Simul8 COM Properties

There are many benefits to using COM with Simul8, some of these include:

An even deeper analysis of your simulation results by connecting Simul8 to Python or VBA.
Opens up options to automatically run Models without opening Simul8.

The following presents Simul8 COM Properties, Methods and Events. This list uses Visual Basic syntax for ease of understanding. You can also find this list in a .pdf form in your Simul8 installation directory (for example, C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\SIMUL8\COMDocumentation.pdf) with the name COMDocumentation.pdf.

For instructions on how to establish the connection between a COM language and Simul8 see the VBA and COM, and the Python and COM help files.

Events

The Events can be utilized to trigger a section of code by using the specific time events such as on end run in the example below. Alternatively, the Custom Event command below can be utilized to be triggered in an event within Visual Logic code such as once a Work item of a certain Label has exited an object.

An example is the use of the event "S8SimulationEndRun()" to call out the model results on end run using two S8Simulation object Properties to loop through the KPI list. Simul8 COM Properties

Event Commands:

Call Custom DLL

Event S8SimulationCustomEvent(TextInfo As String)

Call event on End Run

Event S8SimulationEndRun()

Call event on End Trial

Event S8SimulationEndTrial()

Call event on Simulation Open

Event S8SimulationOpened()

Executes before Simul8 closes down

Event S8SimulationReadyToClose()

Call event on Reset

Event S8SimulationReset()

Call event on Custom message open

Event S8SimulationUserMessage(Answer As Long, TextMsg As String, ValidAnswers As Long)

Class S8Simulation

This class applies to the entire Simul8 system and returns overall simulation information as seen in the Event example above.

Methods

Method includes commands that call on something within the simulation e.g. an event such as deleting Work Items. An example of this, is the code below which opens a specific simulation file.

S8Simulation Methods:

Block Current Routing

Sub BlockCurrentRouting()

CodeName is the name of a block of Visual Logic in the currently open simulation

Sub CallVL(CodeName As String)

Close the currently open simulation

Sub Close()

Copy Selected Objects

Sub CopySelectedObjects(XOffset As Long, YOffset As Long)

Delete Current Work Item

Sub DeleteCurrentWI()

Delete Selected Objects

Sub DeleteSelectedObjects()

CodeLine is a single line of Visual Logic or multiple lines separated by CRLF

Sub ExecVL(CodeLine As String)

Returns the Profit total

Sub GetProfitTotals(Cost As Single, Revenue As Single)

Link Simulation Objects

Sub LinkSimObjects(SourceObject As S8SimObject, DestObject As S8SimObject, TravelTime As Single)

Closes the currently open simulation without saving and opens FileName. This can be any file type supported in SIMUL8 File/Open.

Sub Open(FileName As String)

Schedules a return to time zero. The simulation is not actually reset until all outstanding windows events are processed. This should be your last line of code before user interaction, or, if this is not possible, call DoEvents (or equivalent) until all events are processed.

Sub ResetSim(rns As Long)

Run Simulation

Sub RunSim(endtime As Double)

Save Simulation

Sub Save(FileName As String)

Set Work Item Label value

Sub SetCurrentWILabelValue(LabelName As String, Value As Single)

Set Shift Times

Sub SetShiftTimes(ShiftName As String, startTime As Single, endtime As Single)

Set Travel Times

Sub SetTravelTime(SourceObject As S8SimObject, DestObject As S8SimObject, TravelTime As Single)

Set Work Item Image

Sub SetWIImage(ImageName As String)

Step Simulation one event

Sub StepSim()

Stop Simulation

Sub StopSim()

Run Trial

Sub TrialSim(Runs As Long, dispResults As Boolean)

Unlink Simulation Objects

Sub UnLinkSimObjects(SourceObject As S8SimObject, DestObject As S8SimObject)

Unselects objects on the Simulation window

Sub UnSelectObjects()

Name should be set to the name you want for the object, but if it is invalid it will be adjusted as the object is created.

Function CreateSimObject(Name As String, ObjType As String)

ObjType must be one of:

'WORK CENTER' (Activity)
'STORAGE' (Queue)
'ENTRY' (Start Point)
'EXIT' (End Point)
'CONVEYOR'
'TANK'
'PIPE'
'PROCESS'
'RESOURCE'
'LOADER'
'UDOBJECT';

Return Current Work Item Label value

Function GetCurrentWILabelValue(LabelName As String) As Single

Get a current result value from any simulation object or other type of result giving item in SIMUL8. ItemName is the name of the objects (eg "Group 1"). For Code 1 and 2 add such a result interactively to the results summary and save as XML. Inspect the XML file to see the code1 and 2 values.

