Simulation Example on Data Importation to Vensim

[mikeayomoh]

Hello Admin.,
My software is PLE+
I am familiar with the use of equations to simulate in VENSIM. However, I need some clarification when using data in place of equations for simulation. For instance, assuming a data-driven simulation is to be conducted as presented in the table below:
1 time 1 2 3 4 5 6
2 production 11 2 6 5 7 4
3 order 0,5 0,7 0,4 0,6 0,2 0,1
4 Inventory 3 2 5 1 2 4

The simple test flow diagram is such that:
i. production (a rate) feeds the inventory
ii. Inventory feeds "order" (an auxilliary)
iii. The auxilliary "order" feeds production

Firstly, I tried importing an excel file of the table above but a pop-up emerged stating---"unable to open c:\........ .xlsx to read data"
Next, I converted the file to a .csv file and I got the following prompting:
A. Data import setting window poped-up
i. I adjusted the column limit to "6" while a row limit by default was given as "4".
ii. I changed the option for "Time values recognised when" Row#1. The alternative option "variable is time axis" gave an error prompting

B. Two new windows popped up:
i. Writing 0 values for "1;time axis;1;2;3;4;5;6"
Writing 0 values for "2;production;11;2;6;5;7;4"
Writing 0 values for "3;order;5;7;4;6;2;1"
Writing 0 values for "4;Inventory;3;2;5;1;2;4"
Writing 0 values for time base - Time
Are these outputs as presented correct indicators of imported data to VENSIM?

ii. The second window is "conversion to vdf completed without error.
On clicking "ok" for this window another window popped up i.e. ''No values in run C:\.................vdfx - unloaded''. I clicked "ok" to proceed and another window popped up "do you want to save the format information, I clicked "yes". This took me to the window where I need to save the file.
File name: [blank]
Save as type: Data Conversion Format (*.frm)

At this point, I got lost a bit. However, I used the file name: Book11.csv. This was the same file earlier imported. Not sure if this is correct.

In the equation box for inventory, I added the following statements: Inventory=GET XLS DATA('Book11.xls','Sheet1','1','C4')
As I clicked ok to close the equation box, I got a prompting that states...''the following inputs are not used (but were expected):production.

I tried with this statement: Inventory[production] := GET VDF DATA('Book11.vdf','Inventory[production]',1,0)~~|
As I clicked ok to close the box, I got the prompting: ''expecting an operator''.

I need a way forward from here. I will appreciate if you could illustrate a workable solution using either my example or another example strictly on data importation.

Thanking you in advance.

[Administrator]

Can you upload the model and data you need? I get lost pretty quickly reading the post above.

A couple of points though.

1. Firstly, I tried importing an excel file of the table above but a pop-up emerged stating---"unable to open c:\........ .xlsx to read data"

Was the spreadsheet open in Excel at the time? This would have locked it so that Vensim could not access it.

B. Two new windows popped up:
i. Writing 0 values for "1;time axis;1;2;3;4;5;6"

This is not CSV data, the delimiter is ";".

If you upload the data and model, I'm sure we can see immediately what is wrong.