use strict;
use warnings;

=head1 NAME

    Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString - Classic bitstring individual for evolutionary computation; 
                 usually called I<chromosome>


=head1 SYNOPSIS

    use Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString;

    my $indi = new Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString 10 ; # Build random bitstring with length 10
                                   # Each element in the range 0 .. 1

    my $indi3 = new Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString;
    $indi3->set( { length => 20 } );   #Sets values, but does not build the string
    
    $indi3->randomize(); #Creates a random bitstring with length as above
 
    print $indi3->Atom( 7 );       #Returns the value of the 7th character
    $indi3->Atom( 3 ) = 1;       #Sets the value

    $indi3->addAtom( 1 ); #Adds a new character to the bitstring at the end

    my $indi4 = Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString->fromString( '10110101');   #Creates an individual from that string

    my $indi5 = $indi4->clone(); #Creates a copy of the individual

    my @array = qw( 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 ); #Create a tied array
    tie my @vector, 'Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString', @array;
    print tied( @vector )->asXML();

    print $indi3->asString(); #Prints the individual
    print $indi3->asXML() #Prints it as XML. See 

=head1 Base Class

L<Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::String|Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::String>

=head1 DESCRIPTION

Bitstring Individual for ao GA

=cut

package Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString;
use Carp;
use Exporter;

our ($VERSION) =  ( '$Revision: 1.7 $ ' =~ /(\d+\.\d+)/ );

use Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::String;
our @ISA = qw (Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::String);

=head1 METHODS

=head2 new

Creates a new random bitstring individual, with fixed initial length, and 
uniform distribution of bits.

=cut

sub new {
  my $class = shift; 
  my $chars = [ '0', '1' ];
  my $self = Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::String::new( 'Algorithm::Evolutionary::Individual::BitString', $chars, @_ );
  return $self;
}

=head2 set

Sets values of an individual; takes a hash as input. Keys are prepended an
underscore and turn into instance variables

=cut

sub set {
  my $self = shift; 
  my $hash = shift || croak "No params here";
  $self->{_chars} = [ '0', '1' ];
  $self->SUPER::set( $hash );
}

=head2 Copyright
  
  This file is released under the GPL. See the LICENSE file included in this distribution,
  or go to http://www.fsf.org/licenses/gpl.txt

  CVS Info: $Date: 2006/03/15 08:51:22 $ 
  $Header: /cvsroot/opeal/opeal/Algorithm/Evolutionary/Individual/BitString.pm,v 1.7 2006/03/15 08:51:22 jmerelo Exp $ 
  $Author: jmerelo $ 
  $Revision: 1.7 $
  $Name $

=cut