Identify Time Series Points on Charts

JonNoble · Post by **JonNoble** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 4:18 pm

I've got the following need. I need to visually high-light certain points on a time series (end-of-quarter, end-of-year) on the charts produced in Vensim for both external and model-generated time series. This is because certain business behaviors can change around points, producing many behaviors of concern. I don't readily see how to do this in the software from reading the manuals. Can anyone help me out with this?
Thanks!

bob@vensim.com · Post by **bob@vensim.com** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:44 am

You can zoom in on a time range by holding down the shift key and then dragging over the range of interest. This can also be done using hte Time Axis tab on the control panel. After doing this generate the graph again. If you want to see number the Table tool is the way to go.

JonNoble · Post by **JonNoble** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:30 pm

I think I need to clarify my question. I'm wanting to know how to highlight on a Vensim chart certain points in time that are of special interest. For example, is it possible to make certain points in time a different color (such as quarter-end, year-end) on a time series chart where the behaviors of interest may be different? Or, would it be possible to flag these "milestones" of time with bars in addition to the behavior lines? I know, this is sounding more like an Excel charting function, but if I could display these key points in time in Vensim, it would be easier to show how behaviors can change relative to these milestones due to "quarter-end" or "year-end" informal policies. I'm thinking this is especially relevant where an external, historical time series is being displayed in a chart along with simulation output of the same variable.
Thanks

bob@vensim.com · Post by **bob@vensim.com** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:26 am

You can use :X-DIV value=label in the graph definitions as described in Chapter 15 of the reference manual (requires Vensim Pro) to add legend lines with labels.

You can create different colors by using Dots only and defining a variable to be :NA: except at the time points you want eg

Year end employees = IF THEN ELSE(MODULO(Time,One year)=0,employees,:NA:)

However, what is typically easiest is just to export the graph to PowerPoint and add some annotation.