Bayesian Networks Formats Convertor

Probabilistic Reasoning Group
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As I'm doing my PhD research at KSU KDD lab on Bayesian network stuff, I find I'm in need of a collection of XMLBIF format Bayesian networks. I couldn't find many XMLBIF format BBNs from the Internet although there are many of them in other formats. So I think a BBN convertor maybe useful. This BBN convertor is extended from a BBN editor originally written by our former group member, Laura M. Kruse.

You can use it to load BBN in 9 different file formats(.bif, .xml, .net, .xbn, .dsc, .dsl, .dnet, .ENT, .ideal), edit the network, and save it as .bif, .xml or .net fotmats. Currently It works for Bayesian networks only. That means it DOESN'T support influence diagrams(also known as decision networks). In the future, it might be extended to support influence diagrams, or even further to include several learning modules and inferencial modules to be an open source environment for probabilistic learning and reasoning.

I believe that "Creative brains are a valuable, limited resource. They shouldn't be wasted on re-inventing the wheel when there are so many fascinating new problems waiting out there". And we guess this toy might be useful for other BBN researchers. So we want to make it open source. Exactly speaking, it's distributed under GPL(GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE).

This utility is an experimental tool. We've not tested it very well and we expect it to be improved by the so-called"the Bazaar" model (The Cathedral and the Bazaar, by Eric Raymond). I would appreciate if you could send any bug reports or fixes to me at hpguo(AT)cis.ksu.edu

Java Sources Online

• Download BBN editor and convertor

Installation and running instructions

--- Download and Installation

1. Download this Bayesian belief networks convertor package from the following url, http://www.kddresearch.org/KDD/Groups/Probabilistic-Reasoning/convertor.tar The package includes this file, 15 java source files, and 9 test BBN files all in different formats.

2. Extract it to your disk using "tar xvf convertor.tar" under unix/linux and Winzip under Windows, you'll get the a directory "convertor" with the following content,

• convertor/readme

• convertor/bbns/[9 test BBN files]

• convertor/xbneditor/[15 java files]

1. cd convertor

2. javac xbneditor/*.java

1. GUI mode as an editor: "java xbneditor/Standalone"
--- you can open BBN file, edit it, and save it to .bif, .xml or .net. The default format is .xml. If you want to save as .bif or .net file, just change the file type from the Tools--->File Type menu before you save it.

2. Command line mode as a convertor: "java xbneditor/BBNConvertor [sourcefilename] [targetfilename]"

--- you can directly convert BBN file from one format to another format