CHAPTER 8
Output Reports

SIMPROCESS collects statistics by default for all Entities and all Resources for the Standard Report. SIMPROCESS also allows the definition of custom statistics to gather more specific information about a model. The Entity and Resource statistics gathered for the Standard Report will usually be sufficient when starting a model. As the focus of the analysis is sharpened and the model becomes detailed, custom statistics will be added to narrow in on the performance measures of most interest.

Further, real-time plots (see "Real-Time Plots," beginning on page 200) and SIMPROCESS Dashboards (see Chapter 16, "SIMPROCESS Dashboards," beginning on page 431) can be viewed, a Simulation Results file containing all the statistics gathered from the model can be exported in a tab-delimited format (see "Simulation Results File," beginning on page 583), and results can be exported to a database (see Chapter 13, "SIMPROCESS Database," beginning on page 375).

Standard Report

After the simulation run has completed, display the Standard Report to view output statistics for the model. From the Report menu bar, choose Display Standard Report.

This will open the Display Standard Report dialog. In the Report Replications list box (if the model ran for multiple replications), an individual Replication, the Average of All Replications, or the Sum of All Replications can be selected. Typically, for runs of multiple replications the Average of All Replications report is most useful. Calculate Confidence Intervals is activated if the Average of All Replications report is selected. Calculate Confidence Intervals allows selection of 90%, 95%, or 99% confidence intervals for each performance measure. Next, select to view the Standard Report with a Text Editor (Wordpad by default on Windows) or with a Spreadsheet. Press the Display Report button to open the report.

To view the Standard Report with a spreadsheet, select Spreadsheet, then use the Browse button to point to its executable, i.e., Excel.exe. Once the spreadsheet is open, the Standard Report data is best viewed in the left justified mode and with AutoFit checked for the columns.

Default Performance Measures

SIMPROCESS will collect by default the following performance statistics on Entities and Resources:

· For each Entity defined in the model, Cycle Time and Count statistics are displayed.

· For each Resource defined in the model, average and maximum number of units busy is measured and shown as a percent of capacity.

· ABC reports for each Resource with cost defined in the model. The ABC reports have three sections that are broken down by cost period and total cost. These sections are Resource by Entity, Resource by Activity, and Activity by Entity. See Chapter 7-Activity-Based Costing, beginning on page 176 for more detail on Activity-Based Costing.

On the Report menu, Define Global Statistics Collection brings up a dialog that sets global statistics options. As stated above, Collect Entity Statistics and Collect Resource Statistics are selected. The results of the selection options are described in the following sections. The Output Time Units field sets the units for cycle time statistics in the Standard Report. Generate Standard Report after run causes the Standard Report to be generated automatically after a simulation run. This is most useful when using the Experiment Manager (page 387) or optimization (page 401). Note that Standard Reports generated automatically are not accessible from within SIMPROCESS. The file (which is located in the model's directory) must be opened separately.

Attributes are handled differently for the Standard Report. The Standard Report check box on the Attribute Properties dialog must be selected for each attribute that needs to collect statistics. The report will display either Time-weighted or Observation-based statistics depending on the option chosen. Statistics can be kept for all types of attributes except Entity Instance Attributes. Lastly, if the value of an attribute does not change during the simulation run, its statistics will all be zeroes in the Standard Report. See "User Defined Attributes," beginning on page 242 for more information on Attributes.

Custom Statistics

SIMPROCESS provides the ability to add custom statistics to the Standard Report for analyzing the performance of business Processes. Such performance measures as cycle time, Activity costs, and Resource utilization can be calculated by SIMPROCESS. This chapter describes the types of statistics available, and how to define, display, print, and export them.

Entity Statistics

Entity statistics provide detailed information about the numbers of Entities existing in the model during a simulation and the amount of simulation time (cycle time) that Entities require to pass through the model. SIMPROCESS provides five types of Entity statistical reports:

· Total Count

· Entity Count by State

· Entity Cycle Time by State

· Real-time Plots

· Attribute Value

Total Count, Entity Count by State, and Entity Cycle Time by State are selected either from the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog by choosing Collect Entity Statistics or by choosing Collect Entity Statistics when each Entity is defined. If Collect Entity Statistics on the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog is selected, then the above statistics (other than Real-time Plots and Attribute Value) will be in the Standard Report for every Entity defined. If only statistics for selected Entities are desired, then the global Collect Entity Statistics should not be selected, and the Collect Entity Statistics on the Entity Definition dialog should be selected for the desired Entities.

