The ILOG OPL-CPLEX-ODM Development System is a full-featured integrated development environment (IDE) for model and application development, with extensive support for software project management.

Algebraic optimization modeling
The ILOG OPL language is used to represent optimization problems descriptively, producing substantially simpler and shorter code than general purpose programming languages. Its powerful syntax supports all the expressions needed to model and solve the full range of optimization problems, including linear, mixed-integer and quadratic programming approaches using ILOG CPLEX and constraint programming approaches using ILOG CP Optimizer.

Application generation and model deployment
ILOG OPL Interfaces allow developers to embed an ILOG OPL model into an application without rewriting the code. They can separate software development tasks from model development tasks, so they can be distributed across a development team. The ILOG OPL-CPLEX-ODM Development System supports a variety of development environments: Java, Microsoft .NET and C++. The .NET application programming interface (API), for example, facilitates easy integration with Microsoft Visual Basic.NET and Microsoft Office applications.

Automation of the application development process
Within the ILOG OPL-CPLEX-ODM Development System, ILOG OPL Development Studio is tightly integrated with ILOG Optimization Decision Manager (ODM), providing push-button generation of ILOG ODM applications based on ILOG OPL models. A simple wizard-guided process produces an initial application, mapping ILOG OPL data structures to data tables in ILOG ODM, decision variables and solution metrics to solution views, and objective functions to ILOG ODM’s interactive business goals.

End users can see the constraints marked as relaxable in the ILOG OPL model, allowing relaxations and trade-offs based on business importance. ILOG ODM provides rapid development of flexible decision-support applications. It allows non-technical business users to adjust assumptions, operating constraints and goals, and to see the engine’s recommendations in familiar business terminology; and it provides extensive support for what-if analysis, scenario comparison, solution explanations, and the controlled relaxation of binding constraints.

Business analyst and management participation
At any point in the model development process, a draft model can be turned into a working application prototype. Business analysts and managers can easily understand the inputs and outputs, making it easy for them to participate in the refinement of the models, displays, scenario creation parameters and model behavior.

Configuring data and solution visualization
Charts based on ILOG JViews make it easy for developers to produce informative displays for solution analysis and scenario comparison. Editors are also included for customizing the appearance and behavior of the data display tables and charts, business goals and solution metrics.