How to set queuing mode from simulation page in AnyLogic - queue

I want to set up the queuing mode from simulation page in my AnyLogic model. I have a combo box with two options: FIFO and fewest remaining operations (FRO). The chosen option is saved in the variable strategie from type String.
In the main page I have the parameter Strategie which is linked to the variable. Now I need a function to change the queueing mode. For FIFO I want to take the standard FIFO Queuing Mode and for FRO the agent comparison with the function: agent1.remaining<agent2.remaining (this variable is already defined in the agent).
This is what I already tried.
if (Strategie.equals("FiFo"))
queue.set_queuing(Queue.QUEUING_FIFO);
else {
if (Strategie.equals("FRO"))
????;
else {
error ("Error in Queuing Decision");
}}
but this does not work as the value in the queuing bracktes could not be assigned to a variable. So I’m looking for a correct function.
Thanks in advance!

Related

AnyLogic - inheritance of properties in batch block

I want to store process times in my model for each agent of type Box. For this purpose I have created a Java class ProcessData.
My problem is that I always get NullPointerExceptions. I don't know if it's because of my code or the functionality of the batch block.
When the wait block reaches a certain size, all agents of type Box are routed to the batch block. The batch agent then waits in the seize block for staff member. If the agent is then seized, each agent of type Box contained in the batch agent should then get a start processing time. This is my code at enter of the delay block: box.getProcessData().add(new ProcessData(date(), duration()));. Using a constructor, I add the start time and duration as new variables to a new ProcessData entry.
To determine the end time of each Box agent I have the following code at unbatch block entry: box.getProcessData().getLast().setEnd(date());
Since I have a NullPointerException I can't tell exactly where it came from. My guess is that I have a bug with addressing the code: should I use agent. (from batch) or box. (name of original agent before batch)? Or is it not possible to give the batch agent properties that are inherited by the box agent?
First error is at unbatch, so the second code from above and second error is the following public void onExit( Box batch, Box agent ) { _unbatch_onExit_xjal( this, batch, agent ); }.
Following the screenshot of my error:
The problem you have with this model first,is that you are seizing a resource for the batch without releasing that resource... you need to release before unbatch
your error nevertheless is related to some code that you wrote in the on exit action of the unbatch block that you are unfortunately not telling us
But to discover what is null, check with a traceln() the value of the variables that are present in the on exit section of the unbatch in order to print on the screen what is null

Two conveyors for a station

I have two conveyors running simultaneously, and then there is sorter which sorts the items coming from these two conveyors, one by one, so if the sorter is sorting the item coming from conveyor 1 then both the conveyors should stop and similarly for conveyor 2. So basically, if sorter is sorting any item, coming from conveyor 1 or 2 both the conveyors should stop in that case.enter image description here
So how should I do it?
Use a Custom Station (which I think you are using) and then, say, a Delay block to simulate the sorting. Use on-enter and on-at-exit actions of the Delay block to stop and start the conveyors (using their stop() and run() functions).
Because using a custom station requires you to 'split' the incoming and outcoming conveyors (cf. a normal Station), you will have to remember which conveyor they came in on (by storing that information inside a custom Material Item agent which is flowing through the process) so that you know which outbound conveyor to put them on.
From a visual perspective, you can also make sure the agent leaves the inbound conveyor and is removed from space (Convey block "Leave conveyor on exit" and "are removed from the space" option), but then have them appear in, say, a Rectangular Node defined on top of the custom station when they are in the Delay block ("Agent location" setting).
Below is a little minimal example model.
The agent flowing through the process has a parameter sourceConvey (of type Convey) which stores the Convey block it is arriving to the sorter from. (Could also have stored the conveyor space markup instance instead or, in this case since there are only 2 conveyors, just a boolean saying whether it is from 'conveyor 1' or not.)
The Source blocks set the agent's sourceConvey appropriately and then the outbound Convey block (convey2 in the picture) dynamically assigns the source and target conveyor based on where the thing came from:
agent.sourceConvey == convey ? conveyor2 : conveyor3
(Where conveyor2 is the top outbound conveyor and conveyor3 the bottom one.)
(You could also have used a SelectOutput with two outbound Convey blocks for each possible path.)

