Dymola release notes

News in version 5.2a

• Hydraulics library version 2.2.
• File/Libraries entry for sampled data systems.
• Improved scaling of axes in plot window.
• Improved initialization and extended support for mixed equation systems.
• Improved support for Simulink blocks with many parameters.
• LAPACK library for GCC and Visual C++ (required by packages Matrices and Sampled).
  

News in version 5.2

• New libraries:
  • MultiBody library version 1.0.
  • Vehicle Dynamics library version 0.8 based on MultiBody library.
  • Sampled control blocks.
  • Matrix and vector for solving linear systems and computing eigenvalues.
• Less need for writing Modelica code.
  • Editor for variable declaration.
    • To declare a new variable drag a type from the package browser to the component browser or diagram.
      
    • In the declare variable dialog you can specify name, defaults, variablity (parameter, constant, ...).
      
    • To edit existing declarations use 'Setting/Include non-graphical' in the component browser
      
      and select 'Parameters' for the variable.
    • Propagate in the context menu for parameters in the parameter dialog also gives this declaration dialog.
    • In the annotations you can specify the tab and group of parameters, and also make the input field conditionally enabled depending on other parameters. These are stored as annotations.
    • The corresponding syntax for images are
      annotation (Images(Parameters(tab="Geometry", group="Left MacPherson", source="images/MacPherson_text.png")))
      for the Tab "Geometry" and the Group "Left MacPherson".
      
  • Drag and drop of classes into the component browser allows you to:
    • Change type of declarations (by dropping on top of the component name)
    • Declare new variables (see above)
    • Declare new class parameter
    • Add new base-class
  • Hiearchical browser for inserting local variable names in the context menus of:
    • Text editor: Insert/Reference/Component reference/...
    • Parameter dialog: Component reference/...
• Improved package browser
  • Check of package
  • Edit/Order to change order of classes
  • Constants are shown in the browser (the tool-tip gives the value)
• Improved event handling
  • Full support of smooth
  • Fewer events generated
• More possibilities in Simulink interface (selecting model from Dymola, generating result files, loading parameter defaults from Dymola). See the manual for more details.
• Hyperlinks using Modelica: are supported (used in the new MultiBody library).
• Improved diagnostics.
• The diagram layer representing the model is available in Simulation mode to enable the user to follow a simulation by displaying variables and to control it by setting parameters. The user can descend into any level of the model in order to plot or display variables.

Right click in Dymola's toolbar and select "View" to enable layer buttons. Then push the diagram layer button.



The context menu for a component contains the choice Show Variables, which opens the plot selector for the selected component instance.

When double-clicking on a component or selecting Parameters… in the context menu the parameter dialog is displayed.

• Improved parameter dialog.
  • Changing parameters in the parameters dialog do not always require a new translation (it is still necessary if the modifier is too complex, the parameter had been evaluated during translation, or if parameters of a different model were changed). The model is changed and you will be asked to save it when exiting Dymola.
  • Parameter dialog also for the shown model. This is in the context menu in diagrams if no component is selected:
    
    This also enabled at root-model, provided the model solely extend from other models and contain no declarations of its own. For instance if extending from Modelica.Mechanics.Rotational.Examples.CoupledClutches:
    
    Semantics: Parameter-changes of the root-model are stored as modifiers on the corresponding extends-clause(s). Parameter-changes for non-root models work in the same way if you use 'Show component' and then 'Parameters' (with no selected component) to bring up the parameters for the component or directly use 'Parameters' for the component.
  • To experiment with a model such as CoupledClutches you can follow these steps. The experimental changes are then stored in a model. Note: You can also edit parameters after translation in the plot-selector. Such changes are not stored in the model, but you can store them in a script using 'File/Save Script/Variables'.
    1. Extend from the model CoupledClutches using the context menu on CoupledClutches in the package browser, and give it a name.
    2. In the diagram select a component, several components, or no component and use the right mouse button to bring up the parameter-dialog, and modify parameters.
    3. Simulate. The model is translated if necessary.
    4. Repeat from step 2.
• The plotting facilities have improved in several ways:
  
• All setup for plotting is collected in Plot/Setup.
• It is possible to change the text of signal labels in the legend. If the text is empty, the signal is not shown in the legend.
  