Total Count Statistics

These statistics show the total number of Entities that have been generated during the simulation, how many remain in the system at the end of the simulation, and how many have exited the system throughout the simulation.

Entity Count by State Statistics

These statistics present the simulation-generated Entity count statistics for selected Entity types. Statistics are time-weighted for Entity counts. These statistics show the average number of Entities in the system broken down by four states: in-process, waiting for Resource, holding for condition, and traveling.

Cycle Time by State Statistics

Cycle Time statistics present the simulation-generated cycle time statistics for selected Entity types. The cycle time calculations are based on the number of Entities that were processed at the end of the simulation. These statistics show the breakdown of the Cycle Time by state. The four states that an Entity may be in are in-process, waiting for Resource, holding for condition, and traveling.

Real-time Plots

Real-time plots display statistics while the simulation is running. This may slow the simulation but real-time plots give a running view of the performance metrics during the simulation. If multiple real-time plots are selected, they will be stacked on top of each other. Real-time plots can be minimized, moved, resized, or closed while the simulation is running. Real-time plots that have been closed can be displayed again. See "Displaying Real-Time Plots" on page 203.

There are two types of real-time plots: traces and histograms. Traces display the instantaneous value of a particular statistic along with a running mean. Histograms display the number of occurrences of values of a statistic. These are grouped into value ranges called bins. The bin size is set automatically by SIMPROCESS. Traces and histograms for the same statistic do not have to be displayed together. Individual charts may be selected. Real-time plots are selected under the Report menu item Define Real-Time Plots/Entities. Plots may be customized and hidden. See "Real-Time Plots" on page 200.

Cycle Times Trace and Cycle Times Histogram - These reports show the individual cycle time measurements for each Entity of a given type. Charts are generated for each Entity type that is selected. The charts are updated as each Entity of the given type completes its cycle time. This occurs when the Entity is transformed or disposed in the model. The observation points on the trace are connected only to improve their visibility and are not meant to suggest continuity.

Entities in System Trace and Entities in System Histogram - These charts show the individual Entity count measurements (that is, the number of Entities that exist in the model) for each Entity type. Charts are generated for each Entity type that is selected. The charts are updated as each Entity of the given type is created and disposed in the model.

Wait For Resource Trace and Wait For Resource Histogram - These charts show the current number of Entities that are in the waiting for Resource state.

Wait For Resource Cycle Times Trace and Wait For Resource Cycle Times Histogram - These charts show the time spent waiting for Resources.

Hold For Condition Trace and Hold For Condition Histogram - These charts show the current number of Entities that are in the holding for condition state that may be associated with Activities such as Assemble, Gate, and Batch.

Hold For Condition Cycle Times Trace and Hold For Condition Cycle Times Histogram - These charts show the time spent holding for a condition to be met.

Entities In Process Trace and Entities In Process Histogram - These charts show the current number of Entities that are in the Process.

Process Cycle Times Trace and Process Cycle Times Histogram - These charts show the time Entities spend processing.

Entities Traveling Trace and Entities Traveling Histogram - These charts show the current number of Entities that are traversing Connectors.

Travel Times Trace and Travel Times Histogram - These charts show the time Entities spend traversing Connectors.

Attribute Value Statistics

The attribute value statistics must be specified in the dialogs where attributes themselves are defined. If the attributes are defined while Entity types are being defined, then the statistics must be selected where those attributes are defined.

Time-Weighted Average - This collects time-weighted statistics for Entity attributes.

Observation-Based Average - This collects observation-based statistics for Entity attributes.

Real-Time Histogram Plot - This displays a histogram of the attribute's values.

Real-Time Trace Plot - This displays a trace of the attribute's values.

Standard Report - Displays the results in the Standard Report.

Set Plot Properties - Displays a plot properties dialog for each type of plot selected.

Resource Statistics

Resource statistics provide detailed information about the amount of time Resources spend in possible states during a simulation. SIMPROCESS provides four types of statistics which show various summaries of the state information for a Resource:

· Utilization by State Statistics

· Utilization by Activity Statistics

· Real-time Plots

· Attribute Value Statistics

Utilization by State is selected either from the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog by choosing Collect Resource Statistics or by choosing Collect Resource Statistics when each Resource is defined. The Utilization by State statistics will be in the Standard Report for every Resource defined if Collect Resource Statistics on the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog is selected. The global Collect Resource Statistics should not be selected, and the Collect Resource Statistics on the Resource Definition dialog should be selected if only statistics for selected Resources are desired. Similarly, Utilization by Activity is selected either from the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog by choosing Collect Resource by Activity Statistics or by choosing Collect Resource by Activity Statistics when each Resource is defined.

