.. _method-multi_start-starting_points:

"""""""""""""""
starting_points
"""""""""""""""


List of user-specified starting points


.. toctree::
   :hidden:
   :maxdepth: 1



**Specification**

- *Alias:* None

- *Arguments:* REALLIST


**Description**


The ``multi_start`` meta-iterator must specify a sub-iterator using
either a ``method_pointer`` or a ``method_name`` plus optional
``model_pointer``.  This iterator is responsible for completing a series
of iterative analyses from a set of different starting points.  These
starting points can be specified as follows: (1) using
``random_starts``, for which the specified number of starting points are
selected randomly within the variable bounds, (2) using
``starting_points``, in which the starting values are provided in a list,
or (3) using both ``random_starts`` and ``starting_points``, for which
the combined set of points will be used.


