Copy and paste models across vensim files?

[luzi]

It is possible to copy and paste models (or fragments of them) within a single vensim mdl file. It then asks for some pre- or postfix, and it nicely adjusts all formulas etc. So far, so good.

But: we could not figure out how to copy and paste model fragments from one vensim mdl file to another.

What are we missing?

[Administrator]

Make sure you have both models open and you should be able to copy/paste. Check Tools->Options->Settings (or preferences->Settings) and make sure "Close active model on open/new" is not ticked. That will allow you to have both models open and copy/paste between them.

Or you could use the new sub-models capability and link the models together.......

[luzi]

Did you try this?

I am running Vensim DSS, Version 8.0.4 Double Precision x64.

I open two separate mdl files in two separate windows.

I create a stock ("level"), and add an inflow ("rate") in one file.

I select it all, copy it (CTRL-C).

I switch over to the other window.

And - nothing!

CTRL-V does nothing, and in the "Edit" menu, the "Paste" option is greyed out.

Can you do all these steps and actually paste the piece into the new file?

[tomfid]

When you say, "in two separate windows," it sounds like you have two distinct instances of Vensim running.

What you want is a single instance of Vensim with two models open. That's why you need the "Close Active Model" setting unchecked.

Open Model A any way you want, then use File>Open to open Model B into the same Vensim instance. Then you can use the Build window icon in the toolbar to toggle between them, and copy-paste works.

At present you need to be using the old gui for this to work, it appears. (Tools>Switch to Old Sketch, though I don't think it's relevant in your version.)

[luzi]

Wow, Tom! You just made my day!

That is definitely not obvious or evident. I will make sure to share this with all my desperate colleagues!

Thanks a lot - case solved.

[tomfid]

Great. I guess we need to make it clearer in the Help.

[luzi]

That's one way to look at it, Tom.

As a programmer, I often have the choice between coercing the user to adapt to what I programmed, or to improve my code and adapt it to what the user expects.

In this case, I have a hard time understanding why it wouldn't be possible to improve the clipboard management in a way that elements could be transferred across Vensim instances...

Any insights would be interesting, because I run across many quirks in Vensim where I wonder why this wouldn't be made more user-friendly.