Working with submodels

Simile enables you to wrap any part of your model diagram up in a round-cornered box, called a submodel. The submodel concept can be used to address a wide range of modelling needs, including plug-and-play modularity, disaggregation, spatial modelling and individual-based modelling. If you are new to Simile, you are strongly encouraged to read the introduction to the submodel element, so that you are aware of the various uses of submodels in your modelling.

Defining properties

A submodel's properties are set using a dialogue box invoked by double-clicking anywhere within the submodel in select mode, or by using the "Properties" command of the context menu for that submodel.

• Submodel properties dialogue

Operations on submodels

The editing operations in the context menu apply to the components in the submodel for which it was invoked. Also, the following tools are used to perform operations on submodels:

Advanced use of submodels

• Plug-and-play modularity uses submodels to substitute one alternative section of a model for another, or to include a model developed for another purpose or at a different time within a second model.
• Multiple-instance submodels allow a single system of components in a model to stand for many similar structures in the domain being modelled

• Conditional submodels use Boolean logic to determine the existence or otherwise of parts of the model.

• Iterative submodels contain components that are evaluated repeatedly until a finishing condition is met.
• A submodel may be given a different time step index than its parent, allowing processes in the submodel to be simulated with a shorter or longer time step than those in the parent model.

• Satellite submodels are used to extract a subset of values from a population submodel according to a given condition.

• Association submodels represent the properties of an association between two other submodels.

• Externally-supplied procedures, with array arguments and results and their own internal state, can be embodied by submodels.
• A submodel can be set up to communicate with another application.
• A spatially explicit model can be connected with a simple network model representing transport links.

In: Contents