• More flexibility in positioning the legend. For example, the signals can be arranged vertically and the legend can be placed inside the diagram or next to the diagram.

• Markers are by default plotted if the number of signals exceedes the number of colors or linestyles.
  
• Improved parameter-tables for generated HTML:
  • Tables for function inputs and outputs.
  • Type-column in parameter-tables
  • HTML-setup can control if types and default values are included.
• Texture mapping for animation objects. Please contact Dynasim for more information. Example of animation window:
  
  

News in version 5.1b

• Plotting of derivative-variables when using Euler method is no longer influenced by interpolation for finding events. This improvement was only needed for plots and not for the actual solution.
• Easy access to recently viewed models. Click on to select the previous model, and on the arrow next to this to select one of the most recently viewed models.
  
• 'Save as' for result-files allows export of plotted variables from the result-file as:
  • Comma separated values: For use in e.g. Excel
    Note: some versions of Excel uses the Regional Setting of List Separator when reading CSV-files, please set this to ','
  • Matlab-format: easy to use in Matlab and can also be re-opened as a result in Dymola

News in version 5.1a

• Improved diagnostics when Check is done on incomplete models.
• Changing "Protected variables" in Simulation/Setup/Output/Store does not force a recompilation of the model.
  
• Larger models can be simulated in the Simulink environment.
• Dymola 5 has a facility for making an automatic layout for models which do not have graphical information. Please contact Dynasim support for information to enable the conversion utility.
  

News in version 5.1

Libraries

• Modelica Reference documentation. See the package browser.
  
  
  
  
• Beta version of a new MultiBody library. It's available under the File/Library menu. More information can be found here.
• Prerelease version of a new VehicleDynamics library. It's available under the File/Library menu. More information can be found here.

Parameter dialog

• Improved layout of parameter dialog.
• The parameter dialog has been extended with the model's icon.
• Added "Info" button that shows Modelica documentation using external browser.
• Context menu for parameter field also available from a triangular shaped button.
  
  
  
  
• The command "Copy Default" copies the default value to the input field for further editing.
  
• Line editor, Edit Text, available for long parameter expressions and redeclares.
• Command to "Propagate" a parameter in the context menu for parameters, i.e. insert a parameter declaration in the enclosing model and bind the parameter to it.
  
• Graphical illustrations can be included to show meaning of parameters.
  
  
  
  The format is: annotation (Images(Parameters(name="|Geometry|Left MacPherson|", source= "images/MacPherson_text.png")))
  for the Tab "Geometry" and the Group "Left MacPherson".
  

• Pull down menu for choosing constants 

It is possible to annotate parameters or parameter types in order that it's possible to make a selection from a set of values from a pull down menu. For example, setting a parameter true or false can be made by selecting on or off as shown below.



The needed declarations for this appearance is:

    type OnOff = Boolean annotation (choices(choice=false "off", choice=true "on"));
    parameter OnOff animation=false "Enable/disable animation";

The following examples show similar choices from a set of predefined vectors representing different common directional axes or commonly used colors. In the example to the right, a selection has been among a set of strings.

               
The corresponding declarations are:

    type Axis = Real[3] annotation (choices(
      choice={1,0,0} "{1,0,0} - x axis", 
      choice={0,1,0} "{0,1,0} - y axis", 
      choice={0,0,1} "{0,0,1} - z axis", 
      choice={0,0,0} "any axis"));
    parameter Axis n={1,0,0} "Axis of rotation";

    type Color = Real[3] annotation (choices(
      choice={1,0,0} "red", 
      choice={0,1,0} "green", 
      choice={0,0,1} "blue"));
    parameter Color color={1,0,0} "Object color";

    type Shape = String annotation (choices(
      choice="" "none", 
      choice="box" "box", 
      choice="cylinder" "cylinder"));
    parameter Shape shape="" "Animation shape";

It should be noted that, it's possible to enter any value without using the  pull downmenu. This enables the use of expressions, for example.

• Structured editor for parameter fields, command Edit.
• Array and Matrix editors. Context menu available to insert (before selected entry) and delete rows and columns. Insert after the last entry is performed by increasing the size.
  
  
  
  
• Special editor for array of records available if possible as "Edit combined" in context menu.
  
  
  
  
• Matrix editor has extended dialog for plotting one- and two-dimensional table functions.
  
