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Changing values

Checking a symbol's associated value

There are several ways in which you can check a symbol's value. The quickest way is by hovering the cursor over the symbol: its name and associated value in the Open Cell, will be displayed in the document status bar. To see the value of the same symbol in another cell, you will have to open the other cell first.

When NetBuilder is in the Simulation mode, you can also double click the symbol. This opens the Symbol values dialog box, which contains a list of cell names and a list of symbol names. The name of the symbol you have double clicked is selected in the symbols list, and the Open cell is selected in the cells list. The text box underneath the lists shows the value of the selected symbol in the selected cell. You may change the selection, and find the value of any symbol in any cell. The check box in the top right hand corner indicates whether the symbol you have selected is an input symbol.

Selecting a symbol (by single left clicking it) and pressing the Set button on the Simulation toolbar has the same effect as double clicking the symbol. You can also select a particular cell by the select/Set or double click methods; in that case an (apparently) arbitrary symbol will be selected in the symbols list.

 

 

Changing a symbol's associated value

A symbol's value can be changed to any value equal to or greater than 0.0 by editing it in the Symbol values dialog box. Of course, changing the value of a non-input symbol will usually have no effect, as it will be replaced by the outcome of the evaluation of the symbol on the basis of its input. However, it is possible to 'percolate' a value through circularly connected symbols, if you set the last one in the linearized circle (it is possible to find out where NetBuilder has 'broken' a cycle by checking the menu option Simulation : Cycles : Show cycle breakers - the symbols the are first in the linearized lists will show their input ports in cyan).

It is useful to know that in a Boolean simulation, any value greater than 0 will be interpreted as if it were 1.

 

Shortcuts: Toggle and Reset

You have already used the Toggle command, which toggles a symbol's associated value in the Open Cell between 0 and 1 (or 0.0 and 1.0, to be precise). If a symbol's value is greater than zero, but not equal to 1.0, the first Toggle command will set it to 0.0, and the second to 1.0, irrespective of its initial value.

It is often necessary to repeat a simulation, and to do so, all values need to be reset. The Reset command on the Simulation toolbar brings up the Reset dialog box, in which you are presented with the choice to reset (to zero) certain symbols in the open cell only, or in all cells. Furthermore, you have the option of resetting all symbols, or leaving the input symbols at their current values.

 

 

This dialog can also be used to turn off special symbols called Switches (which will be dealt with later), and you can also use it to reset the evaluation cycle counter.

Both Toggle and Reset are shortcuts, and their actions can be emulated using the Set command.

Now, reset all elements, including the input symbols.

 

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