Because scenarios are complex and have the potential to confuse Player users who may be completely unfamiliar with GoldSim, it is important that as an author, you provide sufficient explanation and instruction when adding a Scenario control A special control that can be added to a Dashboard that provides a mechanism for selecting and running scenarios. to your Player models. In particular, there are several aspects of the use and behavior of a Scenario A specific set of input data (and corresponding outputs) for a model. Multiple scenarios can be defined for a model. Different scenarios within a model are specifically differentiated by having different values for one or more Data elements. control that may not be obvious to a Player user.
Within the Dashboard A special GoldSim element that allows you to build custom interfaces or "control panels" for your models., therefore, it is recommended that you add text making the following points clear:
- You can add scenarios using the "+" button. Scenarios can be deleted using the "-" button.
- When the Player user changes to a different scenario in the Scenario control, the value in any input control A type of control which can be added to a GoldSim model (when using the Dashboard Authoring tools) in order to construct a customized user interface (a dashboard) for the model. Input controls (e.g., sliders, checkboxes and input edit fields) are linked directly to Data elements and allow a user to directly modify the values of these elements via the dashboard. that is linked to a Scenario Data element An input element intended to represent constant inputs in a model. (i.e., a Data element that is scenario-specific) will instantaneously change. If they then change the value in such an input control, that will become the value for the selected scenario. However, not all of the input controls in a Dashboard will necessarily be linked to Scenario Data. When you design your Dashboard(s), it will be critical to make it clear to the Player user which input controls are scenario-specific and which are not.
- Similarly, if the Dashboard exposes Time Series or Lookup Table data via a button, it is important to make it clear to the Player user that the information is not scenario specific. If these are changed, they apply to all scenarios.
- Pressing the Scenario Data Data elements that differentiate the various scenarios in a model. button allows the user to view and compare the Scenario Data values for all scenarios.
- Pressing the Run button on the Scenario control (or in the toolbar) runs the selected scenario.
- Pressing the Run All button on the Scenario runs all scenarios.
- If a scenario has results, an asterisk will appear next to it in the list. Time History and Distribution charts and tables display results for all scenarios that have results. Other controls (such as thermometers) show results for the selected scenario.
- Pressing the
Reset button in the toolbar allows you to delete results for the selected
scenario (or all scenarios):
In addition, as an author, you may want to consider this recommendation when building models with Scenario controls:
- If your model has multiple Dashboards, you might consider placing a Scenario control in the same location on every Dashboard so that it is always clear to the user which scenario is being edited/viewed. Note that if you have multiple Scenario controls on your Dashboard(s), they are automatically linked and work in unison. That is, if you select a particular scenario in one control, it is selected in all controls.