vdf file reader

[simon_roberts]

To monitor my Vensim simulations, I have created a "dashboard" made up of charts in Vensim.

I now need a set of different dashboards according the work I'm doing on the model but this will mean the number of charts to manage within Vensim will get quite out of hand. I can go through the process of exporting to an Excel file, say, but this is very cumbersome when doing repeated simulations.

What I would like to do is read automatically from the vdf file into an application, such as Excel, that displays a dashboard. Is there a vdf file reader separate from the Export option of Vensim? Alternatively, what is the specification of the binary format of vdf files so that I can create a separate reader myself?

I am using Vensim PLE Plus.

[tomfid]

In DSS you could write a command script (probably just one line) to export your vdf to tab or xls. The script could be included as a postprocessing step automatically.

[simon_roberts]

Problem is that the DSS is a lot more expensive than PLE Plus. I don't need the other features of DSS and anyway I would prefer a system that several other colleagues could use with them needing only to purchase PLE Plus as well.

I seen in another forum thread mention of "vdf2tab". Is this a standalone module that I could use with PLE Plus?

[tomfid]

vdf2tab is a command that's available in scripts (as I mentioned), or via the .dll (also a DSS item).

[tomfid]

Now that I think about it, if you were using DSS, your colleagues could use the Model Reader (if they didn't need to change the model).

How many graphs do you need on your dashboard? Maybe there's another way to handle this.

[simon_roberts]

In answer to your question about how many charts, I attach a Sankey diagram which is high-level view of the model and an example dashboard which has 31 charts. All the charts cover the time period 1990 to 2030 in which the left (1990-2010) is historical data and the right half (2010-2030) show the scenario runs.

Can you suggest alternative ways to monitor these scenarios?

[tomfid]

I think there isn't an obvious easier way within PLE Plus.

Three things might help, but require some upgrades:
- You can use arrays to represent conceptually similar flows, which simplifies control panel construction somewhat. You can place single graphs, then use the Subscript Control to determine which elements get displayed.
- Once you have an arrayed model, you can create a Venapp to display the output, which permits easier on-screen selection of subscripts and navigation through the interface. The result is easily distributable via the Model Reader.
- For a prettier interface, use Sable, which is very good at working with subscripts.

Tom

[simon_roberts]

Thanks for the suggestion of subscripts. Although the model may look as if it has a regular form, in fact there are many minor differences between the economic sectors. I'll stick with full names while it is still in development.

Sable looks very interesting from reading the description on the Ventana site (http://www.ventanasystems.co.uk/index.php?page=sable). However I can't find a price, nor which systems it works with. The only pricing I can find is for the 4 producst: PLE, PLE+, PRO, DSS.

[Administrator]

Sable works in Microsoft Windows only.

The price lists should be on the left hand side of the page at
http://www.ventanasystems.co.uk/index.php?page=sable

Kind regards,

Tony.

[nhoward]

I would just like to add that it is useful to export from Vensim PLE+ into Excel. For instance, it might be easier to add some other data and do some calculations with the results in excel - rather than add further auxilliary variables in Vensim. if you could automate the export function with VBA, it would save time with multiple runs. If the work doesn't justify an outlay for the DSS version, where such automation is possible, at present we are left with turning the handle. Sable looks good for presenting model interfaces in the best light, though it is another expense and I think there could be quite a few potential consumers of SD who would like to put model output into excel, where they can do their own manipulations with the data.

[tomfid]

You could consider Runtime licenses - these are basically DSS without save capability. Email us for details/quote if this is of interest. Also note that the multiple-license price of DSS drops quite a bit. http://www.vensim.com/sitelicense.html