sending flowitem according to excel

Hi,

Here is a model in which I need the items to flow according to an excel file. Item can flow to whichever processor listed for each step, without connections. My problem is not about the connections. I need to know how to send flowitem to one of the objects listed in the excel. I have attached some notes in the excel. Please assist.

Here's another simpler question. For "model.fsm", how can I send:
itemtype 1 to processor 1 and 2,
itemtype 2 to processor 2 and 3,
itemtype3 to processor 1,2, and 3
using first available rule

Chieng

2. Question:

You could use Pull option in Flow Tab of Porcessors. Pull Requirement in Picklist is "Range of Itemtypes".

Thanks, Sebastian. But I need the send to logic in my case.

Why do you need the sendto logic? Because what you want is quite complex with sendto logic but quite easy with pull rules.

Hi, Steven. The simulation will run based on huge amount of data collected in the past and the excel files used to keep these datas were written in "push" logic. Datas tell what processor is available next and not what flowitems should be pulled to processor. Cheers, Chieng.

sides, "pull" logic doesn't reflect how flowitems are passed on in our product flow.

To don´t get too much work in programming I would use 3 Queues (for different Itemtypes) in front of Processors . First Queue connected to Processor 1 and 2, second to 2 and 3, third to all Processors. This way you could use "send to logic" to send the items to the queues and they send items to not blocked processors.

Sebastian,

That's not a good solution. The objects I require is just as in model.fsm . Chieng

Hi all,

I attach herewith another model to clarify my question.

- The model openexcel("...") onReset. [please alter the link to excel as required]

- In the Flow codings I wrote(incomplete, but I hope will give you an idea of what I need),
>The model reads and checks for availability of the processors listed for each step
>picks a processor by random using duniform
>reads the processor node from excel and moveobject to the picked processor



Pull logic isn't a solution here. I need the codes at "Flow" that sends flowitem to the processors listed in the excel. Please assist.

Chieng

Hi,

I've taken a look at your model and your excel sheet and I still say that a pull option is the best way.

First remark, if your excel file is quite big, please put the table in Flexsim otherwise your next post will be that your model is so slow!

On an item you should write a label containing the row nr in the table where you currently are with this product. Then on every pull requirement you write the same piece of code that simply checks if the processer which pull requirement is executed, is contained in the step in the excel table. If so, the product is allowed in. This way, there is only 1, fairly simple, piece of code on every processor. You could even put this code in a usercommand so there is only 1 place where this code is written. (and of course this code has also to be on the sink)

Oh and hold a bit back on your statements, because "But I need the send to logic in my case." and "That's not a good solution." are bold statements for somebody just starting with the software and getting advice from people that have worked with it for years!

Hi,

maybe you can write your own logic by using a taskexecuter for the sendto strategy. The main problem with this solution and not using object connections either is that you have to control the availability by yourself.
If you use the taskexecuter write your own tasksequence with only frload- and frunloadtask. Further on let the taskexecuter do not travel offsets. Then you can move the items through your tasksequences from one processor to the next even by using the duniform-function. BUT you have to check the availability by yourself and write a logic that creates the tasksequences at the right time.

That is really advanced stuff.

Maybe you look better at the solutions already given to you.

I think if I would have to programm it, I would start with setting the Processors as global variables and sending items with "moveobject()" to these. This wouldn´t need any Taskexecuters.
But longer thinking about this shows that this has to be done in Triggers and not in send to logic.
Maybe the hint gives you any idea!?

updated remark: "pull" works. Your explanation has been most helpful. Thanks!


Hi Steven,

Originally Posted by Steven Hamoen

Hi,

I've taken a look at your model and your excel sheet and I still say that a pull option is the best way.

I'm just unable to see how that would work. The downstream processor pulling flowitem from upstream processor.. What happens when there are multuple downstream processor pulling from upstream? 'Cause that's the case as stated in the excel. I just think the codes will be so much more complicated.

