Working with Analysis files

This section deals with files, objects, saving your work and related issues.

Auto-saving your work

LEGION Simulator has an auto-save feature that you can configure to save your work in case of power failures, unintentional exits from the software or system crashes. It can be found under the Tools > Options menu.

This works the same as LEGION Model Builder's auto-save feature, the only difference being that auto-saved backup files in LEGION Simulator have the extension 'ana_as'. Please see the topics starting with Auto-Saving your Work.

Warning: When you exit LEGION Simulator properly (regardless of whether you have saved your work or not) any Auto-saved backup file for that session is deleted and will not be available for recovery. The ’abk’ file will, however, still be available.

Checking for errors

In the same way that you can check for errors within a model in the LEGION Model Builder, you can check your analyses and Analysis Objects within LEGION Simulator by using the QA (Quality Assurance) tool. See Checking for Errors for full details.

Saving a LEGION Simulation Analysis File ('ana')

When you have loaded model and data files, we recommend that you save your work in a LEGION Simulation Analysis File ('ana') which will store Analysis Objects (Graphs, Maps, Analyses, Colour and Value Ranges and so on).

To save a new LEGION Simulation Analysis File:

Select File > Save.

The ‘Save As’ dialog is displayed.
Browse to a suitable location and enter a new name in the File name field.
Click the Save button.

Backups of LEGION Simulation Analysis Files

The first time you save you're a LEGION Simulation Analysis File, LEGION Simulator automatically creates a backup file called <filename>.abk (where <filename> is the name of your model) and saves it in the same directory as your LEGION Simulation Analysis File. This process works in the same way as that described for LEGION Model Builder in Backups of Models.

Every subsequent time you save your LEGION Simulation Analysis File, LEGION Simulator saves the earlier version of it as a backup file, overwriting the previous backup file. This means that when you save your model for the third time, the backup preserves the second saved version; when you save for the fourth time, the backup overwrites the second backup file with the third saved version and so on.

Remember: Each saved ’abk’ overwrites the previous backup file.

This means you can restore previous versions of LEGION Simulation Analysis Files when needed: change the backup file's extension from 'abk' to 'ana' and open within LEGION Simulator in the usual fashion.

In the unlikely event that you want to turn this feature off, you can do so by following this procedure:

To turn off backups:

Select Tools > Options > Application Settings.
Uncheck the box labelled Generate backup when saving.
Click Apply or OK to save your changes.

Opening an existing LEGION Simulation Analysis File

This procedure describes how to open a LEGION Simulation Analysis File that you worked on, saved and closed in an earlier session.

To open an existing LEGION Simulation Analysis File:

Click or select File > Open.
The ‘Open Project Files’ dialog is displayed with the relevant model and associated files already selected.
If you want to change the pre-selected files, uncheck the box labelled Use embedded data and go to step 3.
If you want to keep the pre-selected files, go to step 4.
Click the browse button to the right of the LEGION Model File and Data Source boxes and select the appropriate ‘lgm’ and ‘res’ or ‘ora’ files.
Click OK to confirm.
Your simulation file is displayed within the analysis workspace.

LEGION Simulation Analysis File properties

You can save important information about a LEGION Simulation Analysis File in the 'Properties' dialog box, which is available on the File menu. This feature also provides a historical log of when the model was saved and by whom. You can also set passwords to protect who can access and change the file. The process is the same as for model files in LEGION Model Builder; see LEGION Model File Properties for full details.

Changing project files (model and data)

Whether you are running an on-line or off-line simulation, you can change the associated project files at any point.

Warning: Make sure you save your work before changing project files.

To change project files:

Select File > Project files.
The ‘Project files’ dialog is displayed, with the current project files listed.
Click the browse button to the right of the LEGION Model File or Data Source boxes and select the appropriate ‘lgm’ and ‘res’ or ‘ora’ files.
Click OK to confirm.
LEGION Simulator is updated with the new files.