Release 2

Sprints 29-31

We are very pleased to bring you Simio Version 2. If you have not seen Simio lately, we think you will be surprised by the progress we have made. We have left the "new product" phase behind and dramatically improved both the feature set and the robustness of Simio. This document describe the plethora of new features that have been added since we shipped Simio 1.0 just 7 months ago.  Simio is now truly a world-class product ready to take on your most demanding modeling tasks.

If you have been updating regularly to the latest sprint, I think you will still be impressed with what has been added since Sprint 28. We listened to your feedback. We have made UI changes throughout the product which will make Simio much easier to use. We have also added relational database capability, features to make it easy to model movable operators, network server licensing, and much more.

Relational Tables

We have added the capability to define multiple tables which can automatically reference each other. You will see two new buttons in the Table view of the Data window:

  • "Set Column as Key" – After selecting a column you can click this to mark it as a "Key". This means all values in the column must be unique across all rows in the table.
  • "Foreign Key" – Adds a ForeignKey property to the table. This is how you create a relation to another table. Once added, and selecting the column, you can set "Table Key" property in the property grid to a "Key" in another table.

We also added the TableName.AvailableRowCount function, which returns the number of available rows for the table given the current table selection context.

Two new SimBits were added to illustrate how the new relational table features work.

  • UsingRelationalTables – An example of setting up multiple tables that are used together.
  • EntityFollowsSequenceWithTable2 – Illustrates the same functionality as the similarly named SimBit but using relational tables.

  Moveable Operator

  • A RequestVisit option has been added to the Seize step and the Workstation object 'Secondary Resources' section to allow requiring a moveable resource to visit a specified node for use during a seize.
  • An Arrive step has been added for use in building a 'moveable resource' object.  This allows an object (the moveable resource) to notify that it has 'arrived' to a requested visit location.
  • Updated the MoveableOperator SimBit to use the new features. This now illustrates a simple moveable resource object that can be seized, then requested to come to a location, and the token exiting the Seize step and continuing processing when that requested resource object has 'arrived'.
  • Added a New Model -> Entity Model -> Operator option to make it easy to create an object that will be used as a moveable operator.

SimBits & Examples

  • VehicleVisitsServiceCenter illustrates a customized transporter that completes its current move and then goes to a service area when it senses a pending failure condition.
  • AirportTerminal illustrates an example of airport ticketing, check-in, security, and boarding.
  • ManufacturingAssembly illustrates the assembly and shipping of lamps, including lift trucks, conveyors, and moving resources to move parts.

Network Licensing

We have added the capability for Team Edition and University Edition activation to be installed on a network server. This allows one or more licenses to be shared across multiple users and even multiple geographic locations. The server also supports "borrow" capability so that a network license may be temporarily moved to a local machine and used independent of any connection to the server.

Vehicle

The Vehicle now has a new Task Selection Strategy named 'First In Queue'. This is also the new default strategy because it is the fastest. When a Vehicle object searches a RidePickupQueue, the global VisitRequestQueue, or its RideStation this option will simply select the first eligible waiting rider in the queue without a full dynamic search through all queue members.

Major UI Simplification

We made a series of changes to make navigation around your model significantly easier.

  • The Project window has been replaced with a Project Navigation window. Although it looks very similar, the new window is used only for navigation. Other functionality has been moved as described below.
  • The View button that was in the upper left of the ribbon and many of the right-click functions on the objects in the Project window have been eliminated and moved to more intuitive locations.
  • All windows for an object are always displayed when that object is active. The specific views shown will depend on the object type and how it is used. For example, when the main model is selected, it will always show tabs for Facility, Processes, Definitions, Data, Dashboard, and Results.
  • The Facility window looks very similar, except that you will now see a Project Library listing all objects currently defined in your projects. Objects which are not place able in the current object (like the current object itself) are grayed out.
  • The Processes window looks similar to the prior Process view, but without the tabs. The Tokens and Elements definitions have been moved to the new Definitions view.
  • The Definitions window has been added (replacing the old Interface view) to unify into one location all of the things that model builders are most likely to define as they are building the model. Navigation within this view is similar to that within the Data view.
  • The Data window is largely the same – containing the items that a model user is most likely to modify for a particular model run. Note that the creation of Lists has been moved to the Definitions view.
  • The Dashboard window is largely unchanged, but now more readily available.
  • The Results window is also largely unchanged except for consistency. The selection of reports and pivot grid is now on the left panel navigation.
  • The Project now has a set of windows to add, edit, and remove its items (Models, Experiment, Symbols, Textures, and Path Decorators) as well as an Edit ribbon that allows creating/deleting models, subclassing from other objects, and protecting objects.

Other Features and UI Simplifications

  • Windows 7 is now supported.
  • The combined Project Navigation and Properties window on the right now slides open or closed with a single click. Combining this with similar functionality on the library window, lets you dedicate almost a full screen to the facility window with just two clicks.
  • Steps, elements and objects now have type-on or F2 for rename in place, without needing to go to the properties to rename it. In the facility window, we added "Rename" to rename objects in place to the context menu.
  • Steps and Elements have Basic and Advanced categories. All categories except Basic are closed by default to avoid the distraction of options not commonly used.
  • Library Objects will have all categories except logic closed by default to avoid the distraction of options not commonly used. Whenever any property has changed from its default value, that property will be in bold and its category will be open by default.
  • Auto-completer has tool tips to help identify the options, responds to the up/down arrow and mouse wheel.
  • Nodes and Links in the Facility Window now show a label with their name when they are selected
  • Nodes have an Appearance Tab which allows you to add attached animation and in particular the drop down button on queues gives suggestions on which queues are available to animate.
  • The attached queue and status pie now provide Quick Create items in their dropdowns, which automatically wire the drawn item to a specific simulation construct.
  • The trace window is no longer cleared after encountering a runtime error -- the trace will persist to support debugging.
  • Opening the Dashboard view of an object instance now brings it up in a floating, dockable window
  • Added ribbon buttons for toggling the display of Status Objects, Buttons, and Links. 
  • CurrentNodeID function on Entity has been enhanced to return the NodeID (instead of 0) when the entity is in a station owned by the node, for example in parking.
  • Open Example and Open SimBit are now available as sub-items of the Open item in the Application Menu
  • If there is not enough space to show a full property value, we now pop-up a tooltip showing the value when you hover over it in the property grid.
  • Startup speed has been improved and status dialogs added when a delay is unavoidable.
  • User-written Instance Descriptions are now displayed when you hover over an object instance, step or element.
  • Subclass a library object by right clicking on it. The new object will appear in the Navigation window and in Project Library.
  • Import Symbol now directly supports image file types (jpeg, gif, bmp, png) to easily import images as rectangular symbol. This is particularly useful for importing floor plans and similar background items.
  • Added new Link functions and results for including statistics on NumberOfTravelors and TimeOnLink and additional statistics in the results windows.
  • Added additional FrontTraffic functions to allow easier decision logic based on what is ahead of an entity on a link.

 

 

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Do you want still more information? Examine the release notes for other recent releases.