The Model Simulator

Simulator Output

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The Model Simulator provides comprehensive results to the user in several ways. The simulator presents values for model component levels for model components. The simulator presents threshold and error alarm summary status for model components, fragments, layers and for the model itself. Each component or fragment provides information on mousing over the symbol. The model stocks, flows and transformers are animated to illustrate changes in level and outflow rate. The simulator generates graphs and tables for levels, inflows and outflows for modeled stocks, modeled flows, transformers and factories; the graphs and tables can be simple and compact or they can expansive and custom formatted. The user is able to keep the output sparse and simple, or create rich information displays and finely polished reports through easily configured model simulator options.

Indicators

Indicators provide a quantitative view of the model’s simulation to the user.

Indicators are displayed to the user for each simulation according to the indicator preference represented by the DISPLAY VALUE attribute for each model component. Continuously displayed indicators are limited to the model component’s value. A “mouse over” provides a comprehensive pop-up indicator fro the user when additional information is desired.

Indicators for modeled stocks displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process:

•DISPLAY VALUE - display the LEVEL; a value of “NO” or “YES” (default)
•MOUSE OVER - LEVEL, NET FLOW, THRESHOLD ALARM, ERROR ALARM

Indicators for modeled flows displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process:

•DISPLAY VALUE - display the OUTFLOW RATE; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•MOUSE OVER - OUTFLOW RATE, THRESHOLD ALARM, ERROR ALARM

Indicators for converters displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process:

•DISPLAY VALUE - display the RESULT; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•MOUSE OVER - RESULT, ERROR ALARM

Indicators for transformers displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process:

•DISPLAY VALUE - display the OUTFLOW RATE; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•MOUSE OVER - OUTFLOW RATE, THRESHOLD ALARM, ERROR ALARM

Indicators for factories displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process:

•DISPLAY VALUE - display the OUTPUT; a value of “NO” or “YES” (default)
•MOUSE OVER - OUTPUT, THRESHOLD ALARMS, ERROR ALARMS

Indicators for fragments displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process:

•MOUSE OVER - nothing is displayed

Animation

Animation provides a qualitative view of the model’s simulation to the user.

The user is able to configure stock animation for any stock during the model building process or at any time during the model simulation process. Stock animation displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process is configured with the following attributes:

•DISPLAY SUMMARY - display the most severe threshold crossing or error alarm severity for the component; a value of “NO” or “YES” (default) fragment, layer and model
•DISPLAY THRESH ALARM - display threshold alarm text; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY ERROR ALARM - display error alarm text; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY GRAPHTABLE - display the simplest possible graph and table of LEVEL; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY AREA - display a calculated shaded region of the stock rectangle that represents the value; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”; if FULL in the animation profile is “null”, then AREA animation is automatically disabled
•FULL - the maximum value represented by the area animation

An example of stock animation is the following:

This example modeled, containerized stock symbol is animated. The stock’s value is currently 20 (EMPTY = 0 and FULL = 100 in this example)) and falling. A corresponding volume of the stock is shaded and a down-arrow is displayed. The stock status is a minor alarm because the low threshold was crossed from the direction of the normal unthresholded range – the word “LOW” and a yellow border are displayed.

Some allowance must be made for the display of animation features in general if the processing resources or display resources are inadequate. In this case, the user should elect for “simple” animation that displays only the AREA animation feature. If “simple” animation has been elected, value and threshold alarm information is available on demand when the user “mouses over” the stock symbol. If changes of the calculated value are so rapid that VALUE is just a blur of pixels, VALUE should be updated every second and displayed when the model simulation is paused.

Flow animation is an optional Model Simulator feature. The user is able to configure flow animation for any flow outflow during the model building process or at any time during the model simulation process. Flow animation displayed to the user by the model simulator process is configured with the following attributes:

•DISPLAY SUMMARY - display the most severe threshold crossing or error alarm severity for the component; a value of “NO” or “YES” (default) fragment, layer and model
•DISPLAY THRESH ALARM - display threshold alarm text; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY ERROR ALARM - display error alarm text; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY GRAPHTABLE - display the simplest possible graph and table of OUTFLOW; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY AREA - display a calculated shaded region of the flow circle that represents the value; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”; if FULL in the animation profile is “null”, then AREA animation is automatically disabled
•FULL FWD - the maximum value represented by the area animation for forward flow rates
•FULL REV - the maximum value represented by the area animation for reverse flow rates (default = 0 for a unidirectional flow)

An example of flow animation is the following:

This modeled flow symbol is animated. The flow is currently approximately 25% of capacity (25% full). The flow status is a minor alarm because the low level threshold was crossed from the direction of the normal unthresholded range of values – yellow is displayed.

