Controlling the Simulation

The building simulator communicates with its environment via so-called eventstreams. A distinguished one is used to control the simulation itself, it is called the controlstream. It can be used to

• start/stop/resume simulation

  A running simulation can be interrupted, either at a specified point of time, on request of a user, or because some internal problems in the building simulator occured.

• quit the building simulator,
• influence the relation between real and simulation time

  The building simulator can be run as fast as possible -- loose -- or run in a mode -- fixed -- in which it tries to maintain a relation between real and simulation time. This means that it can run n seconds simulation time passing in 1 second real-time. A slack of $\delta$ seconds simulation time is allowed before the building simulator takes responsive action. Possible reactions are to issue a warning or to stop the simulation.

• set breakpoints, i.e. specify points of simulation time where the simulation has to stop.

   
Entry in Configuration File

Each configuration must contain exactly one definition of a controlstream. This must be an entry of the form

'[ controlstream,' Window | Silent '].'
Window	'window' [',' End [',' Mode [',' Breaks [',' run ] ] ] ]
End	'infinity' | Seconds | Compound
Compound	'{' [ [ Hours ',' ] Minutes ',' ] Seconds ',' Milliseconds'}'
Hours	<non-negative integer>
Minutes	<non-negative integer>
Seconds	<non-negative integer>
Milliseconds	<non-negative integer>
Mode	'loose' | 'fixed' |
'[' fixed [',' Cont [',' Factor [',' Slack ] ] ] ']'
Cont	'cont' | 'stop'
Factor	<positive integer>
Slack	<positive integer>
Breaks	'[]' | '[' (Seconds | Compound) (',' (Seconds | Compound))* ']'
Silent	'silent' [',' End [',' Mode ] ]

End describes when the simulation shall stop, i.e. after the given amount of simulation time. Mode describes whether the building simulator runs with a fixed binding between real and simulation time or as fast as possible. Cont describes whether the building simulator shall issue a warning or stop simulator when simulation time is more than Slack seconds simulation time behind. Breaks can be used to define breakpoints. If Window is used, a graphical interface is started up which can be used to change these values online and throughout an ongoing simulation: if Silent is used no graphical interface is started. In the last case there is no possibility to influence the running simulator. When run is given in the description of Window, the simulation starts automatically.

   
Graphical Interface to Controlstream

The meaning of the buttons and scales should be obvious. To enter breakpoints the focus of the window system has to be set to the corresponding input form. The required input syntax is in the configuration file is:

[ [ [ Days ',' ] Hours ',' ] Minutes ',' ] Seconds