Utilization by State Statistics

These statistics present summaries of the simulation-generated statistics for the time that the number of units of the selected Resources spent in each state. The average number of units and percentages that were idle, busy, planned downtime, unplanned downtime, and reserved are shown in the Standard Report. Also included in the Standard Report are the percentages that a Resource was idle, busy, or reserved, given the Resource was available. That is, downtime (planned or unplanned) is not included. The time available is considered to be the total time for the Resource. Thus, if a Resource has no downtime defined, then the percentages for idle, busy, and reserved will be the same for the calculations including downtime and the calculations not including downtime.

Utilization by Activity Statistics

These statistics show the average number of units that were busy by Activity.

Real-time Plots

These reports display the simulation-generated instantaneous capacity allocations for each of the five Resource states. The reports present their data while the simulation is running. This may slow the simulation but they provide a running view of the Resource's behavior throughout the simulation. Real-time plots are selected under the Report menu item Define Real-Time Plots/Resources.

All report data is shown on an X-Y plot where the (horizontal) X-Axis represents simulation time and the (vertical) Y-Axis shows the Resource's units. One chart is produced for each selected Resource. Plots may be customized and hidden. See "Real-Time Plots" on page 200.

Capacity Trace and Capacity Histogram -These reports show the capacity of a Resource during the simulation. These plots are only useful for consumable Resources.

Units Idle Trace and Units Idle Histogram -These reports show the amount of a Resource's units which are left idle during the simulation.

Units Busy Trace and Units Busy Histogram -These reports show the amount of a Resource's units which are busy during the simulation.

Planned Downtime Trace and Planned Downtime Histogram -These reports show the amount of a Resource's units which are not available due to planned downtime during the simulation.

Unplanned Downtime Trace and Unplanned Downtime Histogram -These reports show the amount of a Resource's units which are not available due to unplanned downtime during the simulation.

Total Downtime Trace and Total Downtime Histogram -These reports show the amount of a Resource's units which are not available due to unplanned and planned downtime during the simulation.

Units Reserved Trace and Units Reserved Histogram-These reports show the amount of a Resource's units which are in reserved state during the simulation.

Attribute Value Statistics

The attribute value statistics must be specified in the dialogs where attributes themselves are defined. If the attributes are defined while Resources are being defined, then the statistics must be selected where those attributes are defined.

Time-Weighted Average - This collects time-weighted statistics for Resource attributes.

Observation-Based Average - This collects observation-based statistics for Resource attributes.

Real-Time Histogram Plot - This displays a histogram of the attribute's values.

Real-Time Trace Plot - This displays a trace of the attribute's values.

Standard Report - Displays the results in the Standard Report.

Process/Activity Statistics

Process/Activity Statistics provide detailed information about the numbers of Entities entering and leaving particular Processes/Activities during a simulation. SIMPROCESS provides seven types of Activity statistics:

· Total Entity Counts

· Total Entity Counts by Entity

· Entity Count by State

· Entity Count by State by Entity

· Cycle Time by State

· Cycle Time by State by Entity

· Real-time Plots

· Attribute Values

The Process/Activity statistics are limited in scope to specific Processes/Activities in contrast to Entity statistics which encompass the entire model. Cycle Time by State, Total Entity Counts, and Entity Count by State are selected globally from the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog by choosing Collect Activity Statistics or locally by choosing Collect Activity Statistics on the individual Activity properties dialog. Activity statistics will be in the Standard Report for every Activity defined if Collect Activity Statistics on the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog is selected. The global Collect Activity Statistics should not be selected, and the local Collect Activity Statistics on the Activity properties dialog should be selected if only statistics for selected Activities are desired. Similarly, Total Entity Counts by Entity, Cycle Time by State by Entity and Entity Count by State by Entity are selected globally from the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog by choosing Collect Activity by Entity Statistics or locally by choosing Collect Activity by Entity Statistics on the appropriate Activity.

WARNING

Entity Count Reports

These reports present the simulation-generated Entity count statistics for selected Processes/Activities.

Total Entity Count-This report shows the total number of Entities that (1) have arrived at the Process/Activity, (2) are remaining in the Process/Activity at the end of the simulation, (3) have been processed by the Process/Activity, and (4) left the Activity without processing. These can also be broken down by Entity type.

Count By Entity State-This report shows the average and maximum Entity counts broken down by Entity states, that were processed by the selected Activity. That is, how many were in the Activity, Wait For Resource, In Process, and Hold for Condition states. Entity counts for Processes will not be broken down by state. These can also be viewed by Entity type.

