Special Track on the 3rd International Planning Competition

Guest Editors

David E. Smith


Special Track Contents

The International Planning Competition Series began in 1998 and has been running biennially since that date. The competitions have been an important driver for research in the field. In particular, they have resulted in an evolving language for describing planning domains and problems (PDDL), a body of benchmark domains and problems in that language, and the ability to directly compare different generative planning techniques. All of this has contributed to significant advances in both the character and difficulty of problems that can be represented and solved by generative planning techniques.

The papers in this JAIR Special Issue cover the 3rd International Planning Competition (IPC-3), held in conjunction with the 6th International Conference on AI Planning and Scheduling (AIPS-02). This competition marks the introduction of planning problems and systems that deal explicitly with time and numeric quantities. The first paper (Long & Fox) describes the results of the competition. The second paper (Fox & Long) presents the language extensions to PDDL that allow it to express numeric quantities, metric optimization criteria, and actions having duration. Because the language extensions were controversial, the paper is followed by a collection of short commentaries by prominent members of the field. The remaining papers describe the techniques and systems that figured prominently in the competition.

D. Long and M. Fox (2003) "The 3rd International Planning Competition: Results and Analysis", Volume 20, pages 1-59

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | HTML | doi:10.1613/jair.1240

M. Fox and D. Long (2003) "PDDL2.1: An Extension to PDDL for Expressing Temporal Planning Domains", Volume 20, pages 61-124

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | HTML | doi:10.1613/jair.1129

F. Bacchus (2003) "The Power of Modeling---a Response to PDDL2.1", Volume 20, pages 125-132

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1993

M. S. Boddy (2003) "Imperfect Match: PDDL 2.1 and Real Applications", Volume 20, pages 133-137

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1994

H. A. Geffner (2003) "PDDL 2.1: Representation vs. Computation", Volume 20, pages 139-144

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1995

D. McDermott (2003) "PDDL2.1 -- The Art of the Possible? Commentary on Fox and Long", Volume 20, pages 145-148

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1996

D. E. Smith (2003) "The Case for Durative Actions: A Commentary on PDDL2.1", Volume 20, pages 149-154

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | HTML | doi:10.1613/jair.1997

M. Do and S. Kambhampati (2003) "SAPA: A Multi-objective Metric Temporal Planner", Volume 20, pages 155-194

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1156

S. Edelkamp (2003) "Taming Numbers and Durations in the Model Checking Integrated Planning System", Volume 20, pages 195-238

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1302

A. Gerevini, A. Saetti and I. Serina (2003) "Planning Through Stochastic Local Search and Temporal Action Graphs in LPG", Volume 20, pages 239-290

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1183

J. Hoffmann (2003) "The Metric-FF Planning System: Translating ``Ignoring Delete Lists'' to Numeric State Variables", Volume 20, pages 291-341

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1144
Appendix - C code for the Metric-FF system

J. Kvarnström and M. Magnusson (2003) "TALplanner in IPC-2002: Extensions and Control Rules", Volume 20, pages 343-377

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1189

D. S. Nau, T. C. Au, O. Ilghami, U. Kuter, J. W. Murdock, D. Wu and F. Yaman (2003) "SHOP2: An HTN Planning System", Volume 20, pages 379-404

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | doi:10.1613/jair.1141

H. L.S. Younes and R. G. Simmons (2003) "VHPOP: Versatile Heuristic Partial Order Planner", Volume 20, pages 405-430

Abstract | PDF | PostScript | HTML | doi:10.1613/jair.1136
Appendix - Source code for VHPOP version