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The Agent Drop-off enables [[Agent|agents]] which are carrying [[Item|items]] to release one or more of the [[Item|items]].
The Agent Drop-off enables [[Agent|agents]] which are carrying [[Item|items]] to release one or more of the [[Item|items]].


The Agent Drop-off enables agents which are carrying items to release one or more of the items. Agent Drop-off Objects can be classified as “Logical with Capacity”, as they can hold items, and no time passes when they process items.
Items leave the Agent Drop-off independently to the agent. Agents pick up items using the Agent Pick-up object. The Agent Drop-off can be used when modelling situations where items move or are supplied in groups or batches. An agent carrying items can enter the Agent Drop-off, drop off some or all of the items being carried and then immediately leave the Agent Drop-off. The items leave the Agent Drop-off if they are not blocked. An item needs an outgoing path before it can be delivered to the Agent Drop-off.
'''Agent Drop-off States'''
    Empty The Drop-off Object is empty. An agent carrying items may enter and restock the Drop-off Object. The agent leaves immediately after.
                Busy  The Drop-off Object contains some items. These will move out of it as soon as possible.
    Full      The Drop-off Object has been stocked to its capacity. Agents cannot enter until some capacity is released (by items leaving)
  Blocked          The agent is being blocked from leaving the Drop-off Object. A queue or dispatcher should be added after the tray to avoid this state occurring, because while the Agent is blocked, no Items can leave the Drop-off Object.
'''Capacity'''
Sets the maximum number of items the Agent Drop-off can hold at one time. Agent Drop-off capacities may be set by attributes. Selecting Capacity in the Agent Drop-off Object Menu brings up an Attribute selection dialog.
'''Max Qty. Dropped'''
This is a "per delivery" limit on the number of items an agent can drop into the Drop-off Object at one time. The default value is <no limit>. This indicates that no limit is set, and an entering agent will drop all qualifying items it is carrying in to the Agent Drop-off, (up to the capacity limit). When you select "Maximum Qty dropped", you are prompted to select an Attribute " for it. If you use a Constant Attribute to set the per-delivery maximum value, then every agent visiting the Agent Drop-off must comply with this per-delivery maximum value, and it will not vary during the course of a model run.
To reset the <no limit> value for the Agent Drop-off, select the Constant Option in the Attribute Selection Dialog, and type in "-1". If you use another type of Attribute to set the per-delivery maximum value, then every time that Attribute is changed during the course of a model run, the per-delivery maximum value will change also.
If you use an Item Attribute to set the per-delivery maximum value, then every time an agent goes to enter the Agent Drop-off, the Attribute is read by the Agent Drop-off and the per-delivery maximum value will be set to that value. Every agent that will use this Agent Drop-off must carry the Item Attribute.
'''Drop Item Flag'''
This is a control property that is set on to items being carried by an Agent. The Attribute Selection Dialog can be used to assign an Attribute. If for an incoming item this attribute is set to a value greater than zero, the item can be dropped (providing that there is an outgoing path for that item class). The "drop item flag" feature can be used at a given Drop-off Object even if some item classes dont have the "drop" attribute defined. As long as there isn't an outgoing flow for this class, an error wont be produced.
 
Refer to Editing Object Properties for information about editing properties common to all objects.


===Agent Pick-up===
===Agent Pick-up===

Revision as of 17:18, 23 September 2008

Objects are static nodes in a model through which items flow

Objects.jpg


Planimate Objects

Planimate has a small number of objects but they each have a variety of modes and extended capabilities.


Agent Drop-off

Main article: Agent Drop-off

The Agent Drop-off enables agents which are carrying items to release one or more of the items.


The Agent Drop-off enables agents which are carrying items to release one or more of the items. Agent Drop-off Objects can be classified as “Logical with Capacity”, as they can hold items, and no time passes when they process items.

Items leave the Agent Drop-off independently to the agent. Agents pick up items using the Agent Pick-up object. The Agent Drop-off can be used when modelling situations where items move or are supplied in groups or batches. An agent carrying items can enter the Agent Drop-off, drop off some or all of the items being carried and then immediately leave the Agent Drop-off. The items leave the Agent Drop-off if they are not blocked. An item needs an outgoing path before it can be delivered to the Agent Drop-off.

