New Flexsim Display Models

We have developed a sort of standard for the format of official models posted to 'Downloads' by Flexsim personnel. Models following this new format will begin with X_ in their name. Tonight there have been 5 new Flexsim Display models posted in Downloads (follow the 'Downloads' link on the navigation bar above). Even if you've downloaded some of these models previously, you might want to download them again as there have been many enhancements with the addition of the "X_" to their names!

Models posted in Downloads by Flexsim will use one of the applicable directory structures below depending on whether the model was developed to be more of a showy demonstration model or to teach a single concept of modeling in Flexsim. All external data and media referenced by the model will reside in the same directory as the model file.

Flexsim4\userprojects\Flexsim Models\Display\Model Name\
Flexsim4\userprojects\Flexsim Models\Concept\Model Name\

As an example, this is the directory structure for a "Display" model made by "Flexsim" named “X_Bottling Line.fsm”. The Excel file and two WRL files are associated with the model and so reside in the same directory as the model file:



On the other hand, we would expect the directory structure for a "Concept" model named “Operator_Preempting.fsm” made by a "User" to look like this (although this will be purely up to the user who submits the model):




I have uploaded a wizard to the Library section of Downloads which is a userlibrary file I called Model Maintenance Wizard.fsl that can be used as a tool to help you:

1. convert C++ code into flexscript code so their models will run without compiling in v4,
2. find broken and absolute referencing problems with media files in their models,
3. guide them through adding a new customizeable model control gui that will be standard on all future Flexsim display models, and
4. guide them through cleaning up problems with making a model ready to be shared with the community.

Hi,
I downloaded some of the X_ display models and tried to run them in 4.3.5 engine. However, some of the object including flowitems are not visible at all. I extracted the model in the a fresh new folder. I tried to keep all files including wrl in the same folder too. In a worst case, running a model causes the Flexsim menus invisible too (looks like freezed). The display adapter of my machine is "NVIDIA Quadro FX 4600". The processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU @ 2.66GHz. 3.25 GB of Ram.
Please help me to see those beautiful demo models.

I ran the Model Maintenance Wizard and it gave me an answer. Wrong Path was the reason.
Thank you!

I just uploaded an updated version of my Model Control Wizard in the Libraries section of the Downloads area here.

Here's a summary of the changes:

1. Doesn't force you to have your model in a specific directory anymore (because Flexsim v4.3 can now search for media relative to the directory the model is in when it is opened).

2. The media paths are now stripped down to just the file name so that the models are more portable (it does a little more thorough job than the standard update to v4.3 does when opening a model because it cleans up leading slash marks in the media path names and it doesn't load duplicate media just because the file extension is capitalized in one file name and not the other).

3. The Model Control GUI now has a "View sample reports, charts and graphs" button on the Control tab which looks for a Flexsim Charts template and database file with the names you've specified and opens the Flexsim Charts program with them. (I'm now going through and making sample charts for each of the Flexsim Display models to take advantage of this new capability to automatically load Flexsim Charts with a predefined template and saved database).

4. The clean up step now sizes and locates the ortho/persp and control windows based on a standard 1024X768 resolution configuration so the Display Models can all be saved in this default state even though they may be resized and positioned according the user's actual screen resolution as before.

Look for us to update all the Flexsim Display X_ models within the next couple of weeks...