Negotiator

class negmas.negotiators.Negotiator(name=None, preferences=None, ufun=None, parent=None, owner=None, id=None, type_name=None)[source]

Bases: negmas.types.rational.Rational, negmas.events.Notifiable, abc.ABC

Abstract negotiation agent. Base class for all negotiators

Parameters

name (str) – Negotiator name. If not given it is assigned by the system (unique 16 characters).
preferences (Preferences | None) – The preferences of the agent (pass either this or ufun)
ufun (BaseUtilityFunction | None) – The ufun of the agent (overrides preferences if given)
parent (Controller) – The Controller that controls this neogtiator (if any)
owner (Agent) – The Agent that own this negotiator (if any)
id (str) –
The unique ID of the negotiator
Returns:
bool: True if participating in the given negotiation (or any negotiation if it was None)

Remarks:
- ufun overrides preferences. You need to pass only one of them

Attributes Summary

`ami`	rtype NegotiatorMechanismInterface \| None
`capabilities`	Agent capabilities
`crisp_ufun`	Returns the preferences if it is a CrispUtilityFunction else None
`has_cardinal_preferences`	Does the entity has an associated ufun?
`has_preferences`	Does the entity has an associated ufun?
`id`	The unique ID of this entity
`name`	A convenient name of the entity (intended primarily for printing/logging/debugging).
`nmi`	rtype NegotiatorMechanismInterface \| None
`owner`	Returns the owner agent of the negotiator
`parent`	Returns the parent controller
`preferences`	The utility function attached to that object
`prob_ufun`	Returns the preferences if it is a ProbUtilityFunction else None
`reserved_outcome`	Reserved outcome is the outcome that will be realized by default for this agent.
`reserved_value`	Reserved value is what the entity gets if no agreement is reached in the negotiation.
`short_type_name`	rtype `str`
`type_name`	rtype `str`
`ufun`	Returns the preferences if it is a UtilityFunction else None
`uuid`	The unique ID of this entity

Methods Summary

`add_capabilities`(capabilities)	Adds named capabilities to the negotiator.
`add_handler`(notification_type, callback)	Adds a notification handler to the list of handlers of the given type.
`before_death`(cntxt)	Called whenever the parent is about to kill this negotiator.
`cancel`([reason])	A method that may be called by a mechanism to make the negotiator cancel whatever it is currently processing.
`checkpoint`(path[, file_name, info, ...])	Saves a checkpoint of the current object at the given path.
`checkpoint_info`(file_name)	Returns the information associated with a dump of the object saved in the given file
`create`(args, *kwargs)	Creates an object and returns a proxy to it.
`from_checkpoint`(file_name[, return_info])	Creates an object from a saved checkpoint
`handlers`(notification_type)	Gets the list of handlers registered for some notification type.
`is_acceptable_as_agreement`(outcome)	Whether the given outcome is acceptable as a final agreement of a negotiation.
`isin`(negotiation_id)	Is that agent participating in the given negotiation? Tests if the agent is participating in the given negotiation.
`join`(nmi, state, *[, preferences, ufun, role])	Called by the mechanism when the agent is about to enter a negotiation.
`on_leave`(state)	A call back called after leaving a negotiation.
`on_mechanism_error`(state)	A call back called whenever an error happens in the mechanism.
`on_negotiation_end`(state)	A call back called at each negotiation end
`on_negotiation_start`(state)	A call back called at each negotiation start
`on_notification`(notification, notifier)	Called whenever the agent receives a notification
`on_notification_`(notification, notifier)	Called when a notification is received.
`on_preferences_changed`(changes)	Called to inform the entity that its ufun has changed.
`on_round_end`(state)	A call back called at each negotiation round end
`on_round_start`(state)	A call back called at each negotiation round start
`remove_capability`(name)	Removes named capability from the negotiator
`remove_handler`(notification_type, callback)	Removes a notification handler from the list of handlers of the given type.
`set_preferences`(value[, force])	Sets tha utility function/Preferences.
`spawn`([spawn_as, spawn_params])
`spawn_object`(args, *kwargs)

Attributes Documentation

ami

Return type: NegotiatorMechanismInterface | None

capabilities

Agent capabilities

Return type: Dict[str, Any]

crisp_ufun

Returns the preferences if it is a CrispUtilityFunction else None

Return type: UtilityFunction | None

has_cardinal_preferences

Does the entity has an associated ufun?

Return type: bool

has_preferences

Does the entity has an associated ufun?

