Timer

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SimQuest 6.4 help

Timer

A simulation deamon is an element that allows you to control other instructional measures by the values of your simulation. For example: With a simulation daemon, you can automatically open an explanation when a particular variable in your simulation reaches a certain value.

Modifying a Timer

To modify a Timer, you have to fill out a number of tab sheets. To access these, you select the Timer in the Application window, click right and choose Edit from the menu that appears. A menu with various tab sheets will pop-up.

General

1.	Select the General tab sheet.

2.	In the Name box, you can specify a name for the timer.

3.	In the Description box, type a optional short description of the element.

4.	Under Language, select the language for this element.

5.	Click Apply.

Control On

In the Control On tab sheet you can make this element perform certain actions with regard to other elements in the application. With a timer, for instanc, you can make an Explanation pop up after the specified time is over. Also, you can, at activation, activate another timer or perhaps an image. There are numerous possibilities on this tab sheet. This chapter will help you smoothly control elements in your simulation.

First, set the Start-up state of the Timer:

1.	Select the Control On tab sheet.

2.	Select the Start-up state using the radio buttons on top of the tab-sheet:

Activated: the Timer will open when the simulation is opened in the learner view.

Enabled: the Timer is visible to the learner in the learner view.

Disabled: the learner can see the explanation, but not (yet) activate it.

Invisible: the learner cannot see nor activate this Timer.

To set the control structure of an Timer, follow these steps:

1.	Decide WHEN you want something to happen. Select one of the elements from the first list.

Activated: the elements below will be activated, enabled, aborted, disabled, or hidden when the Timer is started

Exited: the elements below will be activated, enabled, aborted, disabled, or hidden when the Timer reaches its target state. In other words: when, after activation, the time set in the Specification tab sheet is over.

2.	Select a command for the simulation:

No command to: the simulation stays as it is

Compute: the simulation calculates the output value for the given input. Only when ‘Recompute output variables every time a value changes’ is not selected in Simulation Properties.

Compute and Record: the model runs with the current input values and the results are displayed.

Record Value: only for static models: the most recently computed value is recorded on screen. By default, this happens automatically, but you can change it under Simulation Properties.

Reset: all variables in the simulation will be reset to their initial value.

3.	Decide and select WHAT you want to happen.

Activate: The elements that you dragged into the box below will be started/opened.

Enable: The elements below will be presented in the learner view but not started. The learner has to start them.

Abort: The elements below will be closed.

Disable: The elements below will be presented in the learner view but the learner cannot start them.

Hide: The elements below will not be visible in the learner view.

Please note! The element itself is automatically added to the Exited-Enable page. Therefore, when all attempts have been used up, the Timer will be visible and available.

Control Overview

You can use the Control Overview tab sheet to check the controls you set in the Control On tab sheet. You can quickly see what will happen if the timer is activated and when the specified time is over.

1.	Select the Control Overview tab sheet.

2.	Click Activated, Succeeded, Enabled, Failed, or Exited

3.	Look at the controls you specified in each category.

Specification

A timer can be used to make something happen after a certain time. ‘Something’ may, in this case, for instance be the opening of an explanation element or the aborting of an assignment. You can use a timer in your control structure as follows:

1.	On the Specification tab sheet enter the amount of hours, minutes and seconds.

2.	You can use a timer in many ways. For instance, you can activate an explanation at certain time after a particular assignment was opened. Act as follows:

a.	In the Control On tab sheet of the timer, select: : WHEN THIS ELEMENT IS Exited, THEN No command to the simulation, AND Activate THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS.

b.	Drag the element you want to activate into the white box on the Control On’ tab sheet of the timer.

c.	Now select, right click and Edit an assignment

d.	Select the Control On tab sheet.

e.	Set the menu’s as follows: WHEN THIS ELEMENT IS Activated, THEN No command to the simulation, AND Activate THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS

f.	Drag the timer into the box on the Control On tab sheet.