The SME is designed to runs spatial simulations generated from a set of unit model specifications in the Simulation Module Markup Language (SMML). There are three methods for generating SMML code: 1) write a model in SMML using a text editor 2) use an external modelling package import its (exported) equations into SMML and 3) use a SMML graphical modelling tool (provided in SME java interface). Currently the only supported translator is designed to be used with STELLA models. Refer to Section 3 for naming conventions and hints on how to export a proper STELLA equations file. The following steps are involved in building a model using the SME.
1) Unit Model development (section 3). An ecosystem cell model is developed using a graphical modeling tool (STELLA or another supported modeling package), referred to here as "View" (See the OverView document for clarification). Guidelines for preparing a STELLA model for import to the SME are given in Section 4.1.
2) Project creation (section 5.1). A Project is a directory tree that will contain all of the sources, executables, data, and simulation output associated with a simulation model. Henceforth this directory will be referred to as <ProjectName>.
3) Module construction (section 5.1). The application MCP may be used to import View equation files into the Simulation Module Markup Language (SMML). Each View sector is converted into an SMML Module object. The user can link modules from various sources at this step, and create new SMML modules using a TEXT editor or a graphical SMML development tool.
4) Data assembly. The maps and time series data that will be input to the simulation must be assembled in the proper format. The SME includes tools for importing data in a number of commonly used formats (see section 10).
5) Code generation (section 5.2) and configuration. The application CGP is used to convert the SMML objects into C++ objects which plug into our distributed simulation driver application (Driver). The user then provides configuration information, either by editing a set of configuration files that are generated by the CGP application, or by entering configuration information into the java interface's Configuration panel.
6) Simulation run (sections 5.3). The runs the simulation by executing the Driver application using either the SME java interface (section 12) or the command line interface (section 8).
7) Output analysis (section 6). There are several built-in methods for displaying the non-spatial and spatial model output.