Return type: bool

id: The unique ID of this entity

name: A convenient name of the entity (intended primarily for printing/logging/debugging).

nmi

Return type: NegotiatorMechanismInterface | None

owner

Returns the owner agent of the negotiator

Return type: Agent | None

parent

Returns the parent controller

Return type: Controller | None

preferences

The utility function attached to that object

Return type: Preferences | None

prob_ufun

Returns the preferences if it is a ProbUtilityFunction else None

Return type: ProbUtilityFunction | None

reserved_outcome

Reserved outcome is the outcome that will be realized by default for this agent.

Remarks:

Reserved outcomes are defined for OrdinalPreferences.

See also

reserved_value

Return type: Outcome | None

reserved_value

Reserved value is what the entity gets if no agreement is reached in the negotiation.

The reserved value can either be explicity defined for the ufun or it can be the output of the ufun for None outcome.

Return type: float

short_type_name

Return type: str

type_name

Return type: str

ufun

Returns the preferences if it is a UtilityFunction else None

Return type: BaseUtilityFunction | None

uuid: The unique ID of this entity

Methods Documentation

add_capabilities(capabilities)[source]

Adds named capabilities to the negotiator.

Parameters: capabilities (dict) – The capabilities to be added as a dict
Return type: None
Returns: None

Remarks:: It is the responsibility of the caller to be really capable of added capabilities.

add_handler(notification_type, callback)

Adds a notification handler to the list of handlers of the given type. These handlers will be called in the order in which they are received

Parameters

notification_type (str) – Notification type as specificed in the type member of the Notification class
callback (Callable[[Notification, str], bool]) – The callback which must receive a Notification object and a string and returns a boolean. If True is returned from one callback, the remaining callbacks will not be called

Returns:

before_death(cntxt)[source]

Called whenever the parent is about to kill this negotiator.

It should return False if the negotiator does not want to be killed but the controller can still force-kill it

Return type: bool

cancel(reason=None)[source]

A method that may be called by a mechanism to make the negotiator cancel whatever it is currently processing.

Negotiators can just ignore this message (default behavior) but if there is a way to actually cancel work, it should be implemented here to improve the responsiveness of the negotiator.

Return type: None

checkpoint(path, file_name=None, info=None, exist_ok=False, single_checkpoint=True, step_attribs=('current_step', '_current_step', '_Entity__current_step', '_step'))

Saves a checkpoint of the current object at the given path.

Parameters

path (PathLike) – Full path to a directory to store the checkpoint
file_name (Optional[str]) – Name of the file to dump into. If not given, a unique name is created
info (Optional[dict[str, Any]]) – Information to save with the checkpoint (must be json serializable)
exist_ok (bool) – If true, override existing dump
single_checkpoint (bool) – If true, keep a single checkpoint for the last step
step_attribs (tuple[str, ...]) – Attributes to represent the time-step of the object. Any of the given attributes will be used in the file name generated if single_checkpoint is False. If single_checkpoint is True, the filename will not contain time-step information

Return type

Path

Returns

full path to the file used to save the checkpoint

classmethod checkpoint_info(file_name)

Returns the information associated with a dump of the object saved in the given file

Parameters: file_name (Path | str) – Name of the object

Returns:

Return type: dict[str, Any]

classmethod create(*args, **kwargs): Creates an object and returns a proxy to it.

classmethod from_checkpoint(file_name, return_info=False)

Creates an object from a saved checkpoint

Parameters

file_name (Path | str) –
return_info – If True, tbe information saved when the file was dumped are returned

Return type

NamedObject | tuple[NamedObject, dict[str, Any]]

Returns

Either the object or the object and dump-info as a dict (if return_info was true)

Remarks:

If info is returned, it is guaranteed to have the following members:

time: Dump time

type: Type of the dumped object

id: ID

name: name

handlers(notification_type)

Gets the list of handlers registered for some notification type. This list can be modified in place to change the order of handlers for example. It is NOT a copy.

Return type: List[Callable[[Notification, str], bool]]

is_acceptable_as_agreement(outcome)[source]

Whether the given outcome is acceptable as a final agreement of a negotiation.

The default behavior is to reject only if a reserved value is defined for the agent and is known to be higher than the utility of the outcome.

Return type: bool

isin(negotiation_id)[source]

Is that agent participating in the given negotiation? Tests if the agent is participating in the given negotiation.

