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Roadmap

At the moment (beginning of 2012), Gekko features quite strong model handling and solving capabilities, and can deal with large (typically economic) models. Solving perfect foresight models will soon be added.

The Gekko scripting language (so-called command files) provides basic capabilities regarding handling of timeseries, lists etc. However, the scripting language is limited regarding more general "programming" capabilities.

The plan for 2012 is that work will be done regarding more general programming and timeseries capabilities. Examples:

  • Conversion of timeseries between monthly, quarterly, annual frequencies (both ways), and operating with many databanks at the same time.
  • Accessing/handling timeseries observations as vectors of data.
  • Looping through observations, conditional statements etc.
  • Basic linear algebra capabilities (matrices etc.)
  • Dealing with lists of variables as sets (union, intersection, difference etc.), including easy aggregation and disaggregation.
  • Text string functions, subroutine capabilities + user defined functions
  • More graphing and tabelling capabilities
  • Object orientation.
  • Perhaps: Interface to R and others regarding estimation facilities.
Such capabilities could be considered a step in the direction of timeseries/modelling oriented software packages like AREMOS, EViews or Troll, to name a few. It is, however, not the intention to provide Gekko with estimation capabilities at this stage (there are free open-source packages like R or Gretl that are specialized in that respect).

Regarding syntax, at the end of 2012 the Gekko command language should hopefully seem well thought out and consistent. At least, a great deal of effort will be put into trying to make the syntax logical and user friendly. Syntax design is not easily changed later on, and should therefore not be taken too lightly.

Regarding the near future, work is in progress regarding the Gekko tabelling system. This will implement a matrix-like syntax, and the intention is to also make it possible to define table templates in Excel and maybe as xml definitions. It will be possible to view such tables in different ways: as pure text, as a html table, as an Excel sheet, or via the the inbuilt table viewer.