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Current version
of ExtendSim |
ExtendSim 8 was released on July 12, 2010. Upgrade to 8 now.
ExtendSim 8.0.2 was released August 18, 2011. This free update further optimizes the stability and quality of ExtendSim 8.
ExtendSim 7.0.6a was released November 14, 2009. If you you choose to continue using ExtendSim 7 and are
using an earlier release of ExtendSim 7, download
a patch file to update to 7.0.6a.
Note: The only change from 7.0.6 to 7.0.6a
was made to the Rate library. If you had already updated to
ExtendSim 7.0.6 which was released November 2, 2009, you only
need to upgrade to 7.0.6a if you are using the Rate library
(in ExtendSim AT or ExtendSim Suite).
To see the complete history of ExtendSim, go to the Evolution
of ExtendSim.
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Can ExtendSim run on a network? |
Network licenses are available for ExtendSim. An ExtendSim
Network License allows a specified number of simultaneous ExtendSim
users in a network environment. For more details, see License
Types.
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Converting a single
user ExtendSim license to a network license |
Within the first 30 days of purchase, registered users are
entitled to 100% trade-in credit for each single
user license converted to a station on a comparable or higher network
license product.
If it has been more than 30 days since purchase, registered
users with a current license are entitled to 75% trade-in credit
for each single user license converted to a station on a comparable
or higher network license product.
If you are using a version prior to the current version, the
trade-in credit will be reduced by the price of the upgrade.
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Model
sharability across an internet or intranet |
To allow others to access your model or the ExtendSim
functionality across an internet or
intranet, you need an ASP license.
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What is the maintenance and support policy for ExtendSim |
After a 60 day complimentary support period, Technical Support is
available for registered ExtendSim users either under an annual
ExtendSim
Maintenance Plan or on a Per-Incident basis.
Maintenance Plan
Network Licenses -- A Maintenance Plan for support and upgrades is
required. The first year, Maintenance is included; it must then be
renewed annually at 20% of the cost of a then-current license at the time of renewal. The Maintenance Plan covers basic usage questions and troubleshooting as well as upgrades to major releases.
Single User Licenses -- A Maintenance Plan for support and upgrades is
optional, but highly recommended. The Maintenance Plan covers basic usage questions and troubleshooting as well as upgrades to major
releases. Maintenance can only be purchased within 60 days of
purchasing a new license or upgrading.
Single User and Network Licenses -- In addition to support and upgrades, the Maintenance Plan provides discounts on special ExtendSim webinars and trainings as well as first looks at upcoming products and features.
Per-Incident Support (for single user licenses only)
For usage questions and troubleshooting after the first 60 days, support may be purchased on a per-incident basis; each incident is a discussion and resolution of one issue. Per-Incident Support is available for
purchase through the ExtendSim Store.
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Do you ever discount the price of ExtendSim? |
No. We do not offer specials or discounts on ExtendSim (unless you are purchasing a large number of licenses on the same order).
Our simulation software is an excellent value at full price, offering technologies and capabilities not found in software that costs much more. Keeping a simple, straightforward pricing plan saves us time and saves you money.
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Return policy |
Downloaded products
Downloaded software cannot be returned. A license code is
provided, but no physical product is shipped so there is nothing
to be returned. Imagine That Inc. offers a free downloadable, working version of ExtendSim for evaluation. It is assumed that the buyer has reviewed his/her product of choice and is completely satisfied with its quality before effecting actual purchase of said product. If you have not tried the free demonstration version, please do so before purchasing any of our products. With knowledge of the above, no refund/return request should be solicited by the buyer/user on such basis.
Boxed products
Training refund policy
See Training Cancellation Policy below.
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What if the CD is damaged in shipment? |
Imagine That! warrants the CD on which the Software is recorded
to be free from defects in material or workmanship under normal
use for 30 days after the date
of initial delivery. During the 30-day period, you may return the CD to Imagine
That! and it will be replaced, without charge, with other media containing the
Software. After the 30-day period, registered users can request a replacement
CD for $25. Such replacement of the CD is your SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY in the
event of a defect.
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What kind of information will I
find in the ExtendSim manuals? |
ExtendSim User Guide
The ExtendSim User Guide explains and provides examples
of different simulation approaches. This manual has step-by-step
tutorials and models that show you how to build, run,
and analyze ExtendSim models. Other sections in the User
Guide show you how to enhance the look of your models,
add animation and costing, print, import/export data,
use the ExtendSim database and 3D environment, resource management, and so
forth.
Developer Reference
The Developer Reference reveals the ExtendSim integrated
development environment (IDE) so that you can create,
modify, and debug ExtendSim blocks. It is also useful
when working with the equation-based blocks.
ExtendSim 8 Addendum
This supplement to the two printed manuals of the User Guide and Developer Reference reflects the changes made to ExtendSim for release 8. It discusses the new Scenario Manager, Advanced Resource Management, enhancements to Equation and Equation-based blocks, and other pacesetting new features added to ExtendSim 8.
Printed Manuals vs. Electronic Manuals
Full versions of ExtendSim (single user and network) ship with the ExtendSim User Guide and ExtendSim 8 Addendum. The Developer Reference is available for purchase through the ExtendSim Store. Printed documentation is NOT included with the following ExtendSim
products: Academic Network License, LT,
and Demo. These products do,
however, include electronic manuals.