Cycle Time by State Statistics

These statistics present the simulation-generated cycle time statistics for the selected Process/Activity and are calculated based on the Entity counts for the selected Processes/Activities.

Cycle Time statistics present the simulation-generated cycle time statistics for Entity types that processed at the selected Activities or Processes. The cycle time calculations are based on the number of Entities that were processed at the end of the simulation. These statistics show the breakdown of the Cycle Time by state. The three states that an Entity may be in are waiting for Resource, holding for condition, and in-Process. Cycle Time will not be broken down by state for Processes. These statistics can also be broken down by Entity type.

Real-time Plots

Real-time Plots display statistics while the simulation is running. This may slow the simulation but shows a running view of the Entity count throughout the simulation. The selected charts are generated for each Process/Activity selected. The observation points are connected in trace charts to improve their visibility and are not meant to suggest continuity. See "Real-Time Plots" on page 200.

Cycle Times Trace and Cycle Times Histogram -These charts show the individual cycle time measurements for each Process/Activity.

Wait For Resource Cycle Times Trace and Wait For Resource Cycle Times Histogram -These charts show the individual wait for Resource time measurements for each Activity. These charts are not available for Processes.

Hold For Condition Cycle Times Trace and Hold For Condition Cycle Times Histogram -These charts show the hold for condition time measurements for each Activity. These charts are not available for Processes.

Process Cycle Times Trace and Process Cycle Times Histogram -This chart shows the processing time measurements for each Activity. These charts are not available for Processes.

Entity Counts Trace and Entity Counts Histogram -These charts show the number of Entities in each Process/Activity.

Wait For Resource Trace and Wait For Resource Histogram -These charts show the number of Entities waiting for Resources for each Activity. These charts are not available for Processes.

Hold For Condition Trace and Hold For Condition Histogram -These charts show the number of Entities holding for a condition for each Activity. These charts are not available for Processes.

Entities In Process Trace and Entities In Process Histogram -These charts show the number of Entities processing for each Activity.

Attribute Value Reports

The attribute value reports must be specified in the dialogs where the attributes themselves are defined. If the attributes are defined locally for a Process/Activity, then the reports must be selected where those attributes are defined.

Time Weighted Average-This collects time-weighted statistics for the selected Process/Activity attributes.

Observation Based Average - This collects observation-based statistics for the selected Process/Activity attributes.

Real-Time Histogram Plot - This displays a histogram of the attribute's values.

Real-Time Trace Plot - This displays a trace of the attribute's values.

Standard Report - Displays the results in the Standard Report.

Connector Statistics

Connector Statistics provide detailed information about the numbers of Entities entering and leaving particular Connectors during a simulation. SIMPROCESS provides seven types of Connector statistics:

· Total Entity Counts

· Total Entity Counts by Entity

· Entity Count

· Entity Count by Entity

· Cycle Time

· Cycle Time by Entity

· Real-time Plots

The Connector statistics are limited in scope to specific Connectors in contrast to Entity statistics which encompass the entire model. Cycle Time, Total Entity Counts, and Entity Count are selected globally from the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog by choosing Collect Connector Statistics or locally by choosing Collect Connector Statistics on the individual Connector properties dialog. Connector statistics will be in the Standard Report for every Connector defined if Collect Connector Statistics on the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog is selected. The global Collect Connector Statistics should not be selected, and the local Collect Connector Statistics on the Connector properties dialog should be selected if only statistics for selected Connectors are desired. Similarly, Total Entity Counts by Entity, Cycle Time by Entity and Entity Count by Entity are selected globally from the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog by choosing Collect Connector by Entity Statistics or locally by choosing Collect Connector by Entity Statistics on the appropriate Connector. Connector statistics are usually only needed for Connectors with a Duration.

WARNING

Entity Count Reports

Total Entity Count-This report shows the total number of Entities that (1) have arrived at the Connector, (2) are remaining in the Connector at the end of the simulation, and (3) have traversed the Connector. These statistics can be broken down by Entity type.

Entity Count-This report shows the average and maximum Entity counts. These can be broken down by Entity type.

Cycle Time Statistics

These statistics present the simulation-generated cycle time statistics for the selected Connector and are calculated based on the Entity counts for the selected Connectors. The cycle time calculations are based on the number of Entities that were processed at the end of the simulation. These statistics can be broken down by Entity type.

Real-time Plots

Real-time Plots display statistics while the simulation is running. The charts are generated for each Connector selected. The observation points are connected in trace charts to improve their visibility and are not meant to suggest continuity. Plots may be customized and hidden. See "Real-Time Plots" on page 200.

