Added --prune-score and --prune-hops to RUN

These allow you to eliminate candidate routes early on in the
"run" command based on their performance compared to the current
leader.

For example

  --prune-score 22.5 --prune-hops 3

says that from the 3rd hop, begin eliminate routes which have
scored under 22.5% of the current best candidate. This can
significantly improve the time to calculate long runs.

But if the early hops are all poor performers it can keep you from
seeing a gold mine a few hops away that requires you to take a few
low-profit hits first.

E.g.

  -1-> 50cr/ton -2-> 90cr/ton -3-> 50cr/ton -4-> 50cr/ton
  -1-> 10cr/ton -2-> 50cr/ton -3-> 20cr/ton -4-> 900cr/ton

"--prune-score 50 --prune-hops 4"

would cause you to miss the second option.

CHANGES.txt

@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 TradeDangerous, Copyright (C) Oliver "kfsone" Smith, July 2014
 ==============================================================================
 
+[wip]
+. (kfsone) Added '--prune-score' and '--prune-hops' to run; these let
+        you discard routes that are under-performing early on which
+        can make calculating longer runs more efficient.
+
 v6.7.0 Jan 17 2015
 . (kfsone) ".prices" import automatically creates local placeholders
         for unknown stations when using "-i", e.g:

README.txt

@@ -203,6 +203,51 @@ RUN sub-command:
   This command provides the primary trade run calculator functionality (it provides
   the functionality of the older TradeDangerous versions prior to 3.1)
 
+   Ship/Trade options:
+     --capacity N
+     --cap N
+       Maximum items you can carry on each hop.
+
+     --credits N
+     --cr N
+       How many credits to start with
+       e.g.
+         --credits 20000
+
+     --ly-per N.NN
+     --ly N.NN
+       Maximum distance your ship can jump between systems at full capacity.
+       NOTE: You can increase your range by selling your weapons.
+       e.g.
+         --ly-per 19.1
+         --ly-per 3
+
+     --empty-ly N.NN
+     --emp N.NN
+       DEFAULT: same as --ly-per
+       How far your ship can jump when empty (used by --start-jumps)
+
+     --limit N   DEFAULT: 0
+       If set, limits the maximum number of units of any cargo
+       item you will buy on any trade hop, incase you want to
+       hedge your bets or be a good economy citizen.
+       e.g.
+         --capacity 16 --limit 8
+
+     --insurance N   DEFAULT: 0
+     --ins N
+       How many credits to hold back for insurance purposes
+       e.g.
+         --insurance 1000
+         --ins 5000
+
+     --margin N.NN   DEFAULT: 0.01
+       At the end of each hop, reduce the profit by this much (0.02 = 2%),
+       to allow a margin of error in the accuracy of prices.
+       e.g.
+         --margin 0      (no margin)
+         --margin 0.01   (1% margin)
+
    Route options:
      --from <station or system>
        Lets you specify the starting station
@@ -238,6 +283,21 @@ RUN sub-command:
          --via Enterprise
          --via Chango
 
+     --hops N
+       DEFAULT: 2
+       Maximum number of hops (number of cargo pickups)
+       e.g.
+         --hops 8
+
+     --jumps-per N
+     --jum N
+       DEFAULT: 2
+       Limit the number of systems jumped to between each station
+       e.g.
+         -jumps-per 5
+
+
+   Filter options:
      --max-days-old N.NN
      -MD N.NN
        Filters out price data that exceeds a specified age in days
@@ -278,22 +338,22 @@ RUN sub-command:
          --ls-max 10000
          --ls-m 32000
 
-     --unique
-     --uni
-       Only show routes which do not visit any station twice
-
-     --hops N
-       DEFAULT: 2
-       Maximum number of hops (number of cargo pickups)
+     --prune-score N.NN
+       DEFAULT: 0
+       After a number of hops (controlled by --prune-hops), eliminate
+       candidate routes which have under-performed the leading candidate.
+       NOTE: This can speed up long run calculations, but it can also
+       cause you to miss gold-mines that are a just a few hops away...
        e.g.
-         --hops 8
+         --prune-score 12.5   (prune routes scoring less than 10% of the leader)
 
-     --jumps-per N
-     --jum N
-       DEFAULT: 2
-       Limit the number of systems jumped to between each station
+     --prune-hops N
+       DEFAULT: 3
+       Being applying "--prune-score" from this hop onward. Set 0 to disable.
+       NOTE: This can speed up long run calculations, but it can also
+       cause you to miss gold-mines that are a just a few hops away...
        e.g.
-         -jumps-per 5
+         --prune-hop 4 --prune-score 22.5
 
      --avoid ITEM/SYSTEM/STATION
      --avoid AVOID,AVOID,...,AVOID
@@ -307,50 +367,9 @@ RUN sub-command:
          --avoid prise
          --av gold,aulin,enterprise,anderson
 