Originally Posted by Steven Hamoen

First remark, if your excel file is quite big, please put the table in Flexsim otherwise your next post will be that your model is so slow!

lol! I'll keep that in mind. I'm just trying to get the logic right for now. Speed optimization later. Thanks anyway!

Originally Posted by Steven Hamoen

On an item you should write a label containing the row nr in the table where you currently are with this product. Then on every pull requirement you write the same piece of code that simply checks if the processer which pull requirement is executed, is contained in the step in the excel table. If so, the product is allowed in. This way, there is only 1, fairly simple, piece of code on every processor. You could even put this code in a usercommand so there is only 1 place where this code is written. (and of course this code has also to be on the sink)

I kinda see what you mean.. Will work on that right away.

Originally Posted by Steven Hamoen

Oh and hold a bit back on your statements, because "But I need the send to logic in my case." and "That's not a good solution." are bold statements for somebody just starting with the software and getting advice from people that have worked with it for years!

Haha.. I just thought I'd get better answers by putting in a bit of "challenge". xD Lesson learnt! Jason Lightfood must love this part of your comment so much.

Chieng

Vogel,

Sounds pretty complicated. I think Steven's answer is what I need. Thanks for the reply!

Cheers, Chieng

Hi Sebastian,

Kinda confusing. But speaking of moveobject() and triggers I've got questions:

1. when I use the moveobject command from a queue to a processor, the downstream processor seems to ignore the maximum content. or sometimes, the flowitem is not conveyed acrosss processor length(even though the option is checked in the processor GUI) How to correct these problems?

2. when is the code within sendtoport executed? before or after onExit? or perhaps earlier than that?

Chieng.

1. Question:
Think this is the problem with not using standard functions like connections. Don´t know all functions that are turned off. And this makes it an little more complicated.
I even know, that "moveobject" dosn´t fire the onEntry trigger. So I think the Items this way don´t arrive to any port.

2. Question:
I´ve got absolutely no idea when this code is fired. And I even got no idea how to find out.

Maybe you could share a Modell that shows why you have to use the "send to" option for this query!? This would it make easier to understand how we could help.

Sebastian,

I've checked. sendto is executed after endcollect and before onexit.

endcollect>sento>onexit

Thanks for the reply!

Chieng

Originally Posted by Sebastian Hemmann

2. Question:
I´ve got absolutely no idea when this code is fired. And I even got no idea how to find out.

Just print the name of the trigger to the output console. This line will do it:

pf(time());pt("\t");pt(getname(c));pt("\t");pt(nod etomodelpath(current,1));pr();

Originally Posted by Chieng Kai Seng

1. when I use the moveobject command from a queue to a processor, the downstream processor seems to ignore the maximum content. or sometimes, the flowitem is not conveyed acrosss processor length(even though the option is checked in the processor GUI) How to correct these problems?

This is not written anywhere in the helpfile (I checked so development please improve helpfile or command list here) but if you use the moveobject you should also use;
transportoutcomplete();
transportincomplete();

These functions are needed for updating the internal administration such as the content etc. If you would select "conditional transport" on the "Request Transport From" and look at the code you will see it's use.

Also never write moveobject on an entry or exittrigger, as the command list already states, make sure there are no events pending so send a delayed message with time 0 and execute the moveobject on the onmessage.

Originally Posted by Chieng Kai Seng

when is the code within sendtoport executed? before or after onExit? or perhaps earlier than that?

You can easily see the order that things are being executed by turning on the Event Log from the Debug menu.

Steven,

Originally Posted by Steven Hamoen

This is not written anywhere in the helpfile (I checked so development please improve helpfile or command list here) but if you use the moveobject you should also use;
transportoutcomplete();
transportincomplete();

I tried :

transportoutcomplete(current,item,num port);
transportincomplete();
moveobject();

I use moveobject() because I wanted not to use connections but transportoutcomplete requires port num. Is there a way to do this? Could you show me an example?

Cheers,
Chieng