The Plan Manager is a stand-alone agent without graphical user interface.
It is controlled through a number of EPL-messages. These messages have
been defined specifically for the PM and a re similar to those
defined for the Redux-agent. An overview is available
at
http://cdr.stanford.edu/~ raquet/PMApplet.html
The PM requires tasks and resources to be modeled on the Redux-server as documented in the forthcoming Diplom=thesis of Raquet. Bases on estimated task-durations and expected inputs and outputs the PM can the generate a schedule, i.e. it can suggest earliest and latest start- and end-times for all tasks. As the schedule depends on input-outputs-relationships instead of task-precedences, it can be calculated for abstract plans and rescheduled on the fly as the plan is refined or revised. In addition the PM assures that the schedule is consistent, i.e. that no subtask takes longer than its super-task or that subsequent tasks cannot be scheduled to overlap. During the execution-phase, the PM checks that the execution-trace matches the plan and schedule. I.e. the PM checks that all tasks start and end within their schedule and consume and produce exactly the products and resources that they were expected to.