Differences for projects, sessions and models

Hi,

I´m not sure what are the differences (pros / cons) of using projects/ sessions instead of building models in Flexsim.
It looks as if saving as project saves the complete tree (as explained in the user manual). But why isn´t it possible to continue the actual simulation run?
And what would be a reason for saving as an Flexsim XML? Didn´t found out, how it works until now.
Does anybody got some experiences to share with me, or hints where I can expand my knowledge?

Greetings

Sebastian,

saving a project saves the whole main tree (system, library and model). Saving a session file saves the view tree in addition. Both options have been created in the earlier days and are not much used anymore (I guess) with the introduction of user libraries and the ability to save off a workspace.
If you want to continue a model run saved before, you will need to save the model with "File/State Files/Save". If you load it with "...Load" you will be able to continue a simulation run.
Flexsim XML saves a model in XML format. The big advantage of that is being an ASC II format instead of a binary format which *.fsl is. That means, software development tools for organizing like SVN can be used. Reasons to do so are e.g. version management and having multiple people work the same time.

Hope that answers your questions for now.

Best wishes

Ralf
aka Ralle
Flexsim

Thanks.
We are searching for ways to build standard models faster. Thought, maybe creating a project can help to load all userlibrarys and other settings with only starting Flexsim.

The XML option even seems to be interesting, because we still search for a solution for multiple person working in one model the same time. And this way I even understand how SVN could help using together with Flexsim.

Sebastian,

under "Files/Global Preferences/User Libraries" you can add all those user libraries you want to be loaded with starting Flexsim.

Best wishes

Ralf
aka Ralle
Flexsim

How does one works in Flexsim XML in VS? I mean, it exports a single file, the .fsx, and VS asks for a project? To validate against the schema I can do that, but I can't seem to be able to do a push or something... what am I missing?

Graca,

A project in Flexsim has nothing todo with a project in Visual Studio. Visual studio can be used for 2 things:
1. If you use C++ code inside Flexsim you can use visual studio to compile Flexsim
2. you can create a DLL in Visual Studio that you can link to Flexsim. (https://www.flexsim.com/community/fo...read.php?t=382)

XML is only a way to save a binairy file as an ascii file. Usually for reasons of source control (PS I would recommand Mercurial or Git in stead of SVN)

Thank you Steven for your answer.

I was wondering, on another side of the question, would it be possible to work with flexsim at xml level so that if, for example, I would want to make a layout of my factory by importing the xml description to my machines let's say, could it be done?

I am not sure what you exactly want to do. If I read your question correctly, do you want to have an xml file containing information about locations, dimensions etc..

I'm pretty sure that it is possible because you can import xml files onto nodes, but you have to very exact and specify a lot of details. I would always go for the excel approach (or textfiles or a database). Much easier to manipulate, to understand and to create.

Yes, that's right. I will learn more about these then, thanks for the tip. If I understood correctly you say that I can do like objects import with excel? (or ...)

No you can't import an object with excel.
But you can import the characteristics of an object with excel. And then on reset you can create a piece of code that creates an object from the library, sets its location its size and everything else you want to set from the information that you imported from excel and that is stored in a global table.

I'm still not sure what it is exactly that you want to do. Maybe can you enlighten us there?

sure, I want to try working with a sensor that I can put to different machines and it will give me some information and then I can import it to flexsim in order to create scenarios, of layouts for example

So, if I understand correctly, one cannot create a layout without opening flexsim, you have to have a layout of sorts there and then you import the characteristics of let's say machines, etc?

Technically you don't create a layout in Flexsim but a model...

And technically you can create this layout outside Flexsim by creating an xml file. But practically it is infinitely more easier to automatically create a model in a different way.

If your layout is fixed but the parameters change you can read those parameters from Excel, txt or cvs files or database.

If your layout is not fixed generate the layout from script. You can do anything in Flexscript with code. So you can let the script read information from Excel, txt or cvs or database (or any of the other communication options that Flexsim has ( tcp/ip, webserver, commandline parameters etc..) and then use that information to create your model.