Settings

User preferences vary a lot. As a result it is possible to change the defaults for a variety of Graphical User Interface settings. Here you'll find a brief description of all options.

MLD

• General
  • Show Welcome Screen at startup

    Shows the Welcome Screen at startup. The Welcome screen can also be invoked via Help Menu→Welcome

  • Enable Confirm on Exit

    When enabled you will be asked for confirmation when exiting MLDesigner

  • Start as MDI application

    The graphical user interface is a Multi-Document Interface (MDI) when this option is checked. In non-MDI modus each window is opened as a separate entity and can be handled separately making window management a lot more flexible.

  • Enable File permissions handling

    Specifies whether MLDesigner should deal with file permissions of model directories and files or if it is left to the operating system. In later case GUI elements are disabled and you have to use system commands to deal with file permissions.

  • Reopen models at startup

    All open models will be reopened when MLDesigner is shut down and restarted.

  • Tool tips

    Turns all tooltip texts off when the tick is removed from this checkbox.

  • Tab size

    The tab size for all text editors.

  • Working directory at startup

    The default path of the command console is set with this variable. This setting becomes effective after shutting down and restarting MLDesigner.

  • GUI font at startup

    The font for all graphical user interface elements. You must shut down and restart MLDesigner before the setting takes effect.

  • Number of last opened models

    Specifies the maximum number of models in the list of last opened models.

  • Default PDF viewer

    Specifies the PDF document browser. If left empty the operating system's default PDF viewer will be used.

  • Default HTML browser

    Specifies the HTML browser used to open websites. If left empty the operating system's default HTML browser will be used.

• User Information
  • Name
    The default author notice for user defined model elements. Appears in the tooltip text for primitives, in the online documentation and in primitive source code for primitives, modules and systems.
  • Organization

    The default company information for future use.

  • Copyright

    The default copyright notice for user defined model elements. Appears in the tooltip text for primitives, in the online documentation and in primitive source code for primitives, modules and systems.

• Environment
  • $MLD_USER

    The model base My Libraries points to the physical directory registered in this field. Changes to this setting are only valid for the current modeling session.

  • $MLD_SHARED

    The model base Shared Libraries points to the physical directory registered in this field. Changes to this setting are only valid for the current modeling session.

  • $MLD_TEMP

    Specifies the folder where the temporary files produced by MLDesigner are stored.

• Online Update
  

  • Enable

    Specifies whether a notification appears if an update is available.

  • MLDesigner Update Server URL
    

    Specifies the URL of the MLDesigner Update Server. Is set by default.

  • Check for Updates every x days
    

    Specifies how often MLDesigner will check for updates.

  
  
  

Tree View

• Confirmations

  Every action in the following list can be performed with or without a confirmation screen. By default all options are active. Whenone of these actions are performed a confirmation window is shown. You are asked if you really want to remove, delete, restore, move, or copy the model. The option Do not show this message again does exactly that. One click in the checkbox and the confirmation screen is not displayed again for the action you were performing. It is possible to reactivate this option in the Settings dialog.

  • Remove

    Specifies whether a warning message box is shown before a reference to a model is deleted in the tree view.

  • Delete

    Specifies whether a warning message box is shown before a model or file is deleted from the trashcan.

  • Restore

    Specifies whether a warning message box is shown before a model or file is restored from trashcan.

  • Move

    Specifies whether a warning message box is shown before a selected model or file is moved to the trashcan or to another directory.

  • Copy

    Specifies whether a warning message box is shown before a selected model or file is copied to another directory.

  • Add Server

    Specifies whether a warning message box is shown when a URL is specified for addition to a model server list that does not exist.

• History
  • History shown

    Checkbox option to activate the History mechanism for the Tree View. An option combo box stores information about your modeling sessions. A click on the down arrow expands the History list. A click on an item in the list expands the Tree View and highlights the item.