Cycle Times Trace and Cycle Times Histogram -These charts show the individual cycle time measurements for each Connector.

Entity Counts Trace and Entity Counts Histogram -These charts show the number of Entities in each Connector.

Real-Time Plots

Real-Time Plots display the change in value of statistics as the simulation runs for Entities, Resources, Activities, Processes, Connectors, Time Stamps, and Attributes.

Defining Plots

Entities, Resources, Activities, and Connectors

Plots for Entities, Resources, Activities, Processes, and Connectors are defined on the Report menu.

Selecting Entities..., Resources..., Activities..., or Connectors... from the Define Real-Time Plots menu item will bring a dialog listing the appropriate type of items defined in the model on the left, and the real-time plots available for that item on the right. Select an item on the left, then select the plots desired on the right. Multiple items can be selected on the right by holding down the Control key when selecting. The Select All button can be used if all plots are desired. The Deselect All button deselects all plots.

Once the desired plots have been selected, click OK. During the simulation, when the first value occurs for a particular plot, the plot appears. The plot will remain unless minimized or closed. Real-time plots that have been closed can be displayed again.

NOTE

Time Stamps

Plots for time stamps are determined when the time stamp is defined. Select Time Stamps... from the Define menu, and choose Add for a new time stamp or Edit to add plots to an existing time stamp. Enter or edit the Start Key and Stop Key.

Select Collect Statistics to report the statistics on the Time Stamp in the Standard Report. Real-Time Trace Plot causes the creation of trace plot of the data, and Real-Time Histogram Plot causes the creation of a histogram of the data.

Attributes

Attribute plots are selected on the attribute definition dialog. All attribute types except Entity Instance attributes can have plots. Trace or histogram or both can be selected. Plots will be created for each item defined in the model if the attribute is a global Entity, global Resource, or global Activity attribute. For instance, if there are ten Activities/Processes in a model, and a global Activity attribute is defined with plots, then 10 sets of plots will be created since each Activity will have the attribute. Except for Model attributes, it is best to use local attributes when selecting plots for an attribute. Also, if an attribute is an array attribute, plots will be created for each member of the array.

Setting Plot Properties

Each item that can have plots has a Set Plot Properties button. This button sets the plot title, sets the X axis legend, sets the Y axis legend, hides the plot at the start of the simulation, and, depending on plot type, sets X axis type and the units for the X axis and Y axis. For trace plots, the X axis can either be a standard axis (default) or a date axis. A date axis displays a date and/or time instead of numbers. If the plot properties are not set, defaults will apply to the plots. The default title is the item name plus the plot name. For instance, the default title for a trace of cycle times for an Activity named Delay1 would be "Delay1 Cycle Times Trace." For a standard X axis the default units for the X axis of trace plots is the Simulation Time Unit selected in the Run Settings. See "Setting the Simulation Time Unit" on page 89. The default units for the Y axis of trace plots depends on the type of value being plotted. If the value is a cycle time (total, processing, wait for Resource, hold for condition, or traveling), the default unit is the Output Time Units selected in the Define Global Statistics Collection dialog. If the value is not a cycle time, then the Y axis is set according to the values plotted. Histograms follow the same rules for the X axis since the X axis plots the values in a histogram. To change any of the defaults, or to hide the plot, choose the Set Plot Properties button. This button will display a dialog for each plot selected.

Defaults will apply if Graph Name, X Axis Label, or Y Axis Label are left blank. The X Axis Type defaults to Standard Axis with Hours selected for the Simulation Time Unit. When Date Axis is selected, Label Format activates. Label Format designates the type of date and/or time labels to display on the X axis. The possible options for Label Format are Date, Time, and Date and Time. Note that the Time format should only be used when the simulation length is 24 hours or less. The date and time formats adjust based on the location selected for the operating system. A United States location will display Jan 21, 2005 as 1/21/05, whereas a European location will display as 21/1/05. The plot properties default to hide the plot and to not display the plot on a remote server. The plot properties dialog will display X Axis Type and Value Time Unit based on the plot type and the value being plotted. Traces of cycle times will offer both options. All other traces will only offer the X Axis Type option. Histograms of cycle times will offer the Value Time Unit option. All other histograms will not have either option.

When plots are deselected, any properties set are lost. The properties must be reset if the plot is selected again. Also, on the Define Real-Time Plots dialogs for Entities, Resources, Activities, and Connectors, there is a Delete Properties button. This button will remove the plot properties from selected plots without deselecting the plots.

