There are a number of algebraic modelling languages which can be used for the representation and execution of optimization models. These languages are generally tied to specific and proprietary modelling systems, such as GAMS, AMPL, or MPL with little or no portability across platforms. Put differently, a model can only be solved on the modelling system, in whose language it is represented. Aside from the issue of portability, these languages do not lend themselves easily to distributed computing, web-services or enterprise-level computing solutions in general.

AMS is a revolutionary approach to model representation, which not only enables the expression and storage of models and their related instance data in a portable XML format, but is also able to convert these models to target modelling languages, by use of simple XSL translation stylesheets, when required. Just as the use of XML and XSL guarantees model and data platform neutrality, the use of Java also ensures that AMS is portable across different platforms and is compatible with modern enterprise computing architectures.

Project Homepage is: http://www.obix-labs.com/display/jsp/technology/ams.jsp

The goal is worthwile, but the documentation is somewhat sparse on how the expressions used to define constraints and objective functions in, for example, AMPL, are modeled. A simple example would be in order here. If it is really comprehensive, I can use it in Mathnium ( http://www.mathnium.com ).

The AMS syntax primer does include example expressions, and also sample constraints and objective functions. Specifically, please see: http://www.obix-labs.com/wiki/bin/view/AMS/AMSLanguagePrimerModelsAndInstanceData

I am not sure what you mean by an AMPL example. As I understand it, AMPL is one of the languages that AMS can translate to, and the wiki does provide an example of how to invoke the translator. See: http://www.obix-labs.com/wiki/bin/view/AMS/AMSConverterOverview