The electronic versions of the User Guide and Developer Reference have been updated for release 8 and include all the information from the ExtendSim 8 Addendum. Electronic downloads of the ExtendSim manuals are available as a free download.
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How are others using ExtendSim? |
Check out our abbreviated list of solutions that
ExtendSim has helped facilitate. Also, there are a number of case
studies, papers, and articles published on the web and
in magazines that discuss how ExtendSim (and Extend, as it
was formerly called) is being used by others. References to
ExtendSim can be found in a number of books as
well.
To learn about what other ExtendSim users
are modeling right now, go to the ExtendSim
Exchange, a virtual meeting room to exchange ideas, discuss
simulation techniques, post issues and solutions, and talk
directly to other simulationists.
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Do you pay your customers to present papers that use
ExtendSim? |
Our customers present papers independently of
Imagine That, Inc. Unlike other simulation software companies,
we do not pay our customers to write a paper. While we encourage
our customers to present papers, we believe that the best interests
of the simulation community are served by remaining neutral
at academic conferences.
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How does ExtendSim compare to other
simulation applications? |
We could set up dozens of matrixes and comparative documents that boast about how awesome ExtendSim is and slant the results in our favor since we would be 'authoring the study'. But these kinds of comparisons from software developers are rarely helpful. We are happy to give you guidelines about how ExtendSim is designed and how it would handle the various challenges you could put it up against. But in the end, you are the best determinent of which tool would best suit your particular needs.
So, ask us questions - any question - and we're happy to answer about
how ExtendSim works. If you want to know how it is as compared
to other packages, we could provide you with our personal opinions,
but it's probably best to ask those that have used multiple
packages in their
modeling careers. Check out what simulationists are saying
the the ExtendSim Exchange:
From the ExtendSim User Forum at www.ExtendSimUsers.com
Extend and Arena
Posted: Jun 29, 2006 by PeterB
I must say that this is really a very unsavoury topic
to have in this forum as it is probably quite clear
that most people who read the forum will be Extend
advocates.
However, in saying this, I don't mind offering my opinion
here (as it is complementary toward Extend).
I have been using Arena continuously for about nine
years now (simulation modelling is what I do) and I have
been using Extend for probably three years intermittently.
The main pros and cons of the two products as I see them
are:
Arena Pros:
Animating moving objects (cars, trucks, trains etc.)
Statistics collection - very strong and very easy
VBA interface
Relatively easy to automate things
Arena Cons:
It's archaic and inflexible if you don't like how it
does something then too bad.
Slow - both in compiling big models and running them
(Extend is MUCH better when it comes to compiling and
I think also much better when it comes to execution speed).
Debugging is a pain
The interface is a pain
The entire architecture that it is built upon means that
it is very likely to become obsolete as template building
is limited to the Arena block you have access to.
Buggy - still!
VALUE FOR MONEY
Extend Pros:
Very flexible architecture enabling you to develop very
comprehensive templates/libraries etc.
Good base language (though some minor annoying things)
Fairly easy to debug your user written blocks - not so
sure about debugging a model using base library blocks.
Extend Cons:
The treatment of globals (in modl)
Statistics collection - mostly when building your own
blocks.
The user interface has some wobbly bits like the text
editor (but nothing to get concerned about)
Animating moving objects like cars, trucks, trains
modelling moving things like cars, trucks, trains (but
this might be due to a lack of experience on my behalf).
At the end of the day, I still use Arena a great deal
however that is mainly due to the fact that I have a
great deal of automation tools and template libraries
that I have built up over the years.
If I was starting all over again then there is no doubt
I would completely by-pass Arena and go for Extend.
Hope that helps.
RE:
Extend vs Arena
Posted: Apr 5, 2010 by PaulN
In reply to: Extend vs Arena — Hi All, ...
posted by mschneider on Mar 31, 2010 6:03 AM
I was hired by my company to develop simulation capabilities
and was tasked with evaluating simulation packages for
our needs. This evaluation was justified by the following:
> Simulations will enable my company to develop
better quotes, more quickly and more accurately addressing
customer needs.
> We will be able to assist our customers in making
better capital expenditures by identifying the best equipment
scenario for their process objectives.
> This capability will also differentiate my company
from competitors and build a tighter relationship with
our customers.
> Simulations will be integrated with our control
and information efforts. With integrated simulation and
information solution demos, customers will be able to
see the kind of process optimization they will get from
our systems. Again this differentiates our company and
illustrates our bias towards innovation. A current pursuit
with a key food processor shows that this is another
area our company can add value and capture sales we might
otherwise not have success.
I evaluated three leading packages for simulation (Arena,
Simio, and ExtendSim). My findings are:
> Arena is a solid product but not as modular and
object oriented as others. Our objective to build modular
simulation objects for our equipment that could be combined
quickly and easily for various customer arrangements
would be more difficult to meet with Arena.
> Simio is object oriented and has a modular library
with integrated 3D graphic support. This is a fairly
new product and I had some technical difficulties getting
it to run on operating systems we would need. Although
Simio’s tech support was very helpful, I don’t
believe we had the bandwidth to work through software
revisions.
> ExtendSim is also object oriented and modular with
an extensive library. The 3D graphic support is not as
integrated but we do not have strong requirements in
this area. The product is used by a number of our important
customers.
As a result, we have selected ExtendSim for our use as
I felt it matched our needs the best.
