# Table Pad Surface Operations

Creating/Moving/Resizing/Closing a Table Pad: To create a Table Pad, select the Table Pad icon from the Objects palette. Then, deposit the icon in the desired location (on either the Interface level or the Map/Model level) by clicking once. When you create a Pad, you'll get a blank page such as the one shown in Figure 6-59. Note that Figure 6-59 identifies the salient features of the default Table Pad page.

Figure 6-59 Default Table Pad Page

Helpful Hint: Running your model with an open Table will slow down the execution of a simulation. If you wish to increase the speed at which your simulation results are generated, simply close all Table Pads before choosing Run. Once the simulation is complete, re-open the objects as needed.

Pad Icon Operations: As shown in Figure 6-59, associated with the Table Pad is a Pad icon. The icon exists on the surface of the Interface level or the Map/Model level. When the Pad icon is accessible (either because you have closed the Pad or because you have made the level containing the Pad active), it is amenable to a variety of operations. These are summarized in Figure 6-60.

Figure 6-60 Table Pad Icon Operations

Annotating Table Pad Pages: It's often useful to annotate a Table. The annotation can help you to refresh your memory when you come back to the table. In addition, it can help users of your model to better understand what you were thinking as you created the table. For all tables except comparative tables, you can provide text annotation via the "?" button that appears at the top left of each table pad page. Click the ?, and type in text in the editable documentation cache. When you're done, simply close the cache. Nothing could be easier.

Dynamite Button: As shown in Figure 6-59, each Table Pad page contains a small Dynamite icon in its upper right-hand corner. Clicking this button will clear the data from the current page of the Table Pad.

Print Button: Also located in the upper right-hand corner of the Table is a small Print button. Click this button to print out a copy of the entire Table Pad or specific pages within the Pad.

Operating the Lock: The last icon in the upper right corner of the Table is a small Lock. A click on an open lock will close it. Another click will open the lock. When a Table Pad page is locked, it will not be overwritten as a simulation unfolds. The lock thus provides a convenient mechanism for retaining the results from a particular simulation run.

Changing Column Width: To change the width of the first column (the time column) in a Table Pad page, click-and-hold on the first column divider. Then drag the divider to the desired width. The width of the time column will be changed independently of other columns. To change the width of all other columns in a Table Pad page, drag any column divider (except the first) to the desired width.

Pinning and Unpinning: The push-pin icon on the Table Pad is used to pin the entire pad to the surface of the Interface level or the Map/Model level. Pinned pads will move along with the level to which they are affixed, when you click, drag, scroll, etc., on the level. Unpinned pads will "float," either above or below the level. Click once on the push-pin to pin the pad to the surface. Click again on the push-pin to unpin the pad. Figure 6-61 illustrates a pinned Table Pad.

Figure 6-61 Pinned Table Pad

Notes: When a pad is pinned, its title bar and resizing controls disappear. To move or resize the pad, you must first unpin it. Because a pinned pad is attached to its level, access to building blocks and objects is retained while the pad is extant.

The pin will be grayed out unless the entire area of a pad is within the border of the Interface level or the Map/Model level.

Turning Pages: When a Table Pad contains more than one page, the page-turning apparatus on its lower left corner will become active. At the top of the Table, the Pad will also tell you what page of the Pad you are on. As shown in Figure 6-62, a click on the upper triangle will move you to the next page in the pad. A click on the lower triangle will move you to the previous page.

Figure 6-62 Turning Table Pad Pages, Navigating to Associated Model Variables

Navigating to Associated Model Variable: You can navigate to any of the model variables within your table from directly within the table. To do this, first select a variable within the table by clicking on its name. A navigation arrow will appear at the top of the table next to the Dynamite button as shown in figure 6-62. Click the navigation arrow to navigate to the selected variable on the Map/Model layer.

Accessing Sensitivity Setups: Whenever you have defined a Table Pad page as a comparative table, and have generated output using the software's sensitivity analysis capabilities, a click on the "?" at the top-right of the pad will pop up a journal of the most recent sensitivity setup. Figure 6-63 illustrates this "Journaling" feature.

Notes: To learn more about using sensitivity analysis, see the Run menu documentation in Chapter 3.

Figure 6-63 Comparative Table Journaling

Other Surface Operations: Using the Paintbrush tool, you can change the color of specific variables, backgrounds, and Pad icons. Chapter 5 summarizes the use of the Paintbrush in this context. Using the Dynamite tool, you can clear data, specific variables, and Table Pad pages. Chapter 5 also shows how to use the Dynamite on Table Pad pages.