If, during a simulation, you want to change some of the input values, you can do it manually, by stopping the simulation, changing the values, and resuming the simulation. However, this process can be automated. NetBuilder can perform a 'programmed' simulation on the basis of the input data provided in an input file. The input file must have specific format. The recommended way of creating a properly formatted input file is to generate an input file template, and change or add values as required.
The input file is generated by selecting the menu option Simulation : Programmed input : Make input template, available only when NetBuilder is in simulation mode. You will be asked how many rounds you want to provide input for. NetBuilder then generates a tab delimited text file, that can be imported into other programs that read text files, such as Notepad, or Excel. The file lists the names of all input symbols, and contain a block of data for each cell, all with rows of input values for each evaluation round. The values in the file are the current values of the input components.
| Components: | TF1 | TF2 | |
| Cell | Round | ||
| A | 0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 6 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 8 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 9 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 10 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 10 | 0. | 0.0 |
| B2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B2 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| B3 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
You may now edit the input template. The format of the rows is:
Cell name < tab > Evaluation round nr < tab > 1st input symbol value < tab > 2nd input symbol value ... etc.
You may add or delete rows, as long as you keep the format of the remaining ones intact. You may also shuffle the order of the rows, and it is not necessary to specify the data for all cells. The data in the example template file above were pruned and edited to give the data in the table below. NetBuilder can only read tab delimited text files, so make sure you save your edited data in a tab delimited text file, in the given format.
| Components: | TF1 | TF2 | |
| Cell | Round | ||
| A | 0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| A | 30 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| B1 | 7 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
To perform a programmed simulation, press the Programmed simulation button on the Simulation toolbar, and enter the name of the file containing the input data when prompted. NetBuilder will tell you when it has successfully read the file. The programmed simulation is started by pressing Go. Before the start, all input symbols in all cells are set to, and will stay 0.0, unless specified differently in the input file.
You can pause (press Stop) and continue (Go) or restart (Reset) the programmed simulation, as long as the Programmed simulation button is in the pressed state. The programmed simulation ends when you press the Programmed simulation button again.