  • Clear the history on exit

    Specifies whether the history is cleared when MLDesigner is closed.

  • Maximum number of entries

    The number of items shown in the History combo box.

  • Maximum age of entries in days

    Specifies when History items should be removed from the list. forever means the items are never deleted unless the maximum number of items has been reached.

Model Editor

• General
  • Autosave model interval [s]

    Specifies the time interval at which all models are saved automatically. Set the value to 0 to disable the autosave function.

  • Base cursor

    You can select a new graphic for the cursor.

  • Zoom to Fit on open

    The complete model is visible in the model window on opening. With large systems it is sometimes difficult to see the details of the system and some adjustments in the zoom level may be necessary. The default zoom when the checkbox is deselected is set to 100%.

  • Show grid

    Show or hide the grid pattern in the Model Editor Window.

  • Highlight related objects on selection

    When selecting a model element in the Model Editor Window or an item in the tree view, the corresponding element or related item is highlighted.

  • Show all instance port labels

    Turns on/off the display of the port labels for all model instances.

  • Set logical name as label for new instances

    the model instances added to a model will be labeled with the logical name of the model they reference to; if this option is disabled, the label is composed of the physical name, followed by '#' and an instance counter.

  • Show consistency warnings during save

    Specifies whether a message box arises to report model structure errors while saving the model.

  • Show warning when memory is added

    Specifies whether a message box arises when you add a memory to a model of a domain in which memories are not compatible with the model of computation and might lead to problems.

  • Show properties sorted by name

    Specifies whether properties for parameters, memories, events, and resources are shown sorted by their name.

• Colors
  • Background

    The model background color.

  • Replace

    The color of the model instance that is to be replaced. You can drag a replacement model instance into the Model Editor Window and drop it onto an existing model instance thereby replacing it.

  • Inconsistent

    Model instances that are not compatible with the domain of the module or system or have construction errors.

  • Animation

    The color of the model instance or port that is firing during simulation when graphical animation is active.

  • State

    Default color for FSM states.

  • History

    Default color for FSM histories.

  • Default entrance

    Default color for FSM default entrances.

  • Transition

    Default color for FSM transitions.

  • <data type> port

    The last 10 entries are used for changing the default color of the different port types.

• Connections
  • Automatically route relations

    Enables or disables the relation autorouting.

  • Round Corners in Relation

    Turns on and off rounding the corners in relations.

  • Round Corners in Transition

    Turns on and off rounding the corners in FSM transitions.

  • Transition width

    Sets the line width to draw the FSM transitions.

• Defaults
  • Domain

    The default domain for new systems, modules and primitives in the Create New Model dialog.

Primitive Source Editor

• General
  • Standard Editor
    • Internal

      The built-in editor with debugging features.

    • User-defined

      An editor of your choice. @$ may be used as a placeholder for the filename of the primitive

    • $EDITOR

      The environment variable must be set for this option to work otherwise the built-in editor is used. (this option is only available on Linux)

  • Font

    Font type and font size for the built-in editor.

• Colors
  • Enable highlighting

    Colors and highlighting only apply to built-in editor.

FSM Editors

• Action Editor Colors
  • Enable highlighting

    Colors and highlighting apply to FSM Action Editor.

  • Use primitive editor colors

    Define a different set of colors for the FSM Editor or use the same color set for the Primitive Source Editor.

• Action Editor Fonts
  • Font

    Sets type, style, and size of font used in FSM Action Editor.

• Warnings
  • Show unverified warning in Action Editor

    Specifies whether a warning message box should be shown when the content of the Action Editor has not been verified.

  • Show unverified warning in Event Expression Editor

    Specifies whether a warning message box should be shown when the content of the Event Expression Editor has not been verified.

Run Control

• General
  • Preferred external simulation method

    Specifies which external simulation method is preferred:

    • C++ code

      The file type generated when running a simulation extern. The files are written to the target directory.

    • PTcl code

      The file type generated when running a simulation extern. The destination directory must be selected from a file creation dialog.

  • Simulation start output

    The message written to standard output when an iteration of a simulation is started.

  • Simulation stop output

    The message written to standard output when an iteration of a simulation is finished / aborted.

• Warnings

  The following warnings are generated after changes are made to a model while in simulation mode:

  • Show recompile warning

    Specifies whether a warning message box should be shown when the model has to be recompiled before next simulation run due to some changes.

  • Show compile warning

    Specifies whether a warning message box should be shown when the model has to be compiled before continue with an action.

  The following warnings are generated when switching to simulation mode in a system that contains probes or breakpoints:

  • Show reinit breakpoint warning

    If a breakpoint parameter is changed during a simulation, a warning dialog displays when the simulation is continued.

  • Show reinit probe warning

    If a probe parameter is changed during a simulation, a warning dialog displays when the simulation is continued.

• Distributed
  • Start timeout for iterations (sec.)

    The scheduler which distributes the interations of an external simualtion will wait this time in seconds until the simulation is ready to start.

• Debugging
  • Breakpoints active

    If breakpoint exist in a system it is possible to make them active/inactive when switching to simulation mode. The breakpoint can also be activated/deactivated using the Breakpoints on/off icon on the toolbar.

  • Probe Display active

    Probes are created with DISPLAY set to yes.

  • FSM states tab

    Tab widget in Console View to display FSM states is active by default when you switch to the simulation mode.

  • Open models automatically

    Hierarchical models are opened automatically on step actions. This option is only used for graphical simulations.

  • Graphical animation

    Activating this checkbox means that graphical animation will be active for every simulation. You must then deselect the Graphical Animation icon on the toolbar if you do not want graphical animation during a simulation. Simulations are a lot slower with these options and should only be used when needed. With graphical animation active the ports, modules and primitives are highlighted when they fire or accept particles during simulation.

  • Textual animation

    Activating this checkbox means that textual animation will be active for every simulation. You must then deselect the Textual Animation icon on the toolbar if you do not want textual animation during a simulation. Simulations are a lot slower with these options and should only be used when needed. With textual animation active, a log of all firings of ports, modules and primitives are printed to a separate Animation tab in the Console View.

  • Number of textual outputs

    Limits the number of lines of textual output to the Animation tab of the Console View during a simulation. Setting this too high could lead to memory overload and system crash especially with extremely large systems.

  • Used Source Code Debugger

    Provides a list to select the debugger used for starting a simulation process within a debugger for source code debugging. You have to leave simulation mode before the changes to this option become effective.

Console View

• Command Window
  • Font

    Sets type, font, and size of font used in the Command Console.

• Log Window
  • Number of log entries (1 - 1000)

    Limits the number of log entries. Oldest log entries are deleted once the limit is reached. Remember you can save or clear the Log Window via the context menu!

  • Show information

    Reduce the number of warnings or errors displayed in the Log Console by degree of severity. Many includes all trivial warnings that usually do not affect the simulation of the module or system.

  • Show warnings

    Display warnings that often do not affect the functionality of the model or model instance.

  • Show errors

    Display errors that are likely to affect the functionality of a model or model instance.

  • Show log window on error

    Activates the Log Window when an error occurs.

Conversion

• COSSAP Model Converter
  • Error level

    There are a number of warnings and error messages when converting COSSAP user defined project libraries to MLDesigner compatible format. This area is untested but if you are seeing too many error messages that you do not wish to see because they are perhaps unimportant, you can gradually filter them out by selecting the appropriate option from the drop-down menu.

    • All

      Shows all error messages.

    • Important

      Filters out warnings that are not important.

    • Very Important

      Only important messages are displayed.

    • None

      All error messages are filtered out.

• PTcl Converter
  • Default save path

    The default path that appears in the Save As dialog when you convert a MLDesigner system to a PTcl file.