_075635	trialindex	2
121222_075636	trialstats
	simseconds	50
	active	11
	motion_disabled	0
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	0
	fractioncorrectdecisions	0.363636
121222_075638	trialstats
	simseconds	100
	active	6
	motion_disabled	5
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	5
	fractioncorrectdecisions	1.000000
121222_075638	experimentstats
	range	0.700000
	speed	10.000000
	density	5.500000	area	3.078761
	robots	11
	fillratio	0.950000
	sensorprob	0.975000
121222_075638	trialindex	0
121222_075640	trialstats
	simseconds	50
	active	11
	motion_disabled	0
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	0
	fractioncorrectdecisions	1.000000
121222_075642	trialstats
	simseconds	100
	active	6
	motion_disabled	5
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	5
	fractioncorrectdecisions	1.000000
121222_075642	trialindex	1
121222_075645	trialstats
	simseconds	50
	active	11
	motion_disabled	0
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	0
	fractioncorrectdecisions	1.000000
121222_075646	trialstats
	simseconds	100
	active	6
	motion_disabled	5
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	5
	fractioncorrectdecisions	1.000000
121222_075646	trialindex	2
121222_075648	trialstats
	simseconds	50
	active	11
	motion_disabled	0
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	0
	fractioncorrectdecisions	1.000000
121222_075650	trialstats
	simseconds	100
	active	6
	motion_disabled	5
	comms_disabled	0
	sense_disabled	5
	fractioncorrectdecisions	1.000000
121222_075650	experimentcomplete

• The 1st column is reserved for the timestamp in monthdayyear_HOURMINUTESECOND form.
• The 2nd column is the place where you want to keep track of:
  • The row with experimentstats marks a new experiment, with the rows immediately following it indicating the experimental parameters.
  • The row with trialindex marks a new trial. All trial statistics after the current row belong to the current trial, until another row with trialindex is printed.
  • The row with trialstats marks the section where the trial statistics are printed in the rows immediately following it.
  • The row with experimentcomplete marks the end of the entire simulated experiment.
• The 3rd column is the place where the values for the 2nd column (if applicable) is printed.
• The 4th column is reserved for additional parameters related to the parameter in the 2nd column of the same row, if applicable.
• The 5th column is the place where the values for the 4th column (if applicable) is printed.