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Assisting in search heuristics selection through multidimensional supervised classification: A case study on software testing

Published: 01 February 2014 Publication History

Abstract

A fundamental question in the field of approximation algorithms, for a given problem instance, is the selection of the best (or a suitable) algorithm with regard to some performance criteria. A practical strategy for facing this problem is the application of machine learning techniques. However, limited support has been given in the literature to the case of more than one performance criteria, which is the natural scenario for approximation algorithms. We propose multidimensional Bayesian network (mBN) classifiers as a relatively simple, yet well-principled, approach for helping to solve this problem. Precisely, we relax the algorithm selection decision problem into the elucidation of the nondominated subset of algorithms, which contains the best. This formulation can be used in different ways to elucidate the main problem, each of which can be tackled with an mBN classifier. Namely, we deal with two of them: the prediction of the whole nondominated set and whether an algorithm is nondominated or not. We illustrate the feasibility of the approach for real-life scenarios with a case study in the context of Search Based Software Test Data Generation (SBSTDG). A set of five SBSTDG generators is considered and the aim is to assist a hypothetical test engineer in elucidating good generators to fulfil the branch testing of a given programme.

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  • (2019)Multi-dimensional classification via kNN feature augmentationProceedings of the Thirty-Third AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Thirty-First Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence Conference and Ninth AAAI Symposium on Educational Advances in Artificial Intelligence10.1609/aaai.v33i01.33013975(3975-3982)Online publication date: 27-Jan-2019
  • (2016)Evolutionary Optimization of Compiler Flag Selection by Learning and Exploiting Flags InteractionsProceedings of the 2016 on Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Companion10.1145/2908961.2931696(1159-1166)Online publication date: 20-Jul-2016
  • (2015)Bayesian concepts in software testing: an initial reviewProceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Automating Test Case Design, Selection and Evaluation10.1145/2804322.2804329(41-46)Online publication date: 30-Aug-2015
  1. Assisting in search heuristics selection through multidimensional supervised classification: A case study on software testing

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    Published In

    cover image Information Sciences: an International Journal
    Information Sciences: an International Journal  Volume 258, Issue
    February, 2014
    463 pages

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    Elsevier Science Inc.

    United States

    Publication History

    Published: 01 February 2014

    Author Tags

    1. Algorithm selection
    2. Dominance relation
    3. Multidimensional classification
    4. Search based software testing

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    • (2019)Multi-dimensional classification via kNN feature augmentationProceedings of the Thirty-Third AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Thirty-First Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence Conference and Ninth AAAI Symposium on Educational Advances in Artificial Intelligence10.1609/aaai.v33i01.33013975(3975-3982)Online publication date: 27-Jan-2019
    • (2016)Evolutionary Optimization of Compiler Flag Selection by Learning and Exploiting Flags InteractionsProceedings of the 2016 on Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Companion10.1145/2908961.2931696(1159-1166)Online publication date: 20-Jul-2016
    • (2015)Bayesian concepts in software testing: an initial reviewProceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Automating Test Case Design, Selection and Evaluation10.1145/2804322.2804329(41-46)Online publication date: 30-Aug-2015

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