B&R get drive serial number via MC_BR_GetHardwareInfo function block

I'm trying to retrieve the serial number from a drive using the MC_BR_GetHardwareInfo function block. Since the documentation lacks any kind of example code on this topic I'm getting nowhere.
Which information should I provide to the function block in order to get the desired serial number?
Below sample will crash in the PLC, probably because the function block requires certain pointers to be addressed:
MC_HARDWARE_INFO_REF hwinfo;
MC_BR_GetHardwareInfo(&hwinfo);
You are probably getting a page fault, because you provide the MC_BR_GetHardwareInfo function block (FUB) a wrong type, which leads to random behavior.
A function block is basically a function which requires a reference to a specific type as parameter. This type contains the actual in- and outputs which are used, internal state variables, etc. We need this, because of the synchronous execution of the code. This means unlike a function, you need to call a FUB until it is done.
Let's take a look to the help of the FUB:
Guid: 056444ea-2a15-4af6-a5ae-0675894b17d3
So the FUB needs a reference to the Axis object of which you want to know the HW info and an Execute command. It will give you some status bits, an error code and the actual data you want to have within the structure HardwareInfo of the type MC_HARDWARE_INFO_REF.
First we need to instantiate the FUB by create a variable of its type. We do this in the local *.var file of the task:
VAR
fbGetHwInfo : MC_BR_GetHardwareInfo := (0);
END_VAR
Then we call set the parameters of the FUB and call it, which might look like this:
void _CYCLIC ProgramCyclic(void)
{
//should be set by the application or in watch/monitor; now it only
//executes once
fbGetHwInfo.Execute = 1;
//reference to your axis object; when using a wizard the first axis
//will be gAxis01 on default
fbGetHwInfo.Axis = (UDINT)&gAxis01;
//call the FUB
MC_BR_GetHardwareInfo(&fbGetHwInfo);
if(fbGetHwInfo.Error == 1)
{
//TODO: errorhandling
}
else if(fbGetHwInfo.Done == 1)
{
//TODO use output
//fbGetHwInfo.HardwareInfo
}
}
typically you would do this in some statemachine. Also you probably have to wait until the network to the drive is initialized. You could check this with the MC_BR_ReadDriveStatus FUB. Just for testing it should be enough to wait for some seconds after reboot and set the Execute flag in monitor mode.

Anylogic: How to conditionally close/open a valve

I am very new at Anylogic. I have a simple model, using the Fluid dynamics library: two tanks and a valve between them. The valve have to open at a rate, say X, only when the amount in the first tank, say tank_1, were twice of the amount of the second tank, say tank_2
Could you please help me with that?
Regards
You probably have more conditions on what to use with the valve depending on different things. But it's a bad idea to make something occur when then tank_1 is exactly 2 times larger than tank_2... Instead, create a boolean variable that tells you if the current situation is that tank_1 is over or below 2*tank_2. Let's call it "belowTank2". I will assume tank_1 is below 2*tank_2 in the beginning of the simulation. so belowTank2 is true.
Then you create an event that runs cyclically every second or even more often if you want and you use the following code:
if(belowTank2){
if(tank_1.amount()>2*tank_2.amount()){
valve.set_openRate(0.1);
belowTank2=false;
}
}else{
if(tank_1.amount()<2*tank_2.amount()){
valve.set_openRate(0.3);
belowTank2=true;
}
}
So this means that whenever tank_1 surpases 2*tank_2, it will trigger the rate change on the valve. And it will trigger again a change when it's below 2*tank_2

How can I save output from Simulink?

I'm a student learning to use MATLAB. For an assignment, I have to create a simple state machine and collect some results. I'm used to using Verilog/Modelsim, and I'd like to collect data only when the state machine's output changes, which is not necessarily every time/sample period.
Right now I have a model that looks like this:
RequestChart ----> ResponseChart ----> Unit Delay Block --> (Back to RequestChart)
| |
------------------------> Mux --> "To Workspace" Sink Block
I've tried setting the sink block to save as "Array" format, but it only saves 51 values. I've tried setting it to "Timeseries", but it saves tons of zero values.
Can someone give me some suggestions? Like I said, MATLAB is new to me, please let me know if I need to clarify my question or provide more information.
Edit: Here's a screen capture of my model:
Generally Simulink will output a sample at every integration step. If you want to only output data when a particular event occurs -- in this case only when some data changes -- then do the following,
run the output of the state machine into a Detect Change block (from the Logic and Bit Operations library)
run that signal into the trigger port of a Triggered Subsystem.
run the output of the state machine into the data port of the Triggered Subsystem.
inside the triggered subsystem, run the data signal into a To Workspace block.
Data will only be saved at time point that the trigger occurs, i.e. when your data changes.
In your Simulink window, make sure the Relative Tolerance is small so that you can generate many more points in between your start and ending time. Click on the Simulation option at the top of the window, then click on Model Configuration Parameters.
From there, change the Relative Tolerance to something small... like 1e-10. After that, try running your simulation again. You should have a lot more points in your output array that you can now save.