RE: How to lie with
Statistics 101
Posted: Mar 30, 2008 by PeterB
In reply to: RE: How to lie with Statistics 101 — Ha
ha. That's hilarious!Especially the last line, where
it says "No...
posted by RichardC on Mar 26, 2008 2:51 AM
I've seen various incarnations of the first article -
some with comparisons with sales of simulation software
but always the same argument. I shook my head when I
first read them but really it is a clear indication that
Rockwell now know that they were sold a lame mule called
Arena that is not flexible or scalable enough to advance
with more modern and agile simulation software. They
know that they can't compete on a software quality basis
so they might as well try the quantity option. Arena
is heading out the door and I for one will be bidding
it good riddance.

Posted: Apr 1, 2008 by vicente
In reply to: RE: How to lie with Statistics 101 — I've
seen various incarnations of the first article - some
with...
posted by PeterB on Mar 30, 2008 3:34 PM
I have worked in the Production Management Center (GEPUC)
at Pontificia Universidad Católica, first as PhD
student, then as a associate researcher...At the beggining,
We used several simulation software packages to face
construction operation problems, but any of them was
really flexible to solve construction problems.Then we
decide to use extend (by my own experience) and finally,
it was a very useful tool, flexible and powerfull to
model any production situation. How the people state
above, We must have care to select a simulation package...but,
I love Extend....:)
Regards
Vicente
In addition, our customers present papers comparing various
simulation tools independently of Imagine That, Inc. A few
are posted on the Case Studies &
Papers page.
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Does ExtendSim have a VPAT showing its compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (accessibility of data and information to people with disabilities)? |
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How do I upgrade to ExtendSim 8? |
If you own a current Maintenance Plan, upgrades will automatically be sent to you as they are released. Be sure to keep us updated if there are changes in license administration contact information. If you are not sure if your Maintenance is current, please contact us.
If you are not a Maintenance Plan holder, download an Upgrade
Order Form. If you are using ExtendSim in an educational
environment, download an Education
Upgrade Order Form.
Upgrades are not available for purchase
or download through the ExtendSim Store.
Updates (bug fixes and minor enhancements) are always available as free downloads. ExtendSim 8.0.1 was released November 18, 2010. This free update further optimizes the stability and quality of ExtendSim 8.
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ExtendSim 8 model compatibility
with previous versions |
ExtendSim is upwardly compatible and will read in models built
in ExtendSim 7 and Extend 6. However, ExtendSim
8 is not backwardly compatible. Models and blocks you build
in ExtendSim 8 cannot be read by earlier versions.
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Preserving custom
models and files when upgrading to ExtendSim 8 |
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Before you begin the installation procedure,
backup your old ExtendSim folder and files. |
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Follow the instructions in the Installation
Guide included with the upgrade package. |
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If you have created models, custom libraries,
and so forth:
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Copy your models to the ExtendSim8 folder. |
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Copy your custom libraries to the \Libraries
folder. |
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Copy your Include files to \Extensions\Includes. |
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Copy your DLLs to \Extensions\DLLs. |
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You can now uninstall the old ExtendSim application
and files. |
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If you decide to instead keep the old ExtendSim
application files for a short transitionary time period (no more than 3 months), please note that:
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Once you have saved models and libraries
in ExtendSim 8, they cannot be read by
older versions. |
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We do not provide technical support for
older versions. |
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See the ExtendSim command File > Update
Launch Control (Windows only) to select
which application will launch when a model or library file
is double-clicked. |
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Is ExtendSim 7 still available for purchase? |
It is always highly recommended to use the most current release of any software tool – as is the case with ExtendSim. Current releases take advantage of hardware and software advances and interact more appropriately with other new software packages. Plus, ExtendSim 8 can run models built in ExtendSim 7 and Extend 6.
There are only three reasons you would need to use the
legacy product ExtendSim 7:
| 1 |
If your models use the Industry legacy capability that was present in release 7 and earlier. The Industry libraries (Flow, Items(DB), and SDI Tools), as well as the Industry database, are NOT included in release 8. |
| 2 |
If ExtendSim 8 has not yet been approved for use by your company or organization. |
| 3 |
If your university instructor is still using ExtendSim 7 and has specifically requested you also use that release. |
ExtendSim 7 legacy products are available for purchase and download through the ExtendSim Store. We recommend you purchase a Maintenance
Plan with your license so you
can get ExtendSim 8 sent to you at no charge when you are ready
to upgrade. Otherwise, you will need to pay the full upgrade
price. This offer is valid only while supplies last.
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Sharing models with others |
When sharing your ExtendSim models and/or custom libraries
with fellow employees, customers, or others (“end users”),
the end user will either:
| If the end user has a license
for the full version of ExtendSim: |
 |
In most cases, you can just
provide your models and custom libraries to the end user.
However, if your model uses blocks from the OR or AT
libraries, utilize the ExtendSim 3D environment, or your
custom libraries have been derived from ExtendSim libraries
in the ExtendSim OR, ExtendSim AT, or ExtendSim Suite
products; the end user must also have the comparable
ExtendSim product. If the model you are sharing contains
custom-built blocks, please see Delivering
Custom Files to an End User.