Agent Drop-off States 
   Empty The Drop-off Object is empty. An agent carrying items may enter and restock the Drop-off Object. The agent leaves immediately after. 
               Busy   The Drop-off Object contains some items. These will move out of it as soon as possible. 
   Full      The Drop-off Object has been stocked to its capacity. Agents cannot enter until some capacity is released (by items leaving) 
 Blocked          The agent is being blocked from leaving the Drop-off Object. A queue or dispatcher should be added after the tray to avoid this state occurring, because while the Agent is blocked, no Items can leave the Drop-off Object. 

Capacity

Sets the maximum number of items the Agent Drop-off can hold at one time. Agent Drop-off capacities may be set by attributes. Selecting Capacity in the Agent Drop-off Object Menu brings up an Attribute selection dialog.


Max Qty. Dropped This is a "per delivery" limit on the number of items an agent can drop into the Drop-off Object at one time. The default value is <no limit>. This indicates that no limit is set, and an entering agent will drop all qualifying items it is carrying in to the Agent Drop-off, (up to the capacity limit). When you select "Maximum Qty dropped", you are prompted to select an Attribute " for it. If you use a Constant Attribute to set the per-delivery maximum value, then every agent visiting the Agent Drop-off must comply with this per-delivery maximum value, and it will not vary during the course of a model run.

To reset the <no limit> value for the Agent Drop-off, select the Constant Option in the Attribute Selection Dialog, and type in "-1". If you use another type of Attribute to set the per-delivery maximum value, then every time that Attribute is changed during the course of a model run, the per-delivery maximum value will change also.

If you use an Item Attribute to set the per-delivery maximum value, then every time an agent goes to enter the Agent Drop-off, the Attribute is read by the Agent Drop-off and the per-delivery maximum value will be set to that value. Every agent that will use this Agent Drop-off must carry the Item Attribute.


Drop Item Flag

This is a control property that is set on to items being carried by an Agent. The Attribute Selection Dialog can be used to assign an Attribute. If for an incoming item this attribute is set to a value greater than zero, the item can be dropped (providing that there is an outgoing path for that item class). The "drop item flag" feature can be used at a given Drop-off Object even if some item classes dont have the "drop" attribute defined. As long as there isn't an outgoing flow for this class, an error wont be produced.



Refer to Editing Object Properties for information about editing properties common to all objects.

Agent Pick-up

Main article: Agent Pick-up

The Agent Pick-up enables a number of items to be "picked up" by an Agent.


Entry

Main article: Entry

Entry Object Icon.jpg

Entries introduce new items into a model.

Most Items will be created at an Entry.

The only other Object that can create items is a Splitter.


Exit

Main article: Exit

Items leave a model via an Exit object.


Change

Main article: Change

With a Change Object you can make changes in your model whenever an item passes through it during a model run.


Dispatcher

Main article: Dispatcher

The Dispatcher is a wait station for Agents or Items, and can have multiple outgoing paths.


Guide

Main article: Guide

Guide objects do not directly affect a simulation but are useful in adjusting the paths of items to improve their movement on screen.


Queue

Main article: Queue

Queues or line-ups form when a number of items are competing for access to some object that cannot handle them all at the same time.


Multi-Server

Main article: Multi-Server

The Multi-Server object has the ability to delay one or more items at a time.


Pipe

Main article: Pipe

Pipes are a type of "spatial" connection which can be formed between portals to model movement of bulk product.


Portal

Main article: Portal

A Portal object appears on the screen like any other object but rather than having a fixed behaviour, it is a link to a sub-system screen. Every Portal contains one Subsystem screen on which there is always at least one portal entry and one portal exit.


Spatial Link

Main article: Spatial Link

Spatial links are objects that form a connection between portals.


Splitter

Main article: Splitter

A Splitter object takes a single incoming item and splits it into a number of outgoing items.


Switch

Main article: Switch

Switches enable items to dynamically select from a number of possible paths.


Track

Main article: Track

Track Palette Icon.jpg

Planimate® supports modelling of railway type networks with a set of related features collectively known as “Tracks”.

Tracks modelling capabilities are considered to be advanced uses of Planimate®, and require a good grounding in and familiarity with the concepts underlying the Planimate® Platform as a whole.

A “Track” is a Planimate® object, along which items can travel, taking a designated period of time.

Tracks are placed between Portal Objects (representing depots, terminals, crossing loops and junctions). Tracks connect together the subsystems of these Portals. An Item can leave a subsystem, travel across a Track object and some time later arrive in the subsystem at the other end.

Similar to Spatial Links, Tracks offer an opportunity to display and animate transport networks, where Portals represent nodes in these networks. However, Track Objects differ to Spatial Links because they impose limits on how items on them (trains) move.


Object Articles


Object Frequently Asked Questions