Function GetResultByText(ItemName As String, Code1 As Long, Code2 As Long) As Single

Properties

S8Simulation properties can be utilized to call out simulation information such as in the Event example below.

An example is the use of the event "S8SimulationEndRun()" to call out the model results on end run using two S8Simulation object Properties to loop through the KPI list.

S8Simulation Properties:

SIMUL8's BuildNumber

Property BuildNumber As Long

read-only

Returns TRUE is the Professional version of COM is available in this SIMUL8 installation.

Property COMProfessional As Boolean

read-only

Returns the path and name of the log file being used for the Results/Detailed log. Reference this function whenever you need to open and read the file. Only immediately after it is called can you be sure it is safe the open the file for reading.

Property DetailedResultsLogFile As String

read-only

Set to false to have all user questions referred to the S8SimulationUserMessage COM event

Property DisplayUserMessages As Boolean

The path and file name of the currently open simulation.

Property FileName As String

Returns a 32bit word where each bit represents a SIMUL8 plug-in or equivalent.

Property InstalledFeatures As <Unsupported variant type>

read-only

For OEM use only

Property OEMInstalledFeatures As <Unsupported variant type>

read-only

Returns an object of type S8Result - see also ResultsCount

Property Results(Index As Long) As S8Result

read-only

Returns the count of results collected

Property ResultsCount As Long

read-only

Property GDValue(Name As String, Col As Long, Row As Long) As Single, returns TRUE if COM Warnings are enabled

Property ShowCOMWarnings As Boolean

Returns the Object's name

Property SimObject(Name As String)

read-only

Returns the number of items currently at the Object

Property SimObjectCount As Long

read-only

Returns the Index of an Object

Property SimObjects(Index As Long)

read-only

The speed of the simulation

Property SimSpeed As Long

Returns Simulation Time

Property SimulationTime As Single

Uses SolutionXML

Property SolutionXML As String

Returns the Simul8 Edition

Property Version As String

read-only

Returns the version number

Property VersionNumber As Long

read-only

States whether you can see Simul8 running or not

Property Visible As Boolean

The Warm Up Period of the simulation

Property WarmUpTime As Single

Gets the name of the simulation window

Property WindowHandle(WindowName As String) As Long

read-only

Class S8SimObject

This class applies to Simul8 Objectsand will return information on specific objects. See example below where a Custom Event is called within Visual logic to COM and the below Object Method ExecVL is used to alter the Efficiency of Activity 1. Simul8 COM Properties

Within Visual Logic in Simul8 the Custom Event is called on end of Activity 1 as in the image below, the Call COM Event looks for the matching event name in the COM Call. Simul8 COM Properties

Methods

The Object Methods can be utilized to alter a set of parameters of specific simulation objects, e.g the example above within the S8SimObject Class.

S8SimObject Methods:

Add Work to Queue

Sub AddWI(position As Long, WIType As String)

BreakDown

Sub BreakDown(RestartDelay As Single)

BreakReStart

Sub BreakReStart()Sub Empty()

Empty Simulation Object

Sub Empty()

Get Object Location

Sub GetLocation(X As Single, Y As Single, WindowName As String)

Returns the Profit Total

Sub GetProfitResults(Cost As Single, Revenue As Single)

Move Work Item

Sub MoveCurrentWItoPos(position As Single)

Returns the raw data collected that SIMUL8 uses to calculate result values

Valid Result types include:

Activities: STATES, CONTENT
Groups: STATES, CONTENT
Queues: DURATION, CONTENT
Conveyors: DURATION, CONTENT
Exit: DURATION
Resources: CONTENT, AVAILABILITY
Tank: CONTENT

Sub OutputRawResultsData(ResultType As String, FileName As String)

Reschedule Arrival

Sub ReScheduleArrival()

Select Simulation Object

Sub Select()

Select Current Work Item

Sub SelectWI(position As Long)

Select Work Item on Conveyor

Sub SelectWIinRegion(RegionStart As Single, RegionLength As Single)

Set Object Location

Sub SetLocation(WindowName As String, FromLeft As Long, FromTop As Long)

