Approaches for multivariable function optimization

[keithjf82]

I am adapting a Java program for computing the best values of a set of parameters which are input into a function, the aim being to maximize the output of the function. The function is complicated (calculating the likelihood across an evolutionary tree) and cannot be written as a simple algebraic expression. The Java program optimizes the parameters using the function BOBYQAOptimizer().

Can anyone recommend a C/C++ library with equivalent or similar functions and good documentation on how to use them? I've found one that might be suitable ( http://dlib.net/optimization.html ), but it's not entirely clear if its optimizers can be used for this task.

Thanks in advance.