Maximum number of iterations

!MAXIT

!MAXIT n sets the maximum number of iterations; the default is 10. ASReml iterates for n iterations unless convergence is achieved first. Convergence is presumed when the REML log-likelihood changes less than 0.002* current iteration number and the individual variance parameter estimates change less than 1%.

If the job has not converged in n iterations, use the !CONTINUE qualifier to resume iterating from the current point.

To abort the job at the end of the current iteration, create a file named ABORTASR.NOW in the directory in which the job is running. To abort the job after one more iteration, create a file named FINALASR.NOW in the directory in which the job is running.

At the end of each iteration, ASReml checks for these files. If ABORTASR.NOW is present, the job stops, producing the usual output but not prediction. Otherwise if FINALASR.NOW is present, the job completes a FINAL iteration, producing the usual output including prediction.

On case sensitive operating systems (eg. Unix), these filenames must be upper case and are deleted when actioned so nothing of importance should be in them.

If you perform a system level abort (CTRL-C or close the program window) output files other than the .rsv file will be incomplete. The .rsv file should still be functional for resuming iteration at the most recent parameter estimates (see !CONTINUE )

Use !MAXIT 1 where you want estimates of fixed effects and predictions of random effects for the particular set of variance parameters supplied as initial values. Otherwise the estimates and predictions will be for the updated variance parameters (see the !BLUP qualifier below).

Use !MAXIT 0 to produce the .tsv file but not run the analysis. Typically, you would update the parameter values in the .tsv file and than run the job using !CONTINUE.
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