  
  
  Note. At the moment it's not possible to directly adjust the size of the plot. However, it is possible to adjust the size of the matrix editor when the plot is not shown. When the Plot >>> button is pressed the plot size will be squared with the same height as the matrix editor.
  
  
• The context menu for a replaceable component allows editing of the redeclaration modifier.
  
  
  
  
• Class selector for redeclare is available in context menu. All matching classes are listed.
  
  
  

Search

• New search facility that shows all classes and components matching the search pattern.

• Operations on the search result:
• Double click on a matching class opens that class in the associated edit window.
• Classes can be dragged into the graphical editor to insert a component.
• Class and components can be matched against several different parts of  the classes:
• Match search pattern against names of classes.
• Match search pattern against the description string of classes.
• Match search pattern against the full documentation of classes.
• Match search pattern against the names of components. Example:

model M
  CompType *pattern*;
end M;

• Match search pattern against uses of class as the type of components and in extends clauses. Examples:

model M
  extends *pattern*;
  *pattern* comp_name;
  CompType c1(redeclare *pattern* c2);
end M;

• Search options:
• Match the complete contents of topics.  If not checked, the search pattern will match parts of the topics.
• Match upper and lower case exactly. If checked, the search pattern "a" will not match "A".

Package browser

• New annotation from Modelica 2.1 introduced: annotation(DocumentationClass=true). It is used to control the browser for documentation classes such as ModelicaReference. A special icon and the description string are shown in the browser, selecting such a class will always show the documentation layer and dragging of such classes is inhibited.
• New annotation(preferedView="diagram", "text", "icon", "info") to control what layer to show when a class is selected.
  
• Changed handling of clicking in the package browser. There is a switch to control browser behavior: Advanced.SingleClickOpensTree 0=no open on single click, 1=toggle open, 2=only open; default=2.
• Protected classes are by default not included in package browser.
  
• Call Function from context menu of Package browser (pops dialog to fill in parameters)
• "Execute" button shows the log window also in Modeling mode
• "Copy call" button - copies function call including parameter list to clipboard

Component browser

• Class path shown for each component as tool tip.

HTML documentation

• Protected classes are not included if not shown in package browser.
• Empty pictures removed.
• Extended Export / HTML setup:
  
• Automatically generate table of classes with description for every package.
• Switch to insert lines between classes.
• Page break can be inserted before each class.
• Word 2002 template for generation of printed library documentation is available: ../documentation/Documentation template.doc.
• Index entries for class declarations generated according to Word HTML format.

Graphical editor

• Improved rendering of rectangles avoiding pixel error. Large rectangles are drawn with grid alignment of the defining points. Small rectangles are drawn such that the size is "aligned" to the grid in order that a small square is always a square independent of its position.
• New manhattanize algorithm which is enabled by default. To turn off manhattan mode for a single point, press the Shift key.
  
• Drawing tool to insert bitmap stored on external file. There is a new button in the drawing tool bar . Double click on the bitmap image presents a dialog to specify filename of bitmap. Incorrect filename displays a default bitmap (same as toolbar button). Bitmap is scaled preserving aspect ratio, centered in bounding box.
  

Modelica Text, documentation layer and Message windows

• Improved logic for popping up message window.
• Position of syntax errors shown by cursor position.
• Support for directly setting level of expansion from the context menu of the Modelica Text layer:
  
   
  
  
• Possibility to copy text with hidden annotations to clipboard.
• Improved layout (preserving line spacing) in documentation layer.
  
• Possible to get a parameter-window for a function call in the Modelica text. Select a function call up to ending parenthesis (or put the cursor inside name), and select 'Edit function call' in context menu.
• Possible to go to model/function from Modelica text. Select a class name (or put the cursor inside the name). The context menu contains operations on the 'Selected class'
  

Plot and animation windows

• Added export of AVI or Animated GIF from the animation window. 
• Animated GIF requires GIF Construction Set (TM) (www.mindworkshop.com/alchemy/gifcon.html) to produce the GIF file from PNG images.
• dxf-files are found relative to the directory of the current model.
  
• Added possibility to disable variable legend in plot window, see Plot/Options.