Set Resources Required

Sub SetResourcesRequired(ResourceType As S8SimObject, Requirement As Single)

Set Route out Percent

Sub SetRoutePercent(DestSimObject As S8SimObject, Percent As Double)

Set Shift Availability

Sub SetShiftAvailability(ShiftName As String, UnitsAvailable As Long)

TRUE if "Show" is checked

Sub TitlePosition(TitleVisible As Boolean, XOffset As Long, YOffset As Long, WrapPixels As Long)

Copy Simulation Object

Function CopySimObject()

Get Current Run Result Value

Function CurrentRunResultValue(Code1 As Long, Code2 As Long) As Single

Properties

S8Object properties can be utilized to call out simulation information of specific objects such as in the Class S8Object example above.

S8SimObject Properties:

The Queue's Capacity

Property Capacity As Single

Collect Number used for Collect Routing In

Property CollectQuantity(SourceObject As S8SimObject) As Long

Returns the Work Completed

Property Completed As Long

read-only

Returns the Current Contents

Property CountContents As Single

read-only

Returns the number of Resources held by the current Work Item

Property CountHeldByCurrentWI As Long

read-only

Returns InCount

Property CountInRoutes As Long

read-only

Returns OutCount

Property CountOutRoutes As Long

read-only

True if Object Count is visible

Property CountVisible As Boolean

Sets the Display Type of an Object. For example, a Queue could be a Static Image(0), Queue(2), Tank (3), Block (7),Graphic Tank (5), Label Block (8), Graph (6)

Property DisplayMode As Long

Set Pipe Delay which is a preference setting

Property Delay As Single

Sets the FallThroughLevel of a Tank

Property FallThroughLevel As Single

True if First at Start is enabled

Property FirstAtStart As Boolean

Fixed value for Label Batching In

Property FixedTypeLabelValue As Long

Flow rate of a Pipe

Property FlowRate As Single

TRUE if Object Image is hidden

Property HideMainImage As Boolean

TRUE if Hide Sub-objects under Component Properties> Graphics is checked

Property HideSubObjects As Boolean

TRUE if Ignore Blocked Routes on Circulate Routing out is checked

Property IgnoreBlockedRoutes As Boolean

TRUE if "Ignore hints about lost Work Items" is checked

Property IgnoreLost As Boolean

TRUE if Ignore Starved Routes on Circulate Routing out is checked

Property IgnoreStarvedRoutes As Boolean

Name of Image

Property ImageName As String

Index of Object

Property Index As Long

Start-up Quantity of a Queue

Property InitialContents As Single

Max value of Batching based on the total value of a Label

Property LabelBatchingMax As Single

Min value of Batching based on the total value of a Label

Property LabelBatchingMin As Single

Length of a Conveyor

Property Length As Single

Returns Loadspace on Conveyor

Property LoadSpace As Single

read-only

Locked in Route of the Activity

Property LockedInRoute As Long

Returns the number of Work Items lost at a Start Point

Property LostCount As Single

read-only

Max Load Quantity of a Loader

Property MaxLoadQuant As Single

Minimum Wait of a Queue

Property MinimumWaitTime As Single

Min Load Quantity of a Queue

Property MinLoadQuant As Long

Name of Object

Property Name As String

Object Output Percentage

Property OutputPercent As Single

Position of Loader along Path

Property position As Single

Priority of the Activity Property

Priority As Long

Returns ReadyTime of Conveyor

Property ReadyTime As Single

read-only

RisethroughLevel of Tank

Property RiseThroughLevel As Single

Routing out Discipline

Property RouteOutMethod As Long

Shelf Life of a Queue

Property ShelfLife As Single

Speed of a Conveyor

Property Speed As Single

Returns the State

Property State As Long

read-only

TRUE if Unlimited at Start Point is checked

Property Unlimited As Boolean

Class S8Result

This class applies to all Simul8 Results

Properties

Returns Confidence Limit from Results

Property ConfLimit(Limit As Long) As Single

read-only

Visual Logic Text Description

Property Description As String

True if the results summary item is not a result but a decision variable (see OPTIMIZ and OptQuest for SIMUL8)

Property IsDecision As Boolean

read-only

Returns average result of a trial

Property Mean As Single

read-only

Result Name (i.e. Time in System)

Property Name As String

read-only

Object from which the result comes from

Property SimObjectName As String

read-only