NC_CLASS_LNK(1)

NAME
nc_class_lnk - Nearest Cluster Classifier

SYNOPSIS
A program for training and testing a nearest neighbor classifier which uses cluster centers as stored patterns.

nc_class_lnk [ -fclparam file ] [ -minvar x ] [ -gauss_dist ]
[ -classifier_options ]

EXAMPLE
kmeans -train -create -ncenters 16 -fparam kmeans.param \
-pathdata $LNKHOME/data/class -fdescribe vowel.defaults \
-finput vowel.train -npatterns 338

nc_class_lnk -fclparam kmeans.param -train -create \
-pathdata $LNKHOME/data/class -finput vowel.train \
-fdescribe vowel.defaults -fparam nc_class.param \
-npatterns 338

nc_class_lnk -fparam nc_class.param \
-pathdata $LNKHOME/data/class -finput vowel.eval \
-fdescribe vowel.defaults

DESCRIPTION
In training, the nearest cluster classifier assigns each of the training patterns to its nearest cluster. Each cluster is then labeled with the class label which occurs the most among those patterns assigned to the cluster. In testing, the class of the center nearest the test pattern is chosen. The distance used in finding the nearest cluster can be either Euclidian or Mahalanobis.

OPTIONS
-- Prints a list of all flags and arguments.

-fclparam filename
    The file in pathexp with the initial centers.

-gauss_dist
    Use a Mahalanobis distance. That is, for each input pattern use the Gaussian outputs of each cluster as its distance from that cluster. The default is to use a Euclidian distance.

-minvar x
    x is the minimum permitted value of the variance for each cluster. Variances less than minvar are set to minvar. This flag only has effect when gauss_dist is set.

-classifier_options
    nc_class_lnk accepts the general classifier arguments described on the classifier(1) manual page. Certain arguments are not used by the program, and so are not available.

    Unavailable arguments from general list:

    -ninputs, -features, -normalize, -fnorm
        The settings for these flags are read from the cluster file used to initialize the centers.

    -adjust_test_priors
        Because nc_class_lnk does nearest neighbor classification, there are no outputs to scale for adjusting the priors during testing.

    -log_outputs
        nc_class_lnk does not currently store outputs in the error file.

    -random
        This flag only has an effect when adjust_train_priors is set.

SEE ALSO
classifier(1), nc_class2c(1), nc_class_feat_sel(1), nc_class_plot_bound(1)

HISTORY
First written 20 May 1992 by Linda Kukolich

BUGS
Send bug reports to Linda Kukolich (kukolich@sst.ll.mit.edu)