Other things to consider: |
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To prevent blocks being added,
deleted, or moved in your models, give the Model > Lock
Model command and use a password. |
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To protect the source code of your custom
libraries, use the Library > Tools > Protect Library
command. |
| If the end user does not have
the full version of ExtendSim: |
 |
The LT and
Demo versions
are a perfect solution for end users who do not have
the full version of ExtendSim. End users can either purchase
an ExtendSim LT from the ExtendSim Store or download the free ExtendSim
Demo from www.simulationdemo.com.
Whether the end user utilizes the LT or the Demo
depends on the amount of flexibility in model usage is
required.
You then
need to deliver your models and other files (such as
your custom libraries formatted for
RunTime,
DLLs, and Includes) to the end users.
If you purchase
an LT license for the end user, you may also
customize its startup screen with your contact information. |
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LT versus Demo-Player for
sharing models...which is preferred? |
Both the ExtendSim LT and Demo-Player versions are
limited versions of ExtendSim designed for those want to:
 |
Evaluate the ExtendSim line of products |
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Run models built by others |
Both the LT and Demo allow users to:
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Explore the features and capabilities of the four ExtendSim
products (ExtendSim Suite, ExtendSim
AT, ExtendSim OR, and ExtendSim
CP) |
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Use it as a Player to run models of any size and view
simulation results |
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Build small models (up to 75 blocks in the LT; 25
blocks or less in the Demo) |
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Change parameters in any size model |
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Add or remove blocks and change connection lines in existing
small models (models of 75 blocks
or less in the LT; 25 block or less models in the Demo) |
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Create new blocks and save them in libraries |
Determining the best license to use for model viewing depends
on the amount of flexibility you need. Generally, if you just
need to view and run the model, use the Demo-Player. It is
available as a free download, but does not allow you to:
 |
Build models larger than 25 blocks. |
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Save models you build. |
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Save changes to existing models. |
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Print model worksheets. |
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Use scripting or ActiveX automation to run or construct
a model. (If you would like this capability, see the Distributed
Analysis license.) |
If you not only need to view and run models, but also print
and save them, use the LT version
of ExtendSim. In addition to allowing you to print models,
you can also build larger models in the LT (up to 75
blocks rather the the 25 block limit in the Demo) AND
save those models you build. It is available as a $100 download
through the ExtendSim
Store (discounts are available
to students using the LT in a classroom environment). However, there
are still some limitations with the LT:
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The models you build are limited to a maximum of 75 blocks. |
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You may only save changes to models that contain 75 blocks
or less. |
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The model-building capability expires 180 days after
installation. (Note: model-running capability never
expires.) |
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You may not use scripting or ActiveX automation to run
or construct a model. (If you would like this capability,
see the Distributed Analysis license.) |
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There is no upgrade path and technical support is limited
to installation questions. |
Full versions of the ExtendSim
products allow you to build models of any size, save changes
to existing models and save the models themselves, print
model worksheets, and use scripting to automatically construct
a model.
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Delivering custom files to an end
user |
As the developer, it is your responsibility to supply the
end user with the necessary files and sufficient information
to install those files. Use this as a guide to ensure the end
user has all the necessary components to view and run your
model:
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Converting
libraries to RunTime format |
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Customizing
the Startup Screen (LT version only) |
The LT startup screen can be customized with
personalized text. For example, add your company name, URL,
and telephone number so the end user can contact you.
| Customizing the screen |
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To customize the startup
screen of an LT application that is already installed
on a computer, give the command Library > Tools > RunTime
Startup Screen Editor in the LT application. A
window appears asking you to open the “extrsr.rsr” file
that is located in the ExtendSim LT folder. When
you open the extrsr.rsr file, a second window appears for
entering the text. You are limited to 5 lines and a total
of 255 characters. |
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Posting screenshots of ExtendSim
models or blocks on web sites or in printed materials |
If you use screen shots that contain ExtendSim blocks on your
web site or in any printed matter, please post or footnote
this statement:
 |
ExtendSim blocks copyright © 1987-2011
Imagine That Inc. All rights reserved. |
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Use of copyright text
from ExtendSim manuals, web site, or from ExtendSim
Help |
You must get prior written permission
from Imagine That Inc. before using
any documentation from the ExtendSim manuals, blocks, Help,
or the Imagine That Inc. web site in your documentation.
Once permission is granted, please include this statement:
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Portions copyright © 1987-2011 Imagine
That Inc. All rights reserved. |
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Copyright regulations for selling/giving
custom-built ExtendSim blocks to others |
If your blocks use copyrighted information from certain libraries
in the ExtendSim products, your right to sell, give, or otherwise
distribute the blocks you have developed is restricted. In
that case, your blocks may only be sold, given away, or distributed
to a recipient who has the same ExtendSim package that you
used to develop your blocks. For more information, see the
copyright notices at the front of the ExtendSim
User Guide.
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Training Cancellation Policy |
Public Training Course Refund Policy
In order to maximize the effectiveness of our training classes, Imagine That Inc. limits the number of attendees per class. Registrants who have been confirmed for a specific training class may reschedule or cancel their class:
 |
Up to 14 days before the course starts |
Full refund |
 |
One to 13 days before course starts |
$500 cancellation fee |
 |
No show or no advance cancellation |
No refund |
Imagine That Inc. reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any training class upon a fourteen (14) day notice to all confirmed registrants. Registrants may then reschedule into an upcoming training class or cancel the registration without penalty. The client understands and agrees that Imagine That Inc. shall not, in any way, be held responsible for any cost, including airfare, transportation cost, hotel expenses or other cost that the client may suffer in the event that Imagine That Inc. cancels or reschedules a class.