Displaying Real-Time Plots

Plots that are hidden are displayed during or after a simulation by choosing Display Real-Time Plots on the Report menu or clicking the button on the tool bar. These only become active at the beginning of a simulation run.

A dialog appears that lists all plots (hidden or not) defined in the model. All the plots are listed in the same dialog regardless of type (Entity, Resource, etc.).

The plots that are selected will display when OK is pressed. Once a plot is displayed it can be minimized or closed. Any plot closed can be viewed again by using Display Real-Time Plots from the Report menu or the tool bar. All plots remain available for display until the model is closed. The plots are recreated if the model is run again.

Displaying Plots Remotely

The ability to display real-time plots on a remote server is a plug-in capability that can be licensed separately from CACI. The Display Plot on Remote Server option must be selected, and the Remote Server URL must be entered.

Before the model with the remote plots starts simulation, the Java RMI Registry must be started and SPPlotServer must be started on the server where the remote plots are to appear. This requires the use of the SPRemote.jar and plot.jar files which are found in the SPSYSTEM directory where SIMPROCESS was installed (copy these to another system as required). To use the same system enter rmi://localhost/ for the Remote Server URL field. To display the plots on a different system, change localhost to an appropriate value that will resolve to the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the system where the RMI Registry and SPPlotServer are located. Alternatively, just use the actual IP number.

To start the RMI Registry, a batch file or UNIX shell script can be constructed, because the RMI Registry program is required to have in its classpath the locations of files referenced by server Processes. Here are some examples of what should be contained in those files:

Windows batch file:

set CLASSPATH=SPRemote.jar

rmiregistry

UNIX shell script using the Bourne shell or a derivative:

CLASSPATH=SPRemote.jar

export CLASSPATH

rmiregistry

UNIX shell script using the C shell or a derivative:

setenv CLASSPATH SPRemote.jar

rmiregistry

Sample batch files and scripts are located in the SPUser\SampleFiles directory. SPUser is in the directory where SIMPROCESS was installed. The sample batch files and scripts are intended to be used in the SIMPROCESS installation directory.

Adjust the precise CLASSPATH value as needed, based on where the copy of SPRemote.jar is located and the current working directory. Once the RMI Registry program is started, SPPlotServer can then be started. When using localhost, enter this command from the SIMPROCESS directory on the system where SIMPROCESS is installed:

jre\bin\java -classpath SPSYSTEM\SPRemote.jar;SPSYSTEM\plot.jar com.caci.remote.SPPlotServer

Alternatively, the PlotServ batch or script file in the SPUser\SampleFiles directory can be run. Simply copy the appropriate file to the SIMPROCESS installation directory before running.

If not using localhost, from the directory where SPRemote.jar and plot.jar are located, enter this command:

jre\bin\java -classpath SPRemote.jar;plot.jar com.caci.remote.SPPlotServer

Use colons in the classpath for non-Windows systems. Once the Java RMI Registry and SPPlotServer have been started, load and run the model.

Note that remote plots are not plotted locally. Real-time plots are created either locally or remotely, but not both. Remote real-time plots cannot be hidden (even if selected in the Real-Time Plot Properties). That is, they will display as soon as simulation data is sent to the plot. Also, once a remote real-time plot has been closed, there is no way to reopen it since remote real-time plots are not in the list of plots available through the Display Real-Time Plots button or menu item.

Automatic Saving of Plots

Plots are automatically saved in the plots directory (which is created in the model's directory) at the end of a simulation run. Only local plots are saved. All plots are saved using the name of the plot as the name of the file. When creating the file name, some special characters (:, !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, /, and \) in the name of the plot are replaced by underscores. Note that not all special characters are replaced, and, depending on the system and the special characters, special characters that are not replaced with underscores could cause an error during the automatic save of the plot. Trace plots have a .trc extension and histogram plots have an .hst extension. These plots will be overwritten each time the model is run. Thus, if a plot file needs to be saved, it should be renamed or moved, or the plot can be saved using the File/Save option. Launch Plot Application on the Report menu opens a plot window. Saved plots can be opened using the File/Open option of the plot window.

Post Plotting Options

Each plot window has a menu and four buttons. These provide options to save, print, and format plots. Also, the plots have a zoom capability.

File Menu

· Open - Opens a previously saved plot

· Save - Saves a plot in XML format

· SaveAs - Saves a previously saved plot under a new name

· Export - Saves the plot as an encapsulated postscript file

· Print - Prints the plot

· Close - Closes the plot window.

