RTC Window Editor - Variable Pane

A variable allows you to combine values (from a Range, Table, Logic operator, Variable or constant value) to derive another value.

All variables are set to zero at the beginning of a simulation. Variable values are preserved from timestep to timestep, so you can use them to accumulate statistics. Variable elements are processed in the order in which you enter them.

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The Variable pane contains the following fields:

Name	An identifier for the variable. This must not be the same name as a range, logic operator or table. However, you can have several variables with the same variable name; the program evaluates them in the order in which they appear in the scenario
Measurement	The type of data being measured
Operator	An operator to determine the way in which values will be combined (see below)
Arguments	The values to be combined (see below)

Operators

The following operators are available:

Operator	Effect
=	Variable = Argument 1
+	Variable = Argument 1 + Argument 2
-	Variable = Argument 1 - Argument 2
/	Variable = Argument 1 / Argument 2
*	Variable = Argument 1 * Argument 2
IF	If Argument 1 is TRUE, Variable = Argument 2 If Argument 1 is FALSE, Variable = Argument 3
TIMER	Sets up the variable as a timer (see below)

Arguments

The Argument fields can contain a number, range name, table name, variable name or logic name, as follows:

Argument type	Value
Number	Number
Range name	Range's current value
Table name	Current value from table
Variable name	Variable value
Logic	0 (FALSE) or 1 (TRUE)

Timer

The Timer operator allows you to set up the variable as a timer. The value of the variable is the number of seconds since it was started (excluding pauses). The operation of the timer is as follows:

• When the variable value is zero the timer is stopped.
• When Argument 1 is TRUE the simulation will start the timer if it is not running.
• When Argument 2 is TRUE the simulation will reset the timer variable to zero (stopping it running).
• When Argument 3 is TRUE the simulation will pause the timer.

Arguments 2 and 3 may be blank.

For an example of how the Variable pane is used in RTC, see RTC Variable Example.