What is a good optimization algorithm for a binary constraints function?

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I'm using fmincon at the moment but one of the equality constraints functions that I have can only output a logical array. This means that fmincon cannot know in which direction to continue its search (right?) so I often get an infeasible point as a result. My question is whether there's an interesting MATLAB algorithm that can deal with this type of nonlinear optimization. Global optimization toolbox perhaps?
To visualize, I'm looking for a solution of n points that each contain 3 variables, so the solution is n by 3 and the logical array is n x 1, indicating whether the solution is possible at all. If any of the logicals is true, the solution is useless. I have no knowledge at all of this constraints function so I cannot adjust the upper/lower bound meaningfully.
  4 Comments
Daniele Sonaglioni
Daniele Sonaglioni on 4 Nov 2021
You can try to use Global Search with fmincon as routine and put all your constraints inside GlobalSearch. I think that this is a very good way to deal with your problem.
Alternatively, you can use the genetic algorithm which works very well.
Steven H
Steven H on 5 Nov 2021
Thanks guys! I will try the trial license and run the suggestions.
@Walter Roberson I'm not sure whether I understood your.. retrospect? Are you saying that it's actually good for the optimization to have such a constraint function? I do actually update the boundaries before running fmincon such that the boundaries satisfy that constraint function, but apparently solutions within the boundaries can also cause trouble.

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