On-Site Training Refund Policy
When an on-site training class has been booked, the dates reserved have been set aside exclusively for you so that time period is unavailable to others who might want training. Travel and other arrangements for the course trainer are also made at the time the training is booked. Thus, our Refund Policy for on-site training different than for the Public Training:
 |
Notify Imagine That Inc. of cancellation at least 21 days before the scheduled start of the course. This ONLY applies if the training was to be held within the contiguous United States. (For training in Alaska, Hawaii, and all countries outside of the USA, the full refund only applies if you cancel at least 30 days before the scheduled start of the course.) |
Full refund (or no charge, as applicable) |
 |
Notify Imagine That Inc. of cancellation between 20 and 2 days before the scheduled start of the course. This ONLY applies if the training was to be held within the contiguous United States. (For training in Alaska, Hawaii, and all countries outside of the USA, the partial refund only applies if you cancel at least 5 days before the scheduled start of the course.)
The partial refund (or partial charge, as applicable) consists of:
 |
No refund on instructor expenses. We will do our best to recover instructor expenses from vendors (airlines, hotel, etc) and will refund or credit you for any expenses we recover. But there is no guarantee that any of the instructor's expenses will be recoverable. |
 |
A $500 cancellation fee if the course was to be held within the contiguous United States; $1,000 cancellation fee otherwise. |
|
Partial refund (or you will incur a partial charge, as applicable) |
 |
Unless you provide at least a 2 day advance notice of cancellation AND the training is within the contiguous United States, there is no refund on quoted charges for the training. (For training in Alaska, Hawaii, and all countries outside of the USA, there is no refund ((or you will be charged, as applicable)) unless you notify us of cancellation at least 5 days in advance of the training.) |
No refund (or a full charge, as applicable) |
 |
 |
 |
Importing and exporting data to and from an MS Access database. |
ExtendSim can import data from and export data to an MS Access database using the Data Import Export block. In order to do this, the MS Access database must be setup as an ODBC data source.
The steps for making an MS Access database an ODBC data source are as follows:
| 1 |
In the Windows Control Panel, go to Administrative Tools. |
| 2 |
In Administrative Tools, open the Data Sources shortcut. |
| 3 |
Under Data Sources, click on the System DSN tab. |
| 4 |
In the System DSN tab, click the Add button. |
| 5 |
In the "Create new data source" window, scroll down and select "Microsoft Access Driver (*.md, *.accdb) and click the Finish button. |
| 6 |
In the ODBC Microsoft Access Setup window that appears, enter a Data Source Name and click on the Select button to navigate to the MS Access database you want to export data to from ExtendSim. Select the database file and Click OK. |
To import data into/export data from an ExtendSim model using the database:
| 1 |
Add a Data Import Export block to your model and open the dialog of the block. |
| 2 |
Configure the dialog of the Data Import Export block to select from an ODBC database. |
| 3 |
Click the "Browse/Open" button to display a list of ODBC data sources created on your computer and select the appropriate data source. |
| 4 |
Select the ExtendSim database table to import into/export from. |
| 5 |
Select the ODBC data source table in the popup menu (this menu provides a list of all tables existing in the selected ODBC data source). |
| 6 |
Select the appropriate fields in the field mapping table. This table maps each field in the selected ExtendSim database table to a field in the selected ODBC data source table. |
TIP: Make sure field names in the ODBC data source table do not contain special characters, spaces or use reserved ODBC words, e.g., "Timestamp", "SELECT", "INSERT", etc.
 |
Animating the simultaneous
movement of items |
Showing simultaneous movement requires the use of a Transport
and/or Convey Item block. To animate the simultaneous movement
of items through a model, follow these steps:
| 1 |
Place a Transport or Convey Item block at the point in
the model where you want a transit time. A transit
time is required to show simultaneous movement, otherwise
the movement would have no duration. |
| 2 |
Open the block's dialog. On the Transport Animation tab
of the Transport and/or Convey Item block, check the "2D
animation shows simultaneous movement" option. Tip:
Use the Find and Replace block from the Utilities library
to change all of the blocks at once. |
| 3 |
Select "in a straight line" or "along
connections"
for the movement. |
| 4 |
Turn off "Add Connection Line Animation" from
the Run menu. |
 |
Turning arrivals on
and off for certain Create blocks in a model |
Connect a Switch block from the Utilities library to the "Q" (Item
Quantity) input connector on the Create block. If the Switch
is On, a quantity of 1 is sent to the Create block and an item
is created. When the Switch is Off, a quantity of 0 is sent
to the Create block and no item is created.
 |
Database usage with the
Optimizer |
Use a Write block (Value Library) as an interface between
the Database and the Optimizer. Follow these steps:
| 1 |
In a Write block, select the Database and table with
the variables for the Optimizer. |
| 2 |
Drag the clone of the preview table from the Write block
to the Optimizer once per variable in the Optimizer. |
| 3 |
Set the row and column in the Optimizer for the table.
Remember that these are 0 based references (the first row
and column are numbered 0). |
When the Optimizer changes the variables, they will automatically
be changed in the Database.
