Properties dialog box

Home > Properties dialog box - Inputs page

Properties dialog box - Inputs page

Right-click on a shape and choose Properties. Or, with the shape selected, on the Edit menu, choose Properties to open the Properties dialog box.

Indicate how transactions entering the activity arrive or are processed. The inputs page controls if transactions are generated or introduced at this activity, if and how they are collected, and if collected what rules govern the collection.

In a Basic diagram, not all of these dialog box elements are available.

Generated Transactions

Element

Description

Introduce Transactions

Choose an option to introduce transactions into an activity

None–No transactions are generated at this activity, but any transactions arriving by input connection lines (paths) will be processed. You may choose to collect transactions (see below).

Using a Start Point–Name a start point on the activity used by a generator or a parent process. You may choose to collect transactions (see below).

Start Point Name: The name that the generator or parent process will use to refer to this activity. Set up generators to generate transactions, and introduce them into this activity by assigning generator(s) to use the start point. This option can also be the start point for transactions entering the activity from a parent process.
Modify generators; allows you to add or change the generators that are targeted to this activity. You may have multiple generators targeted to a single activity.

Generate Here–The simulator generates a transaction when an event occurs. This displays the Create Transactions At Input options: Transactions are generated and enter the process at this shape under the following conditions:

By Expression: Introduce the transaction when an expression condition is met. This is either when the expression is true, or the next time the expression becomes true. For the next time the expression becomes true condition, the expression must go from false to true to trigger a transaction being generated.
By Time: Introduce the transaction at the time an event occurs; such as every morning or at a specified period of time
By Message and By Signal: Introduce the transaction when a message or signal is received
Multiple: Introduce the transaction when multiple combinations of the preceding conditions occur. Click the Edit button to specify the multiple conditions.

Note: The Set Argument Values option is displayed if this process is a Callable Process. If desired, enable the option and click the Values button to set values for arguments.

Collection Types and Other Information

Input collection types determine whether the activity begins processing transactions or waits for an input collection to be satisfied. For example, you may want to batch process several transactions, or only allow transactions to proceed when some condition occurs.

Element	Description
Collection Types	Join- Collects multiple transactions into one transaction. The individual transactions are destroyed. Batch- Collects transactions into a single transaction. The single transaction enters an activity when a batch condition is met. The individual transactions can later be unbatched. Group- Collects transactions into a named group of transactions. Transactions are allowed to enter an activity individually, but are tagged with a group name. Gate- Delays processing of a transaction until a gating condition is met. When the condition is met, the gate is open and single transactions are allowed to enter the activity until the condition is no longer met or all transactions have entered. For more information about collection type options, see Collection Options below.
Family options	All–Collects incoming transactions, regardless of family. Same Family–Input applies to the transactions in the same family. Once per Family–Limits the number of transactions collected to the number of transactions specified and only once per family. Any family member that arrives after the collection has been satisfied for that family is discarded.
Collect Transactions At Input	Collects transactions at inputs to the activity. One transaction each time–When the event happens, it should only let the first transaction in the queue through the gate, not all transactions waiting. Available only for Gate type inputs and for By Message and By Time for Period and Event type collection.
Maximum Wait	The activity begins processing collected transactions when the wait time expires and when Minimum Count is reached. Otherwise, the activity continues to collect input by count until the minimum count is collected. Maximum Wait Time —The maximum amount of time to wait while collecting transactions. Minimum Count—The least amount of transactions to be collected.
Queuing Rules	Sets the order in which transactions wait for an input that is not a resource. Resource inputs queued in the Properties dialog box - Resources page. First in, first out–First queued transactions are sent through first. Last in, first out–Last queued transactions are sent through first. Minimum of attribute–Transactions that have the lowest value for the specified attribute are sent through first. The attribute can be of any type. Maximum of attribute–Transactions that have the highest value for the specified attribute are sent through first. The attribute can be of any type. System transaction attributes Priority and Preempt can affect the order of transactions in the queue, regardless of queue method.
Wait Time	Indicate how time spent waiting in the queue is tracked; either as Blocked time or Inactive time.

Collection Options

Element	Description
By Count	Transactions are joined, batched, grouped, or queued (gated) until a specific number of transactions are collected; then all collected transactions can proceed. Enter a number or click the button to create an expression. Click the Maximum Wait check box to specify a maximum wait time and minimum count of transactions for the collection.
By Expression	Transactions are joined, batched, grouped, or gated until the condition of the specified expression is met (true), or until the next time the expression becomes true (it must go from false to true). When the expression becomes true, behavior depends on if you are gating or using another collection type. If you are gating, a single transaction at a time is allowed to proceed until the expression is no longer true. If you are using attributes in the expression, and only transaction attributes are used, then every transaction is queued by family and every transaction in the queue will evaluate the expression. Otherwise, only the current head of the queue will be evaluated. If you are using Join, Batch, or Group, all transactions will evaluate the expression. You may set family options to control if transactions are queued by family.
By Time	Transactions are joined, batched, grouped, or queued until a specific time. Event–Choose from the list of events, such as a Weekly event processes all transactions every Monday morning of every week. Periodic–Specify the time interval that starts at the beginning of the simulation. Postponed–For Gate by Time collections only. Specify the time interval for which all waiting transactions are delayed entry into the activity.
By Message	Transactions are joined, batched, grouped, or queued until a specific message is received by the activity. The message must be correlated to the transaction(s) waiting for the message.
By Signal	Transactions are joined, batched, grouped, or queued until a specific signal is received by the activity. The signal must be correlated to the transaction(s) waiting for the signal.
By Attr Member	Joins, batches, or groups transactions when at least one member of each defined attribute value is collected. For gated collections, transactions are queued until at least one member of each defined attribute value is collected. The transaction attribute must have a type other than Value because the type must have a finite list of members. If one member does not show up, the activity continues to wait.
Entire Family	Transactions are joined, batched, grouped, or queued until all members of the same family are collected.
Entire Group	Transactions are joined until all group members are collected. Choose the group name from the scrolling list. For Batch, Group, or Gate collections, specify if all transactions that are group members are batched, grouped, or queued.
Input Paths	Join one transaction from each input path (the incoming connector line) into the activity. Use this option if the activity has individual connector lines for each of the necessary inputs. (Use other joining, batching, grouping, or gating options if the number of connector lines does not match the number of required joining transactions.)
Multiple	Multiple combinations of the above options. You may specify any or all condition(s) must be met. Click the Edit button to setup multiple conditions.