Item: Difference between revisions

From Planimate Knowledge Base
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 17: Line 17:
{{main|Agent}}
{{main|Agent}}
Agents are special types of items that interact with some objects in a different way to standard items. Agents play a role as transporters of other items. An agent can pick-up one or more items at a location, and then move them to another location and drop them in the new location.
Agents are special types of items that interact with some objects in a different way to standard items. Agents play a role as transporters of other items. An agent can pick-up one or more items at a location, and then move them to another location and drop them in the new location.
==Item Attributes==
{{main|Attribute}}
Items can have a number of named attributes. These are defined for the item class and every item will get its own private set of these attributes which can be modified independently of other items in the model.
==Class Attributes==
Items of a given class can share some attributes. If one item modifies a class attribute, all other items in that class will reflect the change in their corresponding class attribute.


==Item Table References==
==Item Table References==
Line 23: Line 30:


To use an item table reference, in the Item Edit menu, create a named table reference for the class, say called "test". From now on, when editing a routine with that item flow involved and you select a table, you will now have "<item> test" available, enabling use of the item's reference to supply the table as well as the original tables and <Dynamic>.
To use an item table reference, in the Item Edit menu, create a named table reference for the class, say called "test". From now on, when editing a routine with that item flow involved and you select a table, you will now have "<item> test" available, enabling use of the item's reference to supply the table as well as the original tables and <Dynamic>.
Items are usually produced by [[Entry|entries]]. They may be generated according to a pre planned schedule or as a result of a user interaction, by way of a [[broadcast]].


==Item Articles==
==Item Articles==

Revision as of 22:13, 11 January 2008

Items, Paths and Flows

Item Palette appearing in the Planimate sidebar

Dynamic Entities that enter, move through and exit the system by way of passing from one object to another are called Items. Planimate® organises groups of like Items into classes. They are found in the Item Palette.

A Path is a sequence of steps followed by an Item defining its movement from one object to another. The sequences are defined by the modeller for each item class. Items step from object to object during a simulation and this stepping can be animated. Items in each Class share the same paths through the system.

The collection of paths that are defined for an Item Class is called the Flow. An item entering the model steps from object to object along a path in its flow. A Planimate® model can contain many item classes and items, each item only moving over the flows created for its class.

During a simulation run, many items can move along flows at the same simulated time (shown on the Clock). However at any given point in real time, only one item will ever be moving from object to object.

In simpler models it is useful to animate the movement of items over flows. It visualises the steps that are occuring. In more advanced models, the animation is typically hidden and each item's movement between objects is effectively "instantaneous".

Its important to understand that when an item is moving between objects on a flow, no simulated time passes. If you want time to pass as an item moves between objects, then you will be interested in Spatial Networks.

Path editing is undertaken in Flow Edit View.

Agents

Main article: Agent

Agents are special types of items that interact with some objects in a different way to standard items. Agents play a role as transporters of other items. An agent can pick-up one or more items at a location, and then move them to another location and drop them in the new location.

Item Attributes

Main article: Attribute

Items can have a number of named attributes. These are defined for the item class and every item will get its own private set of these attributes which can be modified independently of other items in the model.

Class Attributes

Items of a given class can share some attributes. If one item modifies a class attribute, all other items in that class will reflect the change in their corresponding class attribute.

Item Table References

Main article: Item Table References

Items can carry references to table in a model so it can be referenced anywhere in the model. An item table reference only allows reading of the table.

To use an item table reference, in the Item Edit menu, create a named table reference for the class, say called "test". From now on, when editing a routine with that item flow involved and you select a table, you will now have "<item> test" available, enabling use of the item's reference to supply the table as well as the original tables and <Dynamic>.

Items are usually produced by entries. They may be generated according to a pre planned schedule or as a result of a user interaction, by way of a broadcast.

Item Articles


Item Frequently Asked Questions