Infer.NET

Infer.NET user guide : Factors and Constraints

List of factors and constraints

This screen shot shows a list of factors and constraints available, along with their support when used in different algorithms. In the list, ‘S’ stands for stochastic (unknown) and ‘D’ stands for deterministic (known) - for example (S S)->D denotes calling a factor with two unknown arguments where the result is known. If a pattern has a * next to it, it means it does not support being in a condition block (if, case or switch). If a factor is shown as having full support but is marked with * then it is not supported in a condition block in all cases.

This list can be useful in helping you choose an inference algorithm as described in working with different inference algorithms. You can see the most up-to-date list by calling InferenceEngine.ShowFactorManager(), which will also show user-defined factors and constraints. Factors with generic parameters are not always shown correctly in this list.

Where a factor is described as “Cannot support” it is not possible (or not known) how to support such a factor in the particular algorithm or stochasticity pattern. If you try and use such a factor, then you will get a specific error message explaining why it is not possible to use it with that algorithm.

The background colours for each factor and algorithm give an indication of the Quality Band of the factor as shown in the key below. As there are several different message operator methods for each factor (reflecting stochastic/deterministic values), the colour codes only the maximum quality band for each factor. For example, the Factor.Product factor shows mature support, but there will be some scenarios (for example when the messages are Gaussian and Beta rather than Gaussian and Gaussian) where the quality is experimental. To see this level of detail, you can look at the quality attributes in the source code for the message operators, or you can look at the warning messages given by the Model compiler.

Quality Band	Color
Mature	green
Stable	light green
Preview	yellow
Experimental	red
Not supported	white

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Factor

Arguments

ExpectationPropagation

VariationalMessagePassing

GibbsSampling

MaxProductBP

Bernoulli.Sample

double probTrue

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (D)->S

BernoulliIntegerSubset.Sample

ISparseList<double> probTrue

Full support

(D)->S, (S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Beta.Sample

double trueCount, double falseCount

(D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D

Beta.SampleFromMeanAndVariance

double mean, double variance

(D D)->S, (D D)->D

Constrain.Equal<T>

T A, T B

Full support

(S D), (D S), (D D) Cannot support:(S S)

Full support

[(S S):2/3]*, [(D S):0/2]*, [(S D):0/2]*, [(D D):0/1]*

Constrain.EqualRandom<TDomain, TDistribution>

TDomain value, TDistribution dist

(S D), (D D)

Dirichlet.SampleFromPseudoCounts

Vector pseudoCount

(D)->S, (D)->D

Discrete.Sample

Vector probs

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (D)->S

EnumSupport.AreEqual<TEnum>

TEnum a, TEnum b

Full support

EnumSupport.DiscreteEnum<TEnum>

Vector probs

Full support

(S)->D, (S)->D, (D)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (D)->S

EnumSupport.EnumToInt<TEnum>

TEnum en

Full support

Factor.AllTrue

IList<bool> array

Full support

(S)->S, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->D

(D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (S)->D

Factor.And

bool a, bool b

Full support

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

Full support

Factor.AreEqual

bool a, bool b

Full support

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

Full support

Factor.AreEqual

int a, int b

Full support

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

Full support

Factor.AreEqual

String str1, String str2

Full support

Factor.ArrayFromVector

Vector vector

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Factor.Bernoulli

double probTrue

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (D)->S

Factor.BernoulliFromLogOdds

double logOdds

Full support

(D)->S, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (S)->D

Factor.BetaFromMeanAndTotalCount

double mean, double totalCount

[(D D)->S:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->S, (S D)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D, (S D)->D, (D S)->D

[(S S)->S:3/4]*, [(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S)->S:2/3]*, [(S S)->D:2/3]*, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, (D D)->D, [(D D)->S:1/2]*, [(D S)->D:1/2]*

[(D D)->S:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->S, (S D)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D, (S D)->D, (D S)->D

Factor.Char

Vector probabilities

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->S, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Factor.Concat

Char ch, String str

Full support

Factor.Concat

String str, Char ch

Full support

Factor.Concat

String str1, String str2

Full support

Factor.CountTrue

bool[] array

Full support

(D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (S)->D

Factor.Difference

double a, double b

Full support

Factor.Difference

int a, int b

[(S S)->S:3/4]*, (D S)->S, [(S S)->D:2/3]*, [(S D)->S:2/3]*, (D S)->D, (D D)->D, [(S D)->D:1/2]*

Factor.DirichletFromMeanAndTotalCount

Vector mean, double totalCount

(D D)->D Cannot support:(D D)->S, (S S)->S, (S D)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D, (S D)->D, (D S)->D