Transforner animation is an optional Model Simulator feature. The user is able to configure transformer animation for any transformer during the model building process or at any time during the model simulation process. Transformer animation displayed to the user by the model simulator process is configured with the following attributes:

•DISPLAY SUMMARY - display the most severe threshold crossing or error alarm severity for the component; a value of “NO” or “YES” (default) fragment, layer and model
•DISPLAY THRESH ALARM - display threshold alarm text; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY ERROR ALARM - display error alarm text; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”
•DISPLAY GRAPHTABLE - display the simplest possible graph and table of OUTFLOW; a value of “NO” (default) or “YES”

Graphs and Tables

Graphs are an optional Model Simulator feature. Graphs provide insight into the behavior of a model during simulation by providing a visual record of model behavior over time. The user is able to configure graphs for any flow outflow or stock level during the model building process or at any time during the model simulation process.

Graph types displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process include the following:

•SIMPLE (GRAPHTABLE) - a simple graph of a stock level or an outflow rate drawn over the course of a simulation that is not much larger than the model symbol; a simple graph is drawn on a pair of orthogonal linear axes without gradients, units, labels or customization features of any kind; nonzero minimum and maximum values are noted on a simple graph
•CUSTOM (GRAPH) - a custom graph is a large graph image drawn in its own window; a custom graph can be drawn completely with default formats, but it is entirely customizable by the user

Customizable graphs have the following attributes:

•graph label, font, style and color
•graph border line style, weight and color
•graph background color
•field line style, weight and color
•field background color
•horizontal axis scale
•horizontal axis line style, weight and color
•horizontal axis label, font, style and color
•horizontal axis units
•horizontal axis major divisions
•horizontal axis minor divisions
•horizontal second axis
•vertical axis scale
•vertical axis line style, weight and color
•vertical axis label, font, style and color
•vertical axis units
•vertical axis major divisions
•vertical axis minor divisions
•vertical second axis
•plot legend, label, font, style and color
•plot line style, weight, color and data point mark for each plot
•print header block label, font, style and color
•print footer block label, font, style and color
•data sets

A SIMPLE graph can be converted to a CUSTOM graph on demand.

Tables are an optional Model Simulator feature. Tables also provide insight into the behavior of a model during simulation by providing a tabular record of model behavior over time. The user is able to configure tables for any flow outflow or stock level during the model building process or at any time during the model simulation process. Custom flows, custom stocks and factories allow tables for other attributes as well.

Table types displayed to the user by the Model Simulator process include the following:

•SIMPLE (GRAPHTABLE) - a simple compact table of a stock’s level or a flow’s or transformer’s outflow value over the course of a simulation; a simple table is displayed in a scrollable window several columns wide without customization features of any kind;
•CUSTOM (TABLE) - a custom table is a comprehensive table displayed in its own window; a custom table can be displayed completely with default formats, but it is entirely customizable by the user

Customizable tables have the following attributes:

•table label, font, style and color
•table border line style, weight and color
•table background color
•field line style, weight and color
•field background color
•horizontal legend line style, weight and color
•horizontal legend label, font, style and color
•vertical legend line style, weight and color
•vertical legend label, font, style and color
•print header block label, font, style and color
•print footer block label, font, style and color
•data sets

Simple graphs and tables are displayed in a manner that consumes a minimum area on the calculator display. The following feature is required to navigate a collection of simple graphs and tables that are produced by a simulation:

•a list of available simple graphs and tables are displayed on demand for the user to choose from, and the user should be able to choose one to view with a click or gesture, or more than one to view with the shift key or a gesture

A SIMPLE table can be converted to a CUSTOM table on demand.

Pictures and Movies

The model simulator is also optionally able to create pictures and movies of the simulation results. The picture of a model simulation captures the animation at a point in time, and a simulation movie captures the animation over a period of time.

Pictures have the following attributes: