Overview

OptiPath is continually under development and testing. Please use it at your own risk. It is performing well for us on a Windows XP Home Edition operating system. If you have any difficulties or questions, please let us know.

The documentation for the software is also continually in development and may be incomplete. Please check the documentation version number if you want to know when the documentation was last updated (the version number is simply the date).

A few tips:

  1. Getting Started outlines a step-by-step procedure for doing a seriation from start to finish.

  2. Files are the permanent repository of your data on your computer system. Normally OptiPath works with the default file, OptiPath.ops, and you will not be concerned with files (unless you want to backup your database). Instead you will be working with data sets and seriations.

  3. Data sets are different sets of archaeological data that you want to analyze. You may have as many data sets as you want and OptiPath provides facilities for adding/deleting/editing/switching data sets. There is an option to import data sets from Microsoft Excel and to export data to Excel. OptiPath stores multiple data sets in a single database file (named OptiPath.ops by default).

  4. Seriations are different scenarios you might create on the same data set. For example you might try seriating the same data set first using occurrence seriation and then trying optimal path seriation. OptiPath provides facilities for adding/deleting/editing/switching seriations.

  5. Artifacts are the items being seriated.

  6. Assemblages are collections of artifacts (for frequency seriation).

  7. Features are the attributes being used to distinguish one artifact from another.

  8. Data are the values or measurements of features for artifacts.

  9. Seriate your artifacts or assemblages.

  10. Results are the results of seriating.

Tables

Tables are a standard way of presenting data in OptiPath. Be aware that any information you enter into a row of a table will not be saved or take effect until you move to another row (or another table)!

Feedback

Please let us know what you think of the OptiPath software - any bugs you find, any suggestions you have for improving the interface or the functionality. We welcome it all. Thank you.