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Event scheduling in ExtendSim as
compared to other simulation tools |
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Does ExtendSim use a push or pull to move the items through
the model? |
ExtendSim uses both a push and pull mechanism to propel the
items through the model. Residence blocks (residence blocks
are any block that can hold an item for a non-zero amount of
time) attempt to pull items in until it is full or until there
are no more items to pull in. Then the residence blocks will
try to push items out until there are no items left or the
downstream path is blocked. In some cases, the residence block
will hold the item for a specific time delay before attempting
to push the item out.
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What happens to an item when it tries to enter a busy
activity and there is no queue (buffer) before the activity? |
The item waits in the last upstream residence block. Residence
blocks are any block that can hold an item for a non-zero amount
of time. Examples include queues, activities, resource blocks,
and some decision blocks. If the last residence block is a
generator type block, the item will be held until a new item
is created or the activity pulls the item. This is the only
time that an item will be destroyed if there is downstream
capacity.
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In a discrete event model, can I control the order that
time ties (two or more events occurring at the same time)
are processed? |
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Control the running of a simulation
from outside ExtendSim via the OLE or DDE Execute functionality |
| 1 |
Are there any caveats to how I
can use the RunSimulation, PauseSim, and ResumeSimulation
functions? |
| |
These functions are not recommended for use via OLE automation
or DDE Execute messages at all. These functions were developed
before the External Scripting functionality was fully developed,
and they do not work as well in this context as the ExecuteMenuCommand
function. This function acts exactly as if you have selected
the specified command from the menu bar and will perform
better with the external control methods. The ExecuteMenuCommand
function takes one argument, the command number. These
numbers are defined in the Programmer Reference. |
| 2 |
Should I do things differently
if I am running a simulation that basically finishes
instantly versus running a simulation that will run for
longer which I want to control interactively? |
| |
There is a difference is in how you should set up
your code in these two cases.
If the simulation is going to complete instantly and/or
you are not interested in sending other commands to ExtendSim
while the simulation is running, you can just send the
executeMenuCommand(6000) to ExtendSim without a worry.
If, however, you are interested in running a longer
simulation, and you want to be able to pause and resume
it or get data while the simulation is running, you should
use the IPCServerAsync(TRUE); function. This function
specifies to ExtendSim that the following Execute control
action should execute asynchronously, not synchronously.
A synchronously executed instruction will execute immediately
and the application that sent the command will wait for
the instruction to complete before it continues its execution.
An async command, on the other hand, will return immediately
allowing the application to continue on with other things
while the simulation runs. The sequence of instructions
you should execute in this case would be as follows:
| 1. |
IPCServerAsync(TRUE); |
| 2. |
ExecuteMenuCommand(6000); |
| 3. |
IPCServerAsync(FALSE); |
These should be sent as three different execute messages.
It is important to send the final IPCServerAsync(FALSE)
and not to send any other Async messages while the simulation
is running, as ExtendSim doesn't allow multiple asynchronous
messages to be processed simultaneously. |
 |
When I change the structure of my
block, what happens to the data in the existing blocks
in my model? |
If you add new dialog items or static variables, they will
need to be initialized. The easiest way to do this is in the
on openModel message handler. This is called whenever a model
is loaded. If you delete or change the dimensions of dialog
items or static variables the data in the existing blocks may
not match up correctly with the data in the existing blocks.
To avoid this, delete the existing blocks and re-add them to
the model. You can also use the "hide"
feature to hide the dialog item. You should do this if your
blocks are being used in models where it would be inconvenient
to replace each instance of the blocks.
 |
 |
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My client network installation gives me an error message when I try to check out a license. What do I do?
added June 13, 2011 |
The error message is probably the result of not having sufficient permissions on your machine to check out the license. The check-out process requires some administrative rights on the client machine and many companies are restricting these rights from users.
Try using the right-click command 'Run as administrator'. If this doesn't work, then you may not have sufficient permissions on the machine to check out a license.
 |
OLE CreateObject not successful when you try to access an Excel spreadsheet from ExtendSim
added June 13, 2011 |
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ExtendSim crashes on launch: Unknown msg Unknown block |
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Technical support
policy |
After a 60 day complimentary support period, Technical Support is
available for registered ExtendSim users either under an annual ExtendSim
Maintenance Plan or on a Per-Incident basis.
Maintenance Plan
Network Licenses -- A Maintenance Plan for support and upgrades is
required. The first year, Maintenance is included; it must then be
renewed annually at 20% of the cost of a then-current license at the time of renewal. The Maintenance Plan covers basic usage questions and troubleshooting as well as upgrades to major releases.
Single User Licenses -- A Maintenance Plan for support and upgrades is
optional, but highly recommended. The Maintenance Plan covers basic usage questions and troubleshooting as well as upgrades to major
releases. Maintenance can only be purchased within 60 days of
purchasing a new license or upgrading.
Single User and Network Licenses -- In addition to support and upgrades, the Maintenance Plan provides discounts on special ExtendSim webinars and trainings as well as first looks at upcoming products and features.