Modelica language support

• Support for record constructor.
• Output arguments to functions may be omitted.
• Possibility to specify Evaluate selectively for a parameter.
• annotation(Evaluate=true) forces evaluation if value provided
• annotation(Evaluate=false) overrides the flag Evaluate
• It is possible to prevent storing protected and hidden variables during simulation.
• Check box in the dialog Experiment Setup/Store/Protected 
• flag Advanced.StoreProtectedVariables=false
• specify that a variable should be hidden:
• annotation(Hide=true)
• annotation(Hide=false) overrides the flag Advanced.StoreProtectedVariables
• This can cause some animation objects to disappear, in particular for the PowerTrain library version 1.0. You can either enable storing of all protected variables (in Experiment Setup/Store), or contact Dynasim for a new version of the libray.
• Top level packages may contain an annotation of the form:
  annotation(Settings(NewStateSelection=true, Evaluate=true));
  If a model uses anything from that package Dymola automatically uses NewStateSelection=true and/or Evaluate=true.
• In order to support inner/outer components some new annotations are supported (can also be useful for other cases):

    annotation (
      defaultComponentName="world", 
      defaultAttributes="inner", 
      missingInnerMessage="No \"world\" component is defined. A default world
  component with the default gravity field will be used
  (g=9.81 in negative y-axis). If this is not desired,
  drag MultiBody.World into the top level of your model.", 
  

• Global common sub expression elimination is performed for scalar functions.
• Assertions are evaluated earlier to improve diagnostics.
  

Simulation

• The experiment setup can be stored in the current model using the button "Store in model". This applies to the General and Output tabs. When the model is later selected, these settings appear in the experiment setup dialog and can be changed before simulation.
• Improved behavior and diagnostics for non-linear solver.
• New tab for selecting logging of Debug information in the Simulation/Setup menu. For details, see the tool tips.

• Introduced new state selection algorithm. It chooses states dynamically when necessary. The new method is by default disabled except for the new MultiBody and VehicleDynamics libraries. Flag: Advanced.NewStateSelection.
  
   
  
  
• A set of new inline integration methods have been introduced for real-time simulation. The following selector is available under the real-time tab and as the built-in variable, Integer Advanced.InlineMethod:
    0: Inline integration method not used
    1: Explicit Euler
    2: Implicit Euler
    3: Trapezoidal method
    4: Mixed explicit/implicit Euler
    5: Implicit Runge Kutta
  
  The order of the Implicit Runge Kutta method can be set between 2 and 4:
    Integer Advanced.InlineOrder=2 "Order of Implicit Runge Kutta method (2-4)"
  
  More information about real-time simulation can be found in the report "Dymola Application Note HILS".
• The Dymola Simulink interface now starts Dymola 5.1 if Dymola is not running already.
  

Commands and Scripting

• It is possible to use command line arguments when starting Dymola, for example by making a short cut and associate either a mo- or mos-file. After Dymola has started a mos-file is executed by RunScript() or a mo-file is handled by openModel().
  
  
• The command File / Recent Files shows a submenu for the most recently opened model files or executed scripts during the current Dymola session.    
  
  
  
  
• Possible to include calls to scripts and opening of documents in menu Commands
  
  
  
  A class can specify commands that are added to the Command menu when the model is active. An annotation of the following form is used:
  
  annotation(Commands(file="file.mos" "Script to ...", file="file.ppt" "PowerPoint presentation ..."));
  
  The directory where the model was found is used in front of the file-name. Mos-scripts are run everything else is opened. Note: Running a script does not perform cd to its directory, thus the script cannot run other local scripts, i.e. a full path to such script is needed. 
  
  
• Command File / Save script to save various settings in a script. The command log can be saved. Alternatively switch settings, plot and animation setup, and variables can be saved. Either all variables or only parameters and initial values of states can be saved either as specified initial values or as the final values after simulation.
  
  
  
  It is possible to specify that the generated script shall be callable from the Commands menu associated with the current model.
  
  
• Selecting models in File/Demo does no longer change current directory.
• Import statement can be used on command line.
  

  import Modelica.Math.*
   = true
  sin(1)
   = 0.841470984807897

• Redeclaration of size for variables in work space allowed.
  

  a=1:10
  Declaring variable: Integer a [10];
  a=1:20
  Redeclaring variable: Integer a [20];
  
  

• New built-in functions:
• to write to log window: Utilities.ModelicaMessage("message");

Internationalization

• Support for translation of menus and dialogs into other languages. Support for Unicode (Japanese).
  
  
  