Full support

(D D)->D Cannot support:(D D)->S, (S S)->S, (S D)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D, (S D)->D, (D S)->D

Factor.DirichletSymmetric

int K, double alpha

(C D)->S, (C D)->D Cannot support:(C S)->S, (C S)->D

(C S)->S, (C S)->D, (C D)->S, (C D)->D

(C D)->S, (C D)->D Cannot support:(C S)->S, (C S)->D

Factor.Discrete

Vector probs

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (D)->S

Factor.DiscreteUniform

int size

Full support

Factor.Double

int integer

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Factor.FunctionEvaluate

IFunction func, Vector x

(S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D D)->D

(D D)->D Cannot support:(S D)->S, (S D)->D

Factor.GammaFromShapeAndRate

double shape, double rate

(D S)->S, (D D)->S, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S, (S D)->S, (S S)->D, (S D)->D

Full support

(D D)->S, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(D S)->S, (S S)->S, (S D)->S, (S S)->D, (S D)->D

Factor.Gaussian

double mean, double precision

Full support

(S D)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D

Factor.GaussianFromMeanAndVariance

double mean, double variance

Full support

(S D)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D D)->D

(S D)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D, (D S)->D

Factor.InnerProduct

double[] a, double[] b

(D S)->S, (S D)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S D)->D, (D S)->D, (S S)->S, (S S)->D

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S C)->D, (D S)->D

(D D)->D Cannot support:(D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (S S)->S, (S S)->D

Factor.InnerProduct

double[] a, Vector b

Full support

Factor.Integral

double lowerBound, double upperBound, Func<double, double> func, ITruncatableDistribution<double> distribution

[(S S D D)->S:3/4]*, [(S S D D)->D:2/3]*, [(D S D D)->S:2/3]*, [(S D D D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S D D)->D:1/2]*, [(S D D D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D D D)->D:0/1]*

[(S S D D)->D:2/3]*, [(D S D D)->S:2/3]*, [(S D D D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S D D)->D:1/2]*, [(S D D D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S D D)->S

Factor.IsBetween

double x, double lowerBound, double upperBound

Full support

(S D D)->D, (D D D)->D Cannot support:(D S S)->S, (D S S)->D, (D D S)->S, (D S D)->S, (D D S)->D, (D S D)->D, (S S S)->S, (S S S)->D, (S D S)->S, (S S D)->S, (S D S)->D, (S S D)->D, (S D D)->S

(S S S)->D, (D S S)->S, (S D S)->S, (S S D)->S, (D S S)->D, (S D S)->D, (S S D)->D, (D D S)->S, (D S D)->S, (D D S)->D, (D S D)->D, (D D D)->D Cannot support:(S S S)->S, (S D D)->S, (S D D)->D

Factor.IsGreaterThan

double a, double b

[(S S)->S:3/4]*, [(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S)->S:2/3]*, [(S S)->D:2/3]*, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

[(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S)->S:2/3]*, [(S S)->D:2/3]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D

Factor.IsGreaterThan

int a, int b

Full support

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

Full support

Factor.IsPositive

double x

Full support

(D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (S)->D

Factor.MatrixMultiply

double[,] A, double[,] B

(D S)->S, (S D)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S D)->D, (D S)->D, (S S)->S, (S S)->D

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S C)->D, (D S)->D

(D D)->D Cannot support:(D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (S S)->S, (S S)->D

Factor.MaxOfOthers

double[] array

[(S)->S:2/3]*, [(S)->D:0/2]*, [(D)->D:0/1]*

[(S)->D:0/2]*, [(D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S)->S

Factor.MultinomialList

int trialCount, Vector probs

(D S)->D, (D D)->D

Factor.Not

bool b

Full support

Factor.Or

bool a, bool b

Full support

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

Full support

Factor.Plus

double a, double b

Full support

Factor.Plus

int a, int b

Full support

Factor.Plus

Vector a, Vector b

(S D)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D

Full support

(S D)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D

Factor.Poisson

double mean

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->S, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Factor.ProbBetween<T>

CanGetProbLessThan<T> canGetProbLessThan, T lowerBound, T upperBound

[(S S S)->S:3/5]*, [(S S S)->D:2/4]*, [(S D S)->S:1/4]*, [(S S D)->S:1/4]*, [(S D S)->D:1/3]*, [(S S D)->D:1/3]*, [(D S S)->S:0/4]*, [(D S S)->D:0/3]*, [(D D S)->S:0/3]*, [(D S D)->S:0/3]*, [(S D D)->S:0/3]*, [(D D S)->D:0/2]*, [(D S D)->D:0/2]*, [(S D D)->D:0/2]*, [(D D D)->D:0/1]*

