I'm lost: Travelling Salesman Problem

BBQ · #1 Mar 21, 2009, 06:57 PM

Hello all,

I really have never worked this type of situation before, but I could use some help and preliminary research popped up this site. You all seem very knowledgeable and I hope you can help me out.

I am curious about the Travelling Salesman Problem. Myself and a friend are starting up a community organizing group and would like to use some software to help streamline some of our operations. I give the example below - and hope that someone can point me in the direction of some software that might be able to help me.

Quote:

I've looked up the home addresses of every person whose last name starts with an 'S' in both a very large suburb, and also an apartment complex. Myself and my partner will go out and canvass those locations, giving a flier to everyone on the list. I'm to walk the suburb, and he will walk the apartment complex.

We won't have laptops with us, but rather all I'm looking for is a program where I can input all the addresses, and it can rearrange them in the most efficient order (a map printout would also be great), so we can save time and energy while we're pounding the pavement.

So that's where I'm at. If I were cold knocking on every house, it's a very straight forward "follow the road" route. But with the variable of who we're going for, to hopefully better our results, there may be some room for trimming. Sure, it may not help in most cases, but every little bit helps when your working with such a small group...ya know?

Thanks in advance for anyone that can help. I really do appreciate it.

Marvin Hlavac · #2 Mar 21, 2009, 07:34 PM

Hi BBQ,

to Laptop GPS World.

This forum has a very helpful feature. It is called "Similar Threads". The way it works is very simple. You start a new thread, post a question, and then just scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. Right there, underneath your question, you will see up to five threads that are usually quite similar to your topic.

This feature works the best when you use good descriptive keywords in the subject line. You did use good title, and the forum software managed to give you good answers. Out of the five similar threads, I see at least two which do likely relate to what you are asking. Scroll down, and read though them.

From my personal experience I would suggest looking at Microsoft Streets and Trips. It can optimize the route for you if you enter several addresses. It can print maps, etc. There is a download link for a free 60-day fully-functional trial version in our Streets and Trips review.