Edit Menu

· Format - Changes the format of the plot

Special Menu

· About - Lists information on plot developers

· Help - Limited information on zooming plots

· Clear - Erases the values plotted

· Fill - No effect on plot

· Reset Axes - Resets axes ranges to starting values

Plot Buttons

Button functions, as seen from left to right, are as follows:

· Prints the plot. (Same as File/Print.)

· Resets the X and Y ranges to their original values. (Same as Special/Reset Axes.)

· Sets the plot format. (Same as Edit/Format.)

· Rescales the plot to fit the data. Used after zooming to return to full view of plot.

Plot Zooming

Once the simulation is complete, portions of the plot can be zoomed. To select the area for zooming, left mouse click at one corner of the area and drag over the area. When the mouse is released, that area will fill the plot. The following two plots demonstrate this. The first plot is the original plot. The second shows the plot with a portion zoomed.

Custom Plots

The real-time trace plots available from Define Real-Time Plots on the Report menu plot one value along with its mean. Define Custom Real-Time Plots offers the option of selecting more than one value to be on a trace and/or histogram plot. Thus, various values can be viewed in comparison with one another on the same plot. Selecting Define Custom Real-Time Plots brings up a dialog that lists the custom plots defined in the model. Clicking the Add button brings up a dialog that has the trace and histogram plot properties on the left and the list of values to plot on the right. Note that if a trace plot and histogram plot are selected, the values plotted are the same for both plots. Another custom plot must be defined if different values are to be on the trace plot and histogram plot. The plot properties on the left are the same as described on page 202.

Adding Values To Custom Plot

The buttons located under Select Plot Values of the Custom Plot Properties dialog determine which values will be plotted in the trace and/or histogram plots. The buttons are Entity, Resource, Activity, Connector, Time Stamp, and Model Attributes buttons. These buttons bring up the appropriate list of items along with the values that can be plotted.

Entity - displays a list of Entities defined in the model. Once an Entity has been selected, the values for plotting appear. The values that can be plotted are Number Created, Number Disposed, Number In System, Number Processing, Number Waiting, Number On Hold, Number Traveling, Cycle Time, Processing Time, Wait Time, On Hold Time, and Travel Time.

Resource - displays a list of Resources defined in the model. Once a Resource has been selected, the values available for plotting appear. The values that can be plotted are Capacity, Units Idle, Units Busy, Units Down, Units Planned Down, Units Unplanned Down, and Units Reserved.

Activity - displays a hierarchical tree of the model. Once a Process or Activity has been selected, the values available for plotting for that item appear. The values that can be plotted for Processes are Number Entities In Process and Entity Cycle Time. The values that can be plotted for Activities are Number Entities In Activity, Number Entities Waiting, Number Entities On Hold, Number Entities Processing, Number Entities Accepted, Number Entities Released, Number Entities Balked, Entity Cycle Time, Entity Wait Time, Entity Processing Time, and Entity On Hold Time.

Connector - displays a hierarchical tree of the model displaying only Processes, Process Alternatives and Connectors. Once a Connector has been selected, the values available for plotting for that item appear. The values that can be plotted for Connectors are Number Entities Traveling and Entity Cycle Time.

Time Stamp - displays the Time Stamps defined in the model. Once a Time Stamp has been selected, the only value available for plotting is Cycle Time.

Model Attributes - displays a list of the Integer and Real Model Attributes defined in the model. Array attributes are listed by element. Once an attribute has been selected, the values available for plotting appear for that attribute. The values that can be plotted are the Value of the attribute and the Mean of the attribute. The Mean is the observation mean.

Values can be added to the plot from each type (Entity, Resource, etc.). However, adding values from different types and within types must be done with care. The units for each of the values should match. For instance a cycle time should not be plotted along with a number of Entities value (for example, Number In System). Those types of values have different units.

To add values, select the item on the left and the values desired on the right. Only one item on the left can be selected at a time. However, multiple values on the right can be selected. If all are desired, the Select All button can be used. Once selections are made, click the Add Values button. If the Add Values button is not clicked, no values for plotting are added. Thus, multiple values from the items on the left (Entity, Resource, etc.) can be added to the trace before clicking OK. Note that statistics do not have to be collected on the values selected for the values to plot.

The custom plot below plots three values: two Entity and one Activity. Hardware Sales and Software Sales are Entities. The value Entities In System is being plotted for both. Sales Process is a Process. The value Number Entities In Process is being plotted for it. All three of these values have the same units (number). Only a trace plot is defined. Following the dialog is the actual plot.

Removing Values From Custom Plot

Removing values from a custom plot is accomplished from the Custom Plot Properties dialog. There are two buttons for removing values: Remove and Remove All. The Remove All button clears the plot of all values. The Remove button clears the values that have been selected. More than one value can be selected by holding down the Control key when selecting.

