Glossary

A

active level

The capsule of a model project currently selected in the Capsule Set pane and displayed in the Model Canvas.

AgentVector

An aggregating component that manages its members as agents moving over a cartesian or hexagonal plane.

aggregator

Also aggregating container and aggregating component. Refers to CellMatrices, AgentVectors, SimWorlds, NodeNetworks and NetWorlds. Aggregators hold multiple instances of their elements and create a virtual topology within which the elements operate. Members of aggregating containers must be Capsules.

atomic component

Components such as Stocks, Terms, Flows, Commands, Codechips, etc., that do not have sub-components. They can only be members of Capsules.

C

Capsule

Prototype for a simulation unit. Capsules contain interacting base and aggregating components, and chips, and may contain inputs and outputs.

Capsule Interface

Also referred to as Interface. The set of DataInput and DataOutput components in a Capsule. They corrspond to pins in the enclosing Container.

capsule set:The window of the Application Interface where the capsules of a model are listed.

capture

A button that converts the visual representation of a NumerusMB model into a script.

CellMatrix

An aggregating component that creates a two-dimensional cartesian or hexagonal topology with its members.

cellular automaton

A type of spatially explicit model where space is represented as a two-dimensional finite grid and each cell has a discrete state.

Chip

A Container component which contains a single Capsule for membership in a parent Capsule.

Clock

A special object for maintaining model time and providing strobe signals to the components.

Clocked Chip

A Chip with which a new Clock has been associated. Each strobe on the Chip produces a complete run of the enclosed Capsule instance based on the parameters of the associated Clock.

Codechip

A programmable component with user-specified inputs and outputs.

Command

A NumerusMB component containing executable code that changes the state of the program.

component equation

Also called component expression. One or more lines of code included as a component property that defines the value of that component.

console

The window of the Application Interface where you can enter commands one at a time.

Container

Chip or aggregator component. A Container holds one or more Capsule instances (or submodels). The latter are called elements or members of the Container

converter plug-in

A plug-in used to compute values used in updating the current state.

Coords

Refers to a JavaScript object that contains fields row and col, representing matrix row and column values.

D

delta value

The amount of time between state updates; also called dt.

deterministic model

A model where the outcome is fully predictable from the initial state (i.e., no random effects).

display plug-in

A plug-in used only for visualization.

dynamic systems model

A model of a system that changes over time.

E

Euler Method

A method of numeric integration that estimates P(t) as P(t-t) + P(t-t)t, where t is the change in time. Pronounced "Oiler method".

F

field

A property-name/property-value pair in a JavaScript object. Also refers to a stateful variable in a CodeChip.

G

global segment

Section of the Programming Window containing global definitions.

I

identifier

A text string (beginning with a letter) used as a property or local variable.

integration method

Procedure used to iterate from t to t + dt when considering continuous functions.

Interface

See Capsule Interface.

iteration

Step from time t to t + dt in the simulation.

L

local variable

An identifier used as a variable within a specific Capsule instance.

local variable segment

Section of the Programming Window containing local variables.

M

member

Constituent of a Container.

method

An object field that contains a function.

method segment

Section of the Programming Window containing local methods.

Model Canvas

The window of the Application Interface where the model is graphically designed and built from components.

model time

Local simulation time in units determined by the model.

Monte-Carlo

A model involving an element of chance (i.e., randomness).

N

NetViewer

A plugin used to visualize the nodes in a network; either a NodeNetwork or NetWorld.

NetWorld

An aggregating component that contains an AgentVector and NodeNetwork. The NodeNetwork determines the network topology where the agents exist.

NodeNetwork

An aggregating component that creates a network (i.e. mathematical graph) topology in which its members are nodes.

NumerusScript

A scripting language that was created specifically for designing and running models. NumerusScript is an extension of JavaScript.

P

parent

Another name for the host of an aggregator.

plug-in

A user-defined extension to NumerusMB that adds a new component type.

post-processing (post-process)

Actions required during the post-update phase.

post-update

Actions taken after the current state is changed during an iteration.

pre-update

Actions taken before the current state is changed during an iteration.

primop

Short for primitive operator; a built-in JavaScript or NumerusScript function.

Programming Window

The section of the NumerusMB interface in which the user may add code.

project

All of the capsules, functions, clock settings, etc. associated with a model. When you open NumerusMB, you are working on a project.

property

An identifier whose value is fixed throughout the simulation.

property segment

Section of the Programming Window containing local properties.

R

RunData

A special NumerusScript object that contains all of the output from a Stock during a complete run. Used to accumulate statistics.

Runge-Kutta 2 Method

A method of numeric integration that employs a correction to each Euler method estimate.

Runge-Kutta 4 Method

A method of numeric integration, where each approximation is weighted average of four estimates.

S

schema or scenario

NumerusScript object used for defining a component. Acts like a class declaration for NumerusScript objects.

self

state object binding referencing the component object.

Self

Pointer to the state object of a simulator.

simulation

A sequence of state transitions from a start time to an end time using a fixed time increment dt.

simulator

Capsules, CellMatrices, AgentVectors SimWorlds, NodeNetworks and NetWorlds, all of which have constitutent members.

SimWorld

An aggregating component containing a CellMatrix and AgentVector, in which the CellMatrix serves as the cartesian or hexagonal space in which the AgentVector's agents exist.

start time

Point in model time when the simulation starts (usually 0).

State Object

A special object referenced from Self in a simulator. For Capsules, it contains the current value for each member; for aggregating components it provides methods for obtaining the state object of members.

stateful component

A component that keeps track of its value over time (e.g., Stock).

stateful plug-in

A plug-in with state-values that persist between iterations.

stateless component

A component that is only aware of its current value.

stochastic model

A model that exhibits random effects.

strobe

Action taken by each component at each iteration.

super

component object binding referencing an object's container.

Super

Pointer to the state object of the container of a simulator.

U

underscore.js

A library of very useful functions included in NumerusScript; see http://underscorejs.org.

W

wrap

The practice of treating coordinates outside the dimension of a cartesian space as continuing from the opposite boundary. Topologically, the resulting space becomes a torus.