-   Ship/Trade options:
-     --capacity N
-     --cap N
-       Maximum items you can carry on each hop.
-
-     --credits N
-     --cr N
-       How many credits to start with
-       e.g.
-         --credits 20000
-
-     --ly-per N.NN
-     --ly N.NN
-       Maximum distance your ship can jump between systems at full capacity.
-       NOTE: You can increase your range by selling your weapons.
-       e.g.
-         --ly-per 19.1
-         --ly-per 3
-
-     --empty-ly N.NN
-     --emp N.NN
-       DEFAULT: same as --ly-per
-       How far your ship can jump when empty (used by --start-jumps)
-
-     --limit N   DEFAULT: 0
-       If set, limits the maximum number of units of any cargo
-       item you will buy on any trade hop, incase you want to
-       hedge your bets or be a good economy citizen.
-       e.g.
-         --capacity 16 --limit 8
-
-     --insurance N   DEFAULT: 0
-     --ins N
-       How many credits to hold back for insurance purposes
-       e.g.
-         --insurance 1000
-         --ins 5000
-
-     --margin N.NN   DEFAULT: 0.01
-       At the end of each hop, reduce the profit by this much (0.02 = 2%),
-       to allow a margin of error in the accuracy of prices.
-       e.g.
-         --margin 0      (no margin)
-         --margin 0.01   (1% margin)
+     --unique
+     --uni
+       Only show routes which do not visit any station twice
 
    Other options:
      --routes N   DEFAULT: 1

commands/run_cmd.py

@@ -156,6 +156,19 @@
             default=False,
             dest='x52pro',
         ),
+    ParseArgument('--prune-score',
+            help='From the 3rd hop on, only consider routes which have ' \
+                'at least this percentage of the current best route''s score.',
+            dest='pruneScores',
+            type=float,
+            default=0,
+        ),
+    ParseArgument('--prune-hops',
+            help='Changes which hop --prune-score takes effect from.',
+            default=3,
+            type=int,
+            dest='pruneHops',
+        ),
 ]
 
 ######################################################################
@@ -584,6 +597,13 @@ def validateRunArguments(tdb, cmdenv):
     if cmdenv.mfd:
         cmdenv.mfd.display("Loading Trades")
 
+    if cmdenv.pruneScores and cmdenv.pruneHops:
+        if cmdenv.pruneScores > 100:
+            raise CommandLineError("--prune-score value percentage exceed 100.")
+        if cmdenv.pruneHops < 3:
+            raise CommandLineError("--prune-hops must 3 or more.")
+    else:
+        cmdenv.pruneScores = cmdenv.pruneHops = 0
 
 ######################################################################
 
@@ -668,18 +688,29 @@ def run(results, cmdenv, tdb):
     results.summary = ResultRow()
     results.summary.exception = ""
 
-    for hopNo in range(numHops):
-        if not cmdenv.quiet and not cmdenv.debug:
-            print("* Hop {:3n}: {:.>10n} routes".format(hopNo+1, len(routes)), end='\r')
-        elif cmdenv.debug:
-            cmdenv.DEBUG0("Hop {}...", hopNo+1)
+    pruneMod = cmdenv.pruneScores / 100
 
+    for hopNo in range(numHops):
         restrictTo = None
         if hopNo == lastHop and stopStations:
             restrictTo = set(stopStations)
         elif len(viaSet) > cmdenv.adhocHops:
             restrictTo = viaSet
 
+        if pruneMod and hopNo + 1 >= cmdenv.pruneHops and len(routes) > 10:
+            routes.sort()
+            bestScore, worstScore = routes[0].score, routes[-1].score
+            threshold = bestScore * pruneMod
+            oldLen = len(routes)
+            while routes[-1].score < threshold:
+                routes.pop()
+            cmdenv.NOTE("Pruned {} routes".format(oldLen - len(routes)))
+
+        if not cmdenv.quiet and not cmdenv.debug:
+            print("* Hop {:3n}: {:.>10n} routes".format(hopNo+1, len(routes)), end='\r')
+        elif cmdenv.debug:
+            cmdenv.DEBUG0("Hop {}...", hopNo+1)
+
         newRoutes = calc.getBestHops(routes, restrictTo=restrictTo)
         if not newRoutes and hopNo > 0:
             if restrictTo:

scripts/config.sh

@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ CR=270742
 # Set the position of the update window relative to top-right of screen
 UPD_ARGS="-wx=-40 -wy=40"
 
+# After a given number of hops, discard candidates that have scored less
+# than the given percentage of the best candidate.
+PRUNE_HOPS=3        # after 3 hops
+PRUNE_SCORE=20      # percentage
+
 # You can only have one set of variables "live" at a time, comment out
 # old ships while you are not flying them, then you can just uncomment
 # them later on.

scripts/tdrun

@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@ then
 fi
 
 cmd="${TRADEPY} run -vv \
-    --ly ${MAXLY} \
-    --empty ${EMPTYLY} \
-    --cap ${CAP} \
-    --jumps ${JUMPS} \
-    --cr ${CR} \
-    --from \"${origin}\" \
+    --ly=${MAXLY} \
+    --empty=${EMPTYLY} \
+    --cap=${CAP} \
+    --jumps=${JUMPS} \
+    --cr=${CR} \
+    --from=\"${origin}\" \
+    --prune-score=${PRUNESCORE:-5} \
+    --prune-hops=${PRUNEHOPS:-4} \
     $@"
 echo \$ $cmd
 eval "$cmd"