Parameters

negotiation_id (Optional[str]) – The negotiation ID tested. If None, it means ANY negotiation

Returns

True if participating in the given negotiation (or any: negotiation if it was None)

Return type

bool

join(nmi, state, *, preferences=None, ufun=None, role='negotiator')[source]

Called by the mechanism when the agent is about to enter a negotiation. It can prevent the agent from entering

Parameters

nmi (AgentMechanismInterface) – The negotiation.
state (MechanismState) – The current state of the negotiation
preferences (Preferences) – The preferences used by the negotiator (see ufun )
ufun (UtilityFunction) – The ufun function to use (overrides preferences )
role (str) – role of the negotiator.

Return type

bool

Returns

bool indicating whether or not the agent accepts to enter. If False is returned it will not enter the negotiation

Remarks:

Joining a neogiation will fail in the following conditions:

The negotiator already has preferences and is asked to join with new ones

The negotiator is already in a negotiation

on_leave(state)[source]

A call back called after leaving a negotiation.

Parameters: state (MechanismState) – MechanismState giving current state of the negotiation.

Remarks:

MUST call the baseclass on_leave using super () if you are going to override this.
The default behavior is to do nothing.
Override this to hook some action

Return type: None

on_mechanism_error(state)[source]

A call back called whenever an error happens in the mechanism. The error and its explanation are accessible in state

Parameters: state (MechanismState) – MechanismState giving current state of the negotiation.

Remarks:

The default behavior is to do nothing.
Override this to hook some action

Return type: None

on_negotiation_end(state)[source]

A call back called at each negotiation end

Parameters: state (MechanismState) – MechanismState or one of its descendants giving the state at which the negotiation ended.

Remarks:

The default behavior is to do nothing.
Override this to hook some action
on_negotiation_start and on_negotiation_end will always be called once for every agent.

Return type: None

on_negotiation_start(state)[source]

A call back called at each negotiation start

Parameters: state (MechanismState) – MechanismState giving current state of the negotiation.

Remarks:

You MUST call the super() version of this function either before or after your code when you are overriding it.

on_negotiation_start and on_negotiation_end will always be called once for every agent.

Return type: None

on_notification(notification, notifier)[source]

Called whenever the agent receives a notification

Parameters

notification (Notification) – The notification!!
notifier (str) – The notifier!!

Returns

None

Remarks:

You MUST call the super() version of this function either before or after your code when you are overriding it.

on_notification_(notification, notifier)

Called when a notification is received. Do NOT directly override this method

Parameters

notification (Notification) –
notifier (str) –

Returns:

Return type: bool

on_preferences_changed(changes)

Called to inform the entity that its ufun has changed.

Parameters: changes (list[PreferencesChange]) – An ordered list of changes that happened.

Remarks:

You MUST call the super() version of this function either before or after your code when you are overriding it.

The most general form of change is PreferencesChange.General which indicates that you cannot trust anything you knew about the ufun anymore

on_round_end(state)[source]

A call back called at each negotiation round end

Parameters: state (MechanismState) – MechanismState giving current state of the negotiation.

Remarks:

The default behavior is to do nothing.
Override this to hook some action

Return type: None

on_round_start(state)[source]

A call back called at each negotiation round start

Parameters: state (MechanismState) – MechanismState giving current state of the negotiation.

Remarks:

The default behavior is to do nothing.
Override this to hook some action.

Return type: None

remove_capability(name)[source]

Removes named capability from the negotiator

Parameters: capabilities – The capabilities to be added as a dict
Return type: None
Returns: None

Remarks:: It is the responsibility of the caller to be really capable of added capabilities.

remove_handler(notification_type, callback)

Removes a notification handler from the list of handlers of the given type.

Parameters

notification_type (str) – Notification type as specificed in the type member of the Notification class
callback (Callable[[Notification, str], bool]) – The callback which must receive a Notification object and a string and returns a boolean. If True is returned from one callback, the remaining callbacks will not be called

Return type

bool

Returns

Whether or not the handler was in the list of handlers for this type. In all cases, the handler will not be called after this call (either it was not there or it will be removed).

set_preferences(value, force=False)[source]

Sets tha utility function/Preferences.

Parameters

value (Preferences) – The value to set to
force – If true, on_preferecnes_changed() will always be called even if value == self.preferences

Return type

Preferences | None

classmethod spawn(spawn_as='object', spawn_params=None, *args, **kwargs)

classmethod spawn_object(*args, **kwargs)