Scales and Ranges Tab

Use the Scales and Ranges tab to define global scale and range properties for a selected variable. This lets you set the scale for a variable for all the graphs in the model that use the variable. For more information, see Defining global scales and ranges.

To view the Scales and Ranges tab, click the at the bottom of the panels. For more information about using panels, see Using the Properties Panel.

Display name

Use this box to define a name for the variable, the way you want it to be displayed in input and output devices that use the variable. This lets you give a short name for variables with long names, so you can be sure the name will show up well in the input or output device.

If you create a display name here and then want to revert the display name back to the variable's real name, click the button to the right of the Display name box.

Range

This option displays the range (minimum and maximum) of simulation results for the selected variable.

Global scale

Select this check box to specify a global scale for the variable. When this check box is selected, the model will use the minimum and maximum values you specify here as the scale for the variable, for all graphs the variable appears in.

Note: You can override the scale for this variable for any specific graph by editing the scale options in that graph's Properties.

Input range

Select this check box to specify a global input range for the variable. The default input range is 0-1.

Formatting

Use these options to specify data formatting for the variable whenever it's used in input or output devices in the model.

• Precision – Select the numerical precision of values for this variable.
  • Auto precision will determine the number of decimals to display based on the value being shown.
  • Free float will give up to 6 digits of precision, but not display trailing 0s.
  • Full precision will give up to 12 digits of precision, but will not display trailing 0s.
  • 0.0001 will display 4 digits after the decimal place, including trailing 0s, 0.001 three digits and so on. 1 will display no decimal, 10 will display no decimal, and always end in 0, 100 in 00.
• Scale by – Select whether you want to scale values for this variable by 000's, millions, billions, trillions, or not at all (none). Values will be displayed according to the scale chosen (k for thousands, M for millions, B for billions, etc.).
• Prefix is arbitrary text that will be placed just before the number when it is displayed. Common prefixes include $ and other currency symbols. If a number is negative, the - sign will be place before the prefix.
• Suffix is arbitrary text that will be place just after the number when it is displayed. Common prefixes include % and some currency symbols.
• Use 000's separator – Select this check box to display the appropriate separator ("," or ".") after each thousand in the variable's value. The separator is based on the region settings for your computer.
• Preview – This option displays a sample of the variable's value's formatting, using the options you selected for "Precision", "Display as", and "Scale by".

Flow Concept (converters only)

Select this check box to make the selected converter act like a flow concept when it's displayed in tables. This check box will only appear if the selected variable is a converter.

By default, converter values are reported as instantaneous values. If you're reporting flows as summed values (by selecting the Summed option for "Report flow values" in the Define Table dialog box), there can be a mismatch between the reporting of a flow value and the reporting of a converter value that depends on that flow. Selecting the Flow concept check box will globally report the converter's value as a flow concept.

For more information and examples, see Reporting values in tables.

See Also