This tutorial will explain how to use the basic functionality of the simulator. And explore available settings and go through the different panels of the Discrete Simulator. An example simulation can be found on the Level Zero: Introduction page.
The simulator consists of a sidebar to the left and a set of panels to the right which can be shown, removed, locked, re-sized and sorted in any order to best meet your needs. By default, the simulator displays the following panels: 'Status,' 'Total Time,' 'Total Cost,' 'Action Trace 3D,' and 'Gantt Chart.'
Features
| Moving | Panels can be moved by clicking on the panel and dragging, allowing the panels to be ordered as needed. Note: 'Action Trace 3D' and 'Gantt Chart' can only be dragged by clicking on the header. |
| Remove | Panels can be removed by clicking the X on the right side of the panel. |
| Locking | Panels can be locked into place by pressing the lock on the right side of the panel, stopping the panel from being moved. Panels can be unlocked by re-clicking the lock. A locked panel will have a discolored header to signify that the panel is locked. |
| Resizing | Panels can be resized by clicking and dragging the small arrow to the bottom right of the panel. [Image of resizing panel] Note: Each panel has a minimum size based on the contents of the panel.  |
| Editing | Some panels have the ability to edit the information collected during the simulation. These panels usually have a model that will pop up when the panel is placed. To edit these panels click the gear on the top right of the panel. |
| Reports | Some panels have reports that can be downloaded once the simulation has been run. These reports can be found by clicking the report dropdown button on the top right of the panel after the simulation is complete. |
Classic Mode
The 'Classic Simulator' is the older version of the simulator. This Simulator has its own settings and layout and has all the functionality of the 'Classic Simulator.'
Note: To learn more about the 'Classic Simulator' go to (Link to classic simulator)
Available Panels
Within the 'Discrete Event Simulator' there are four (4) categories of panels, listed below, which are available to be displayed.
Available Settings
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Display Mode | Enables switching between a dark-theme and light-theme view of the simulator. |
| Calendar mode | Enables calendar-driven simulations based on the entity 'Start' attribute. By default, if Calendar Mode is enabled and the root entity doesn’t have a 'Start' attribute set, the current time is used as the sim start time. Note: To use Calendar Mode, all actions in the sim must either not have a 'Start' attribute or one that occurs after the root entity 'Start' time. |
| Speed | The speed of the simulator controls the screen animation frame rate. The speed is set to proportions of real time speed. |
| Decisions | By default, if an ‘OR’ or a ‘LOOP’ is missing a script, then a prompt will display for you to make the decision. This can also be set to automatically making a uniformly distributed decision across the ‘OR’ and ‘LOOP’ branches. |
| Start | The simulator can be started in debug mode which will start the simulator paused on the first Action. Actions can then be stepped to debug issues in your model. |
| Hours per year | Enables simulating an average working calendar year, e.g. 1860 working hours per year. |
| Random seed | Enables seeding the random number generator with text you supply. This is useful for debugging or having the simulator run the same decisions/distributions through independent runs. |
| Matlab Integration URL | This allows the simulator scripts to connect to Matlab through a server URL. |
Note: Once the simulation has started running, only the Display Mode option can be changed.