Per-Incident Support (for single user licenses only)
For usage questions and troubleshooting after the first 60 days, support may be purchased on a per-incident basis; each incident is a discussion and resolution of one issue. Per-Incident Support is available for
purchase through the ExtendSim Store.
 |
Running multiple versions
of ExtendSim on one computer. When trying to open
a particular model by double-clicking on it, the wrong
version of ExtendSim opens. |
If you have multiple ExtendSim licenses on your computer
(for example the Demo and full version), it is generally better
to open the ExtendSim license you want to use first, then
open the model. If you double-click on a model to open the
application, it will open the last ExtendSim license installed.
 |
Finding the version number
of the library being used |
 |
 |
Open the ExtendSim library. |
 |
 |
From the hierarchical library name menu, select "Open
Library Window". |
| |
|
Or open the library in the Navigator window |
 |
 |
The library version number is in the upper left corner
of the library window. |
 |
When I try to launch ExtendSim, I receive an error message
relating to QuickTime. What shall I do? |
If you receive an error message regarding QuickTime as you
attempt to launch ExtendSim, there is an older version of QuickTime
installed on your machine. Either
update to the latest
QuickTime release or uninstall QuickTime
to get ExtendSim to launch properly.
 |
Importing objects for use
in the ExtendSim 3D Window |
The ExtendSim 3D environment accepts 3D objects in DTS format.
Several common editors that support exporting a DTS object
(with an added plug-in) are Milkshape, 3ds
Max, and Maya.
If the 3D editor you are using to edit your existing objects
does not have a DTS exporter, you will need to import the objects
into an editor that does. Once you have the objects in a editor
that supports exporting a DTS object, you can modify them for
use in ExtendSim.
For more information, see How do I create
a new object for use in the ExtendSim 3D Window?
 |
Creating new objects for
use in the ExtendSim 3D Window |
The ability to construct 3D objects is not built into ExtendSim. To
build a new object for use with the ExtendSim 3D window:
 |
The ExtendSim 3D environment accepts 3D objects in DTS
format. Use a 3D object editor that supports exporting
objects in the DTS format. Most editors do not have
a native DTS format ability, so this will involve adding
an exporter plug-in to the editor. Several common editors
that support exporting a DTS object (with an added plug-in)
are Milkshape, 3ds
Max, and Maya. |
 |
Create the object in the editor. While designing the
object, keep in mind different types of objects have different
requirements. For example,
an ExtendItem (an item that travels from block to block)
should have a mount point on the top and bottom. To learn
more about requirements for DTS objects, see the ExtendSim
Developer Reference. |
 |
Export the object from the editor to a DTS file. DTS
objects have certain requirements. As an example, all DTS
objects used by the GarageGames Torque
engine require a bounding box.
The exporter plug-in will, in some cases, provide the ability
to add a bouding box automatically. |
 |
Add the exported DTS file and associated texture files
it requires into ExtendSim. Information about adding an
object to the ExtendSim extensions folder is available
in the ExtendSim Developer
Reference. |
This is a simplified description, as each of these steps is
potentially complex, but complete otherwise.
For more tips on creating 3D objects, consider Creating
Game Art for 3D Engines (written by Brad Strong, published by
Charles River Media). It
covers the use of 3DS Max to build objects for the Torque engine
(the engine the ExtendSim 3D window is based on).
Feel free to contact ExtendSim
Technical Support for
questions about this process.
 |
Reference books for creating 3D animation |
There are several books that could be quite useful if you
want to learn more about the Torque Game Engine, how to modify
the ExtendSim 3D (E3D) window, or how to add components or
behavior to the ExtendSim 3D functionality.
The ExtendSim User Guide and
Developer Reference contain a
lot of information about the E3D environment. We suggest you
look there first.
If you are trying to do customization of behaviors or events
in the E3D window that are beyond the scope of the material
in the User Guide and Developer Reference, we suggest:
 |
Creating Game Art for 3D Engines. Brad Strong. Charles
River Media.
This book is a description and a tutorial
for building objects for use with the Torque (E3D)
engine. It uses the 3DS
Max software package as the
design software. |
 |
The Game Programmer's Guide to Torque. Edward
F. Maurina III. GG Press.
A guide to the Torque
Game Engine (TGE). |
 |
3D Game Programming All In One. Kenneth C. Finney. Premier
Press.
Another guide to the Torque
Game Engine (TGE). |
 |
Notes on making a 3D object ready for
export as a DTS object for use with ExtendSim |
These notes are a series of observations
about the process of creating a DTS object for use with ExtendSim.
It is not a tutorial or step by step procedure for doing this.
Note these observations are based on using 3DS Max and may
have some assumptions or information as a result of that.
 |
As much as possible, the object should be moved to be
centered at 0, 0 in the XY coordinate system and should
have its base at 0 on the Z axis. Do not put the object
in one of the corners. |
 |
Object scaling is a big and important question.
By default, the object may need to
be scaled. One
option for scaling the object is to select all parts
of the object and use the scaling tools in the 3D object
application to uniformly scale the object larger or smaller.
This is a convenient solution for the case where the exported
object appears okay, but is either too large or too small
in the ExtendSim environment. |
 |
After moving or scaling your model, you may need to reset
the transforms. This makes sure that each
part of the model is correctly tagged internally with
its
location and scaling information. A slightly complex
method for doing this that works cleanly and has the
added benefit of combining multiple parts of the model
(which is helpful if there is no reason to separate them
in the DTS model), is described below as the Box
Trick. |
 |
The names of nodes or bones need to conform to certain
rules. The
rules require a specific layout of the node hierarchy and
that some node names follow certain naming conventions. GarageGames.com
DTS
Exporter Reference is a document that covers in great
detail how everything works, plus has some extra goodies
to help you solve some of the more complex problems you
may encounter with the engine and DTS export tools. |
 |
Node names need to be unique (which is not a requirement
for all 3D modeling environments, so this may not be the
case in your model). Node names of mesh components
require the detail level number to be the last character
in its name (as described in GarageGames.com
DTS
Exporter Reference) so you
cannot just add 1, 2, 3 etc. to the end of the existing
names to make them unique. |
 |
A DTS object requires a bounding box. This is a
box around the outside of an object that defines the shape
within the engine. The box must be called bounds.
