Autosave Time (Min), lets you set the frequency with which models in the Sketch Editor are automatically saved. As you do editing Vensim will save the current version of the file. Should Vensim be abnormally terminated you can recover the autosave version.
If you open a model that has an autosave version in place Vensim will inform you of this and ask if you want to open the autosave version. If you answer yes Vensim will query you for a name to save this as. It is best practice to save to a new model name and not overwrite an existing model in case there is something wrong with the autosave version of the model.
If you want to disable autosaving of models enter 0 as the autoave time.
Close Active Model on Open or New†, if checked, closes the Workbench model when you open a different model or ask for a new model.
When you use the GET XLS CONSTANTS or GET XLS DATA functions Vensim queries Excel for this information. The appropriate format for this query is different for some international versions of Excel.
If you are having trouble getting these functions to work open the spreadsheet xlstest.xls in models\sample\extra and click on the button labeled Get Row and Column Labels (you will need to enable macros). This button should open a dialog such as
· Row the first letter returned in the above response. Normally R.
· Col the last letter returned in the above response. Normally C.
Export Graph Size (Screen or Full or Query) sets the size of the exported graphics output. Exported graphics can always be scaled after they are exported, but the results will often be better if you scale them first. This is because each tool has a different algorithm for responding to different available sizes.
· Screen sizes the output at the size as it appears on the screen.
· Full sizes the output at the size the tool that generated the output requires for normal display of the output.
· Query allows you to set a size for the output when it is exported. When you ask to export graphics, a dialog box requests a size for the output.
Export graphics & sketch Information formatted for printer exports graphics formatted as they would be for printing (that is, using the printer resolution and color characteristics). Depending on your printer this may improve the appearance of the final printed output.
Warnings (Display or Suppress) displays or suppresses warnings. Most warnings occur during simulation because of table and range overruns. If warnings are suppressed you don't see them.
Size Entry (Inches or Centimeters) changes the units in which you enter sizes. Sizes are used in exporting and printing graphics and the values you enter will be interpreted based on this setting.
Macro Variables (Show or Hide) determines whether the intermediate variables that result from using macros will be displayed. Macro variablenames can be recognized because they begin and end with #.
· Show causes intermediate macro variables to be displayed. Causal tracing using the Outline, Stats, Strip Graph, Table and Tree tools will show these variables.
· Hide causes macros to be treated similarly to functions. Only the inputs to the macros are displayed during causal tracing.
Dataset Conflicts (Query or Overwrite (no query)) determines whether or not you will be asked if you want to overwrite a dataset when that dataset already exists. If you tend to make several simulations with the same name, you may wish to check Overwrite.
Datasets Loaded in Position: (First, Last or #) lets you set the position a dataset is loaded in after a simulation or importation occurs. Last loads it in as the last dataset, while First loads it in as the first dataset. You can also ask to have it loaded in a specific position (2,3 ...) by typing in a number. If you rerun a simulation and those simulation results are already loaded the new results will be loaded in the same position the old ones were.
Variable Display Format (Show_underbar, Capitalize by Type) determines the appearance of displayed variable names.
· Show_underbar, if marked, causes underbars rather than spaces to appear within variable names.
· Capitalize by Type, if marked, causes variable names to be capitalized using a set of built in Vensim conventions. This option is retained for historical reasons.
Maximum X-Gap for Graphs. This option specifies the maximum X-gap in a graph that will be displayed as a continuous line. For example, suppose that you have yearly data on car sales for 1960-1965, 1970-1975, and 1980-1985. If you set the maximum X-gap at 2.0, your graphs will have three separate lines. If you leave the maximum X-gap at its default value of 0, your graphs will have one line with the 1965,1970 and 1975,1980 values joined by a line. The values of X-gap are interpreted in terms of the currently selected time axis.
Time Slop for Dat2VDF determines when two time values are treated as equal when importing data. If you set the time slop to zero (0.0), Vensim will use its own algorithm to determine when time points are the same. However, if you use data heavily, we recommend that you set your own value. See Chapter 9 for a more complete discussion of time slop. Time slop is most important in importing .dat format data.
Active Initial Relative sets relative error that will trigger a warning that there are differences between initial values and active values at the initial time. This is discussed further in "Simulation Error Messages" in Chapter 8.
Text Edit History (On or Comment or Off) determines whether or not a separate history file is created when you make changes to a file using the Text Editor. See Chapter 7 for more details on history files.
· On causes a history file to be created or appended, which logs whatever changes were made whenever you save a file. This is useful as a record of your work.
· Comment allows you to enter a comment into the history file. Each time you save a file you are asked to enter a comment. This is helpful for making notes in history files so that you can track changes. No comment is added if you cancel the Written Response dialog.
· Off prevents the creation of any history file. This is not a recommended setting, since you can delete history files easily at any time.
Compilation is used to speed up simulation by writing out the model equations as a C language file that can then be compiled and run as a Dynamic Link Library with Vensim. Details on compiled simulations can be found in the Vensim DSS Reference Supplement. You can choose separate compile options for Simulation (including Gaming), Optimization and Sensitivity. It is more likely you will want to compile for optimizations and sensitivity runs. Reality Checks are always interpreted because the equation structure is continually changed.
· Interpret causes the equations of the Workbench model to be interpreted, instead of compiled, during a simulation. Interpreting simulates slower, but gets started very quickly and is preferable if you are frequently changing the model. If you do not have a C compiler available this is the only option you can choose.
· Compile causes Vensim to create, compile, link and execute a set of C equations representing the model equations. If you have made no changes to the model since the last simulation, the creation, compilation and linking of equations will be bypassed. Compiled simulations take longer to set up, but simulate more quickly.
· Query is the same as Compile if you have not made any changes to your model since the last simulation. If the model has changed you will be asked if you want to compile it: if you respond yes the model will be compiled; if you respond no the model will be interpreted.
· Color/Graphics Options, brings up the Graphics Options dialog. This allows you to control the appearance of graphs on the screen, at the printer and in the clipboard. This is especially useful in managing the appearance of printed output when you are exporting graphics for use in other applications.
Variable coun for function breaks in mdl.c allows you to customize the number of variables grouped within the C functions created when compiling the model. This should be a value between 20 and 2000 and has a default of 100. When using optimizing compilers a smaller number can help to increase compilation speed with minimal impact on run time. For nonoptimizing compilers a large value (eg 1000) can be helpful for decreasing both compilation and runtime.
Template Model is: lets you specify the name of the model Vensim should start with when you ask for a new model. You should enter the full path name of the model you want to use. The model must appear as a text file. This is convenient for setting up commonly used macros or other information you want to be common across your models. If you choose this option you will not be queried to fill in model settings.
Start New Model with Text Editor, if checked, opens new models in the Text Editor. By default new models are opened in the Sketch Editor. If you choose to start a new model in the Text Editor you will be asked for a name to save the model to.
Query Time Bounds for New Model, if checked, brings up the Model Settings dialog when you start a new model. If not checked the model will be started with the default settings (Time from 0-100 Months by 1 month). If you have filled in the Template Model is value this setting has no effect.
Terse Format for View>As Text, if checked, will cause the formatting of equations when viewing as text to be Terse – otherwise equations will appear as entered.
Suppress Simulation Information Window, if checked, will prevent the error window that pops up indicating which changes files are being loaded and providing other information from appearing. If there is an error (as opposed to a warning or informational message) this window will still appear.