[(S S S)->D:2/4]*, [(S D S)->S:1/4]*, [(S S D)->S:1/4]*, [(S D S)->D:1/3]*, [(S S D)->D:1/3]*, [(D S S)->S:0/4]*, [(D S S)->D:0/3]*, [(D D S)->S:0/3]*, [(D S D)->S:0/3]*, [(S D D)->S:0/3]*, [(D D S)->D:0/2]*, [(D S D)->D:0/2]*, [(S D D)->D:0/2]*, [(D D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S S)->S

Factor.Product

double a, double b

Full support

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

(S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S, (S S)->D, (D S)->S, (S D)->S

Factor.Product

double a, PositiveDefiniteMatrix b

(D S)->S, (S D)->S, (D S)->D, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, (D D)->D

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

(D S)->S, (D S)->D, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S D)->S

Factor.Product

PositiveDefiniteMatrix a, double b

(S D)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->D, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, (D D)->D

(S S)->S, (S D)->S, (D S)->S, (D S)->D, (S D)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

(S D)->S, (S D)->D, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, (D D)->D Cannot support:(D S)->S

Factor.Product

double[,] a, Vector b

[(S S)->S:3/4], (D S)->S, [(S D)->S:2/3], [(S D)->D:1/2], [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->D

[(S S)->S:3/4], [(S D)->S:2/3], [(S D)->D:1/2], [(D S)->S:1/3]*, [(D S)->D:0/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->D

[(S S)->S:3/4], (D S)->S, [(S D)->S:2/3], [(S D)->D:1/2], [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->D

Factor.Product

Matrix a, Vector b

(D S)->S, [(S S)->S:3/4], [(S D)->S:2/3], (D D)->D, [(S S)->D:1/3]*, [(S D)->D:0/2]* Cannot support:(D S)->D

(D S)->S, [(S C)->S:1/3]*, (D D)->D, [(S C)->D:0/2]* Cannot support:(D S)->D

(D S)->S, [(S S)->S:3/4], [(S D)->S:2/3], (D D)->D, [(S S)->D:1/3]*, [(S D)->D:0/2]* Cannot support:(D S)->D

Factor.Product

Vector a, double b

[(S S)->S:3/4]*, [(S S)->D:2/3]*, [(D S)->S:2/3]*, [(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

[(S S)->D:2/3]*, [(D S)->S:2/3]*, [(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->S

Factor.Product_SHG09

double a, double b

(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, [(S S)->D:2/3]*, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.ProductExp

double a, double b

[(S S)->S:3/4]*, [(D S)->S:2/3]*, [(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S S)->D, (S D)->D

Factor.Quantile

CanGetQuantile<double> canGetQuantile, double probability

[(D S)->S:2/3]*, [(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

[(D S)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(D S)->S

Factor.Ratio

double a, double b

Full support

(S S)->S, (S D)->S, (S S)->D, (D S)->S, (S D)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(D S)->D

(S D)->S, (S S)->D, (D S)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S

Factor.Rotate

double x, double y, double angle

Full support

Factor.Single

String str

[(S)->S:2/3]*, [(S)->D:1/2]*, [(D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.String

int minLength, DiscreteChar allowedChars

[(D D)->S:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.String

int minLength, int maxLength, DiscreteChar allowedChars

[(D D D)->S:1/2]*, [(D D D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.StringCapitalized

int minLength

[(D)->S:1/2]*, [(D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.StringCapitalized

int minLength, int maxLength

[(D D)->S:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.StringFormat

String format, String[] args

Full support

(S D)->S, (S S)->D, (D S)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S

Factor.StringFromArray

Char[] characters

(S)->S, (S)->D, [(D)->D:0/1]*

(S)->D, [(D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S)->S

Factor.StringOfLength

int length, DiscreteChar allowedChars

(S D)->S, (S D)->D, [(D D)->S:1/2]*, (D D)->D

Factor.Substring

String str, int start, int length

(S D D)->S, (S D D)->D, (D D D)->D

Factor.Sum

IList<double> array

Full support

(D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (S)->D

Factor.Sum

IList<Vector> array

Full support

(D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S, (S)->D

Factor.SumExcept

double[] array, int index

(S D)->S, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

[(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S D)->S

Factor.TruncatedGammaFromShapeAndRate

double shape, double rate, double lowerBound, double upperBound

(D S D D)->S, (D D D D)->S, [(D S D D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D D D)->D:0/1]*

[(D S D D)->S:2/3]*, [(D S D D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D D D)->S:1/2]*, [(D D D D)->D:0/1]*

(D S D D)->S, (D D D D)->S, [(D S D D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D D D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.UniformPlusMinus

double upperBound

(S)->D, [(D)->D:0/1]*

[(S)->D:1/2]*, [(D)->D:0/1]*

(S)->D, [(D)->D:0/1]*

Factor.VectorGaussian

Vector mean, PositiveDefiniteMatrix precision

Full support

(S D)->S, (S S)->D, (D S)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S

Gamma.Sample

double shape, double scale

(D D)->S, (D D)->D

Gamma.SampleFromMeanAndVariance

double mean, double variance

[(D D)->S:1/2]*, (D D)->D

Gaussian.Sample

double mean, double precision

Full support

(S D)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D

Math.Exp

double d

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Math.Log

double d

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Math.Max

double val1, double val2

Full support

(D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S D)->S, (S S)->D, (S D)->D, (D S)->D

Math.Min

double val1, double val2

(S D)->S, (D S)->S, (D S)->D, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, (D D)->D

Math.Pow

double x, double y

[(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

[(S D)->S:2/3]*, [(S D)->D:0/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]*

[(S D)->D:1/2]*, [(D D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S D)->S

MMath.IndexOfMaximumDouble

IList<double> list

(S)->S, [(S)->D:1/2], [(D)->D:0/1]*

[(S)->D:1/2], [(D)->D:0/1]* Cannot support:(S)->S

MMath.Logistic

double x

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

MMath.Softmax

IList<double> x

Full support

Rand.Binomial

int n, double p

(D S)->S, (S D)->S, [(S S)->S:3/4], (S S)->D, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D

(S S)->D, (D S)->D, (S D)->D, [(D S)->S:1/3]*, [(S S)->S:1/4]*, (D D)->D, [(D D)->S:0/2]*, [(S D)->S:0/3]*

(D S)->S, (S D)->S, [(S S)->S:3/4], (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D

Rand.Multinomial

int trialCount, Vector probs

(D S)->D, (D D)->D

SparseBernoulliList.Sample

ISparseList<double> probTrue

Full support

(D)->S, (S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

SparseGaussianList.Sample

ISparseList<double> means, ISparseList<double> precs

Full support

(S D)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S, (D S)->S, (S S)->D

Undirected.Linear

int a, int b, double logUnitCost

[(S S D):2/3]*, [(D S D):0/2]*, [(S D D):0/2]*, [(D D D):0/1]*

Undirected.LinearTrunc

int a, int b, double logUnitCost, double maxCost

[(S S D D):2/3]*, [(D S D D):0/2]*, [(S D D D):0/2]*, [(D D D D):0/1]*

Undirected.Potts

bool a, bool b, double logCost

[(S S D):2/3]*, [(D S D):1/2]*, [(S D D):1/2]*, [(D D D):0/1]*

Undirected.Potts

int a, int b, double logCost

[(S S D):2/3]*, [(D S D):0/2]*, [(S D D):0/2]*, [(D D D):0/1]*

Vector.Concat

Vector first, Vector second

Full support

Vector.FromArray

double[] data

Full support

(S)->D, (D)->D Cannot support:(S)->S

Vector.InnerProduct

Vector a, Vector b

(S D)->S, (D S)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S D)->D, (D S)->D, (S S)->S, (S S)->D

(S S)->S, (S D)->S, (D S)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->D, (S D)->D, (D S)->D

(S D)->S, (D S)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S D)->D, (D S)->D, (S S)->S, (S S)->D

Vector.Subvector

Vector source, int startIndex, int count

(S D C)->S, (S D C)->D, (D D C)->D

VectorGaussian.Sample

Vector mean, PositiveDefiniteMatrix precision

Full support

(S D)->S, (S S)->D, (D S)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D S)->D, (D D)->D Cannot support:(S S)->S

VectorGaussian.SampleFromMeanAndVariance

Vector mean, PositiveDefiniteMatrix variance

(S D)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D D)->D

(D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D D)->D

(S D)->S, (D D)->S, (S D)->D, (D D)->D

Wishart.SampleFromShapeAndRate

double shape, PositiveDefiniteMatrix rate

(D S)->S, (D S)->D, (D D)->S, (D D)->D

(D S)->S, (D D)->S, (D S)->D, (D D)->D

(D S)->D, (D D)->S, (D D)->D Cannot support:(D S)->S

Wishart.SampleFromShapeAndScale

double shape, PositiveDefiniteMatrix scale

(D D)->S, (D D)->D