The orientation of the bounding box defines the orientation
of the final object. The box should completely enclose
the shape at all points. Depending on which DTS exporter
you are using, there may be a facility for creating the
box from within the exporter. |
 |
JPG or PNG textures that are associated with the object
will need to be included with the final DTS object. Please
note that if these texture files are not a power of 2 on
each side, (ie. the number of pixels across each of the
sides is not one of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 128, 256, 512, …)
the texture file will need to be modified to meet this
criteria. This modification can be done by clipping
or stretching the file. Which of these methods you
choose to use depends on how the texture is
mapped to the object. (The simplest thing to do is
to try both and see how the object appears in the ExtendSim
3D window.) Note
that the texture does not need to be square, (ie. the
number of pixels in width does not need to match the number
of pixels in height) but each side needs to be a power
of two in dimension. |
 |
Don’t forget to add nodes that are specific to
ExtendSim and/or the Torque
Engine. Specifically
the most common nodes you will want to add are a mountPoint
at the bottom of the object and a mount0 node at the top. |
Note the following text is from the GarageGames.com website:
 |
Resetting Transforms: "The Box Trick"
There
is a foolproof way to reset the transform of a mesh in
3DSMAX. Most of the built in methods for resetting the
transform are not as clean doing "The box trick".
When you have moved, rotated, or scaled your model you
will need to use this trick to cleanse its transform information.
This
method is preferred over the reset x-form function in
MAX. Reset x-form does it's work by sticking a modifier
in the 3DSMAX modifier stack. This adds additional data
that must be interpreted by 3DSMAX in order to output
the correct data, and it is not always correct or accurate.
It works, but it has proved problematic in the past on
certain shapes. |
| |
Procedure 8.14. The "Box Trick" |
| |
 |
Create a simple box shape. |
 |
Align this box with the origin of the bounding box. |
 |
Convert the box to an editable mesh. |
 |
With the box selected, go into the modifier panel
and click the "attach" button. Select the
character mesh to be attached to the box. The character
should now be a part of Box01. (If
you have more then one mesh that you would like to
be a single piece in the final DTS, attach them all,
one by one.) |
 |
To remove the extra box geometry hanging around,
choose "Select by Element". Select the box
shape then delete it. |
 |
Rename your character mesh so that it conforms to
the export parameters (detail number,
etc.) |
|
| |
Your character mesh has a brand new transform, identical
to that of the box when it was attached. |
 |
The ExtendSim 3D environment accepts 3D objects in DTS
format. Use a 3D object editor that supports exporting
objects in the DTS format. Most editors do not have a native
DTS format ability, so this will involve adding an exporter
plug-in to the editor. Several common editors that support
exporting a DTS object (with an added plug-in) are Milkshape, 3ds
Max, and Maya. |
 |
Create the object in the editor. While designing the
object, keep in mind different types of objects have different
requirements. For example, an ExtendItem (an item that
travels from block to block) should have a mount point
on the top and bottom. To learn more about requirements
for DTS objects, see the ExtendSim
Developer Reference. |
 |
Export the object from the editor to a DTS file. DTS
objects have certain requirements. As an example, all DTS
objects used by the GarageGames Torque engine
require a bounding box. The exporter plug-in will, in some
cases, provide the ability to add a bouding box automatically. |
 |
Add the exported DTS file and associated texture files
it requires into ExtendSim. Information about adding an
object to the ExtendSim extensions folder is available
in the ExtendSim Developer
Reference. |
Feel free to contact ExtendSim
Technical Support for
questions about this process.
 |
 |
 |
Does ExtendSim run in the new Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)?
updated July 21, 2011 |
ExtendSim does not run on a Macintosh with Lion installed. Lion does not support PPC based applications (which ExtendSim is), therefore ExtendSim 8.0 or earlier will not run on this version of the OS.
And we won't have a fix unless Apple adds support for previous versions into Lion. In the meantime, Imagine That Inc developers are hard at work on an Mac Intel-based version of ExtendSim, but unfortunately it will not be released until ExtendSim 9 is released. So, if you intend to run ExtendSim on your Mac, please consider delaying upgrading your machine to 10.7.
 |
Running Excel macros from ExtendSim 7
can cause mysterious crash |
We have discovered a potential problem when running Excel
macros from ExtendSim using OLE/COM if the Google Desktop add-in
is installed and active in Excel. During the running of the
macro, the following Microsoft Visual basic error can occur:

Run-time error '-2147417848 (80010108)';
Automation error
The object invoked has disconnected from its clients.

To fix this problem, make the Google Desktop add-in inactive
in Excel. To do this:
 |
Go to Excel Options > Add-Ins > Manage |
 |
Select "COM add-ins" |
 |
Click the "Go" button |
 |
Uncheck the Google Desktop add-in |
We have contacted Google to notify them of this incompatibility.
Feel free to contact ExtendSim
Technical Support for questions about this process.
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