What's New in Powersim Studio
2005?
Studio 2005 contains an array of new and exciting features, including
tools for optimization and risk analysis, number formatting, new
user assistance features, the ability to customize the user inteface,
and more.
Complete List
of New Features
in Studio 2005
Optimization and Risk Analysis
- Optimization: Use Optimization to
automate the search for optimal decisions in your models.
- Risk Management: If your have established that
your model is sensitive to changes in
certain risk factors, use Risk Management to reach your
objectives while controlling risk.
- Risk Assessment: The Risk Assessment task
in Studio 2003 has been renamed Risk Analysis in Studio
2005, since the new optimization tool enhances the functionality
of the task. To achieve a Risk Assessment analysis, follow
the same procedure as in Studio 2003.
- Scenario Control: Use analysis variables in
ordinary simulation runs to control scenarios. Assumptions
let you program events to happen at given simulation times,
Decisions let you
constrain user input to defined times only, and Objectives
let you log values at given times.
- Cloning of analysis variables: Use
Clone Assumptions, Decisions, and Objectives
to set the analysis variables to different values at different
stages (apply times) of the simulation, as well as to optimize
or manage risk based on various sub-targets during the analysis.
- Edit series of decisions in the Time Graph:
Use the Time Graph control to edit a sequence of decisions,
by adding a parameter based on the corresponding model variable
to the Time Graph. A sequence of decisions is a series
of decisions created from the same model variable, with different
apply times. An adjustment handle will appear on the graph for
each individual decision point (apply time).
Working with simulation projects
- Persistent custom colors: The custom colors
you define are now available from toolbars, and are saved with
the project, making it easier to work with consistent color schemes
in your simulation presentations.
- Cloning of simulations and risk analyses:
Create new simulations and risk analyses based on existing simulations/risk
analyses to avoid recreating private diagrams, dataset connections,
events, etc.
- Improved text-based Find: Use Find Next
(F3) and Find Previous (Shift+F3) to enhance text-based
searches in Equations, Details, Units & Ranges Windows
- Test command for actions: Use the new Test
command to see the results of an action (for example the
display of a message box or the opening of a hyperlink) before
the event to which the action belongs occurs.
- Status of events displayed in icons in Events Window:
Use the new icons of the Events Window to determine at
a glance whether events are disabled or undefined.
Improved simulation capabilities
- Animation of reference data: Determine whether
reference graphs are updated as simulation time increases or are
displayed instantly when the simulation is started.
- New functions: Use the Cumulative Sum
function to return the cumulative sum of a vector, use PolicyGrid
to perform a multidimensional interpolating lookup, and use Dim
and Dim Count to ease building reusable components
Improved modelling capabilities
- Context sensitive help on functions: Use the
fly-out Help of the Variable Definition property page
to show in-place help for a function selected in the list of all
functions or a function reference in the definition field.
- Add Unit Wizard: The Add Unit Wizard
makes it easier to add new units of measurements to your simulation
project.
- Add Range Wizard: The Add Range Wizard
makes it easier to add new ranges to your simulation project.
- Add Index Variable Wizard: The Add Index
Variable Wizard makes it easier to add new index variables
to your simulation project.
- Unit and range creation while writing equations:
Invoke the Add Unit Wizard or Add Range Wizard
if you need to create new units/ranges while writing variable
equations without leaving the context of the Variable Definition
box. If non-existing units or ranges are used in expressions,
the system will automatically ask you if you want to add them
as new entities and bring up the wizards.
- Search for dependency: Use this new feature
to search for and trace variable dependencies in the model.
- Number formatting: Use number formatting to
control how numbers are displayed in controls. You can control
number of decimals, digit grouping, the number of integer digits,
and more.
- Public column in Equations Window: Control
the Public property of submodel children in an easy way
with this new Equation Window column.
- Prompt for name/documentation when adding runs: Provide
the name and documentation of a run at create time, eliminating
the need to go to the Runs view for setting these properties.
- Improved parameter list: Control the visibility
of the selected parameters of a control through checkboxes in
the Parameters box of the Parameters property page, and
see their status with the help of icons and tooltips.
- Step graph option in Time Graph: Use the Step
Graph option for any parameter displayed in the Time Graph
control.
- Keyboard shortcuts for diagram tools: Hit
Ctrl-0 to Ctrl-7 to activate the modelling tools in Constructor
diagrams (pointer, level, auxiliary, constant, submodel, link,
flow with rate, and flow, in that order).
Powersim Studio 2005 Help
- Task Window: The Task Window contains help
"at your fingertips" including "New Project Wizard",
several "How Do I..." topics, and instructions for running
tutorials, all of which helps users getting more quickly started
with Studio.
- Context-sensitive help on all property pages and dialog
boxes: Context-sensitive help is now available for all
property pages and most of the dialog boxes to give in-place help
on controlling the rich set of properties available in Studio
2005.
- Welcome Dialog Box: The Welcome Dialog Box
appears the first time Studio is run, and aims at introducing
new users to Studio 2005, as well as introducing new features
to existing users.
- New samples & tutorials: Learn more about
the many possibilities of Studio through the new Cable TV Simulation
and Optimization samples, the Optimization tutorial, and the Risk
Management tutorial. The samples & tutorials are now available
in the Task Window.
- New "How do I…" section: Learn
more about individual features by going through these short instructions,
available in the Task Window.
Improvements to Powersim Studio
- Customization of user interface: Turn on and
off individual commands from the user interface (menus, toolbars,
and shortcut menus).
- Normal and Advanced workspace schemes: Choose
between two predefined layouts. The Normal workspace contains
all the functionality you need to create sophisticated simulation
models, while the Advanced workspace adds support for hierarchical
models, data import and export, risk analysis, and more.
- Easy access to analysis variables in Presentation Mode:
Use the Change Assumptions, Change Decisions,
and Change Objectives command to control analysis variables
from Presentation Mode
- Save Credentials for SEM dataset: Determine
"model time" whether end users need to provide logon
credentials to the system when exchanging data with SEM.
- Compressing of saved files: Files are now
automatically compressed at save time to keep file sizes at a
minimum at all times.
- Reference data for estimates: Use the ability
to show reference data for estimates to program better risk analysis
scenarios for end user presentations.
- Enhanced page setup & printing support: Take
advantage of better margin defaults, a more intuitive page setup
dialog, a setup that is persistent on file, and more print options,
to create good printouts of your models.
- Better support for multiple screens: Powersim
Studio 2005 supports multiple screen systems much better than
its predecessors.
- Additional commands available from Presentation Mode:
Allow your end-users to optimize your simulation model, switch
user interface language, and print the active diagram from Presentation
Mode.
- Player edition: Use the free downloadable
Player edition to distribute simulators created in Studio Enterprise
to a larger audience.
Interested in Powersim Studio 2005?
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