Using the REST API

This topic introduces the RASON REST API function calls that may be used to analyze a model, solve an optimization, run a simulation, perform a data science task, calculate a decision table or solve a decision flow using either the Editor Page on www.rason.com or from within your own application.

For small, simple models that can be solved in limited memory within 30 seconds of CPU time, you can run an optimization, simulation, or data science task, decision table recalculation or solve a decision flow and get results with a single API call: POST rason.net/api/optimize for optimization, POST rason.net/api/simulate for simulation, POST rason.net/api/datamine for data science, POST rason.net/api/decision to recalculate a decision table or POST rason.net/api/solve to solve a decision flow (and any problem type) and obtain an ODATA end point for the results. To keep your application response time acceptable to your user, you should use this endpoint judiciously.

For larger models that require more time or memory, you can use separate API calls to (i) upload your model or decision flow plus data files, create a model resource ID on the RASON server, (ii) start an optimization or simulation, (iii) check on its status and get progress information and finally (iv) retrieve results when the solution process is complete. If necessary, you can stop a long run in progress with an API call.

Other API calls allow you to diagnose a model to determine its type (linear, quadratic, nonlinear, etc.) and size before solving it (mostly useful in model design and development), retrieve a resource ID that you've previously created (including the full text of the model), update the model text of an existing resource ID, get a list of all the resource IDs you've created and delete a resource ID.