Properties

Properties view

The Properties function allows you to attach various types of information to a model or to individual components within that model. This can be, for example, useful information about the model (or component) such as a creation date or a specifications file, or it could be an image, simple text, a number. The various possibilities are described in this section.

Displaying the Properties pane

Displaying properties

Properties displaying

You can display and hide the Properties pane through the Edit > Show / Hide menu:

Figure 73: Displaying the Properties pane

The toolbar

Figure 74: The Properties toolbar

The icons in the Properties toolbar provide the following functions:

Icon	Function
	New property: Click this button to add a new property to the list. This button displays a list of the available properties.
	Add: Click this button to add a property to a group. This button is only enabled when an existing group has been selected from the list of properties.
	Delete: Click this button to delete a property from the list.
	Save as template: Click this button to save the currently selected property as a template. See Creating Property Templates for more information on using templates.
	Manage templates: Click this button to open the available templates. See Managing Property templates for more information on using templates.
	Help: Click this button to open the Properties online help.
	View all/Contextual: Use this menu to toggle the display of properties between a model-wide view and a view of the properties attached to an individual component: Contextual: The Properties list displays only properties attached to a selected component, or, if no component is selected, properties attached to the entire model but not to individual components. View all: The Properties list displays all properties, whether they are connected to a component or to the entire model.
	Filter: Enter some text in the filter field and click this button to filter the list of properties. See Filter for more information on filtering the properties list.

Attaching properties

attaching properties

Properties attaching

Once you open a model, the different options of the Properties pane are enabled.

Figure 75: Attaching a new property

You can attach a property to the entire model, or you can first select an individual component or line and attach a property to that component alone. In the following screenshot, after selecting View all, we see two properties, one attached to an individual component (PS_CarBody), and one attached to the entire model.

Figure 76: Properties attached to a model and a component

You can also add a property to an experiment. If you select an experiment in the Experiment view, and then add a property in the Properties view, the property is attached to the selected experiment:

In the above screenshot, a File property is attached to an experiment named exp_1.

As well as using the toolbar icons, you can add properties through a right-click in the Properties list.

Figure 77: Adding a property

If you click New property, a new property is added to the bottom of the list. If one or more groups are present in the list, you also have the option Add to group:

• If one group is present in the list, the property will be added to that group.

• If two or more groups are present in the list, you can select the group to which you want to add the property.

The various properties are described in Property types.

Removing properties

You can remove individual properties from the list of properties through the delete button .

You can also remove all properties attached to a component through a right-click:

This action removes all properties attached to a component.

Property types

Properties types

Note

Remember that all properties can be attached either to an individual component, or can be attached to the entire model.

You can edit a property’s name and value, and change its type at any time.

You can add the same property multiple times, to the model or to an individual component.

The following property types are available:

• Properties Group

Group: Contains other properties. You can also add subgroups to groups. Figure 78: Property groups

• Properties Number

Number: This property is a simple numerical field. You can enter a figure directly in this field, or use the arrows to increase or decrease the number displayed. Figure 79: Properties - numbers

• Properties simple text

Simple text: This is a text field in which you can enter a string. Figure 80: Properties - simple text

• Properties Rich text

Rich text: When you click in the Value field, a Rich text editor opens. Figure 81: Properties - rich text

• Properties Date

Date: By default, when you attach a Date property it displays the current date. You can edit this date manually, or click the down arrow to open a calendar. Figure 82: Properties - dates

• Properties File

File: You can attach a file to a model or a component. For example, you might want to attach the original specifications to your model. When you click in the Value field, you can either enter a URL if the target file is accessible through, for example, a web site, or open a file browser to locate a file to attach. In the second case, the attached file is stored with the .ame file, and is therefore directly accessible once the model is opened in Simcenter Amesim

Figure 83: Properties - Files

When you click in the File value field, a Set button is enabled. Click on this button to select from:

Link: Enter a hyperlink. When you select this option, a dialog box opens in which you can enter the hyperlink of your choice.

Attach file: Attach a file to the model or selected component. When you select this option, a file browser opens where you can select the file you wish to attach.

If you enter a hyperlink, this link is displayed as the value of the property. Users can click the link to open the corresponding web page:

If you attach a file, it is displayed as the value of the property. Users can click the link to open the file (if they have the necessary application installed): Figure 84: Properties - opening a file

You can right-click the file link and use Save file copy to save the file locally.

• Properties Image

Image: You can attach an image to the model or an individual component. When you click in the Value field, a browse button is enabled. Clicking this button opens a file browser through which you can locate the image you want to attach. Once attached, the image title is displayed as a link in the Value field. Figure 85: Properties - opening an image

Clicking the link opens an image viewer: Figure 86: The Image View

You can right-click the image link and use Save image copy to save the image locally.

• Properties Multiple choice

Multiple choice: You can create a multiple-choice list with this property. When you click in the Value field, you can edit the available values to enter the options you require: Figure 87: Properties - multiple choice

Creating Property Templates

Property templates

Creating Property templates

Property templates creating

You can save groups of properties as templates to attach to other models or components. When you have created a group of properties that would be useful as a template, click the Save as template button . A dialog box opens in which you can enter a name for your template:

Figure 88: Properties - saving templates

Enter a name and click OK, or Cancel to close the dialog box without saving the template.

When you click OK, the template is saved with the .ame file.

Creating Site property templates

Site templates

You can also create Site property templates, which are available to other users in your organization. Site property templates are based on User property templates.

When you create User property templates, they are stored under the name .AMEUserPropertyTemplates.xml in the following location:

• in the user directory under Linux,

• in C:\Users%user%\AppData\Roaming\Simcenter\AMESim under Windows

To create a Site property template, you first create the User property template you require and then replace the $AME/properties/SitePropertyTemplates.xml file with your .AMEUserPropertyTemplates.xml file. Once you have done this, the User properties you created become available as Site property templates.

Note

If the directory $AME/properties does not exist, you must create it. You must have write rights for the $AME directory to be able to do this.

Managing Property templates

Managing templates

Property templates managing

To view, edit or delete templates you have created, click the Manage templates button .The Property templates window opens:

Figure 89: Property templates window

In the Template source list, you can select the templates you want to use:

• Official templates: templates supplied by Simcenter Amesim.

• Site templates: templates supplied by your organization.

• User templates: templates created by you or other users of the model.

In this window, you have access to the basic tools required to manage your templates:

Figure 90: Editing Property templates

• Add a new property

• Add a property to a group

• Delete a property

Using Property templates

Property templates using

Using Property templates

If you have created any templates, they are available through a right-click on a component or on the model:

Figure 91: Selecting a template

Filter

Properties filter

If you have a large number of properties attached to a model, you can use the Filter field to locate individual properties.

Figure 92: Filtering properties

Enter a search string in the Filter field and click the Filter button . The list of properties corresponding to the search string is displayed in the Properties list.

To restore the full list of properties, simply delete any text in the Filter field and click the button again. The full list of properties is displayed.