Setting and Removing Plot Group

Custom plots can be assigned to groups. Groups are based on Activities and Processes. A plot can be assigned to any group but can only belong to one group. Plot groups only apply to custom plots or Activity/Process plots from Define Real-Time Plots/Activities on the Report menu. (See "Real-Time Plots" on page 200.)

Setting Plot Group

Plot groups allow custom plots to be associated with a particular Process or Activity, and they limit the number of plots in the Display Real-Time Plots dialog. The latter can be valuable if there are many custom plots and/or Activity plots defined in a model. Display Real-Time Plots on the Report menu or the tool bar brings up a dialog that lists all of the hidden plots in the model. This list can be restricted by assigning custom plots to groups. For instance, below is a portion of a model that models hardware and software sales and hardware and software service. There are two subprocesses: Sales Process and Service Process.

Plots can be assigned to these Processes so that, when one of the Processes is selected, only the plots assigned to its group appear when Display Real-Time Plots is selected.

To set the plot group, click the Set Plot Group button on the Custom Plot Properties dialog. This opens a dialog that has the hierarchical view of the Activities and Processes in the model (similar to the Activity Browser dialog from the Edit menu). The item selected when OK is clicked is the group to which the plot is assigned. Plots cannot be assigned to the model, TopProcess, or a Process alternative. If one of those is selected when OK is clicked, the plot is not assigned to a group.

As an example, all the plots chosen to be hidden in the Customer Service model are shown below. This list was displayed after the model was run using the Display Real-Time Plots button on the tool bar.

By selecting the Sales Process, this list can be restricted to the plots in the Sales Process group.

The list includes two custom plots (Sales Calls In System Trace and Sales Calls In System Histogram) and two Activity plots from Define Real-Time Plots on the Report menu (Sales Process Entity Count Histogram and Sales Process Cycle Times Trace).

Selecting the Sales and Service Processes causes the list to include plots assigned to both Processes.

Removing Plot Group

A plot can be removed from a plot group by either changing the assignment using the Set Plot Group button or using the Remove Plot Group button on the Custom Plot Properties dialog. The Remove Plot Group button simply removes the plot from the group, and no reassignment occurs. The button does nothing if the plot is not assigned to a group.

Setting Legends

The legends on custom plots default to the names of the values in the plot (for instance, Software Sales Calls:Entities In System). The Set Legends button allows the legend title to be changed. Also, the color of the trace line can be changed. When one or more values in the custom plot have been selected, the Set Legends and Reset Legends buttons become active. The Select All button selects all values in the custom plot, and the Deselect All button deselects all values in the custom plot.

The Set Legends button brings up a dialog in which the text of the legend and the color of the trace line can be set. Only the values selected will be in the dialog. Double clicking on a single value will bring up the dialog with just the options for that value. The color of the value must be set if the text of the legend is set. If not, the color will be Aquamarine, which is the first color in the color list.

The Reset Legends button resets the text and color of the legend to its default.

Expression Plots

Real-time Plots and Custom Plots, once defined, are updated automatically by SIMPROCESS. Also, these plots are reset at the beginning of each replication. There is no way to control when the plots are updated or reset. However, plots can be created and controlled using the SIMPROCESS Expression Language. (See Chapter 10, "Customizing a Model with Attributes and Expressions," beginning on page 237 for more information on Expressions.) Creating and controlling plots through the SIMPROCESS Expression Language allows plotting to be done across replications. Also, this capability allows replication summary statistics to be graphed.

There are five System Methods for plotting listed in "SIMPROCESS System Methods" on page 521: CreatePlot, AddPlotLegend, ClearPlot, DisplayPlot, and PlotValue. A discussion of these methods can be found in the section "Creating and Controlling Plots With Expressions" on page 315. Note that the demonstration model SplitJoin.spm that is included with SIMPROCESS has an example of Expression Plots (open model and view Define/Model Expressions).

Simulation Results File

The Simulation Results file is generated from the File menu. Select File/Export/Simulation Results to open the Save Statistics dialog. The Simulation Results file will, by default, have an .xpt file extension and be saved to the current model directory. This file is tab-delimited and can be opened using a text editor or spreadsheet.

The file will contain the complete statistical measures corresponding to the reports selected for the current model. This file contains raw statistical data that is displayed in the Standard and Custom Reports in a standard format that can be opened by many different applications.

For a complete listing of the format of the Simulation Results file, see "Simulation Results File," beginning on page 583

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