[ADMB Users] Random effects debugging

[Mark Payne]

Hi,

I have a random effects model that I am trying to fit to a collection of different datasets. For most of them, the model converges and things appear to work fine. However, for some of them, AMDB effectively becomes trapped, giving the following output

 inner maxg = 0                                                                             
-5.421800386960163e+92                                                                      
 inner maxg = 0                                                                             
-5.421846603002857e+92                                                                      
 inner maxg = 0                                                                             
-5.421892819242527e+92                                                                      
 inner maxg = 0                                                                             
-5.421939035679171e+92                                                                      
 inner maxg = 0                                                                             
-5.421985252312791e+92                                                                      

It continues in this vein until I loose patience with it and kill the process.

The problem is, I have no idea what this means or how to approach it. Can someone please give me a few points about whats going on and how I can start to resolve it?

Best wishes,

Mark