# Tutorial: Running an ADMB program

## Obtaining the files

Download the files for the appropriate operating system (linux or DOS) from the "ADMB files" bar. After having unpacked the files (with winzip for the DOS version and gunzip/tar for the linux version) you should have the following files:

- The executable file itself, called `program` in this tutorial (`program.exe` under DOS).
- A `.dat` file containing data. If your executable is called `program`, the name of this file will be `program.dat`
- A `.pin` file containing initial values for the optimization. If your executable is called `program`, the name of this file will be `program.pin`

## Invoking the program

When the name of the executable is `program`, the command is:
`./program`
under linux, and
`.\program`
in a DOS window. Remember to substitute your program name for `program`.

## Command line options

An ADMB executable accepts commmand line options. You may for instance use `-est` to prevent the computation of the Hessian matrix at the end of the optimization process:
`.\program -est`
For large applications, it may be necessary to allocate extra memory. When you see that large temporary files are being generated in the directory where you run the executable, you must use one (or more) of the following options:

Temporary file | Option | Typical value of `N`
f1b2list1 | `-l1 N` | 10000000
f1b2list12 | `-l2 N` | 10000000
f1b2list13 | `-l3 N` | 10000000
nf1b2list1 | `-nl1 N` | 10000000
nf1b2list12 | `-nl2 N` | 10000000
nf1b2list13 | `-nl3 N` | 10000000

So, your command line may look like:
`.\program -est -l1 1000000 -l2 1000000 -l3 1000000 -nl1 1000000`

## Results

The results are found in a file called `program.par` (in this case). Standard deviations of parameter estimates are given in `program.std` (when the option `-est` is not used).

## My program crashes without any further message. Why?

Probably your computer has too little memory for this application. Try to reduce the numbers in `-l1 1000000 -l2 1000000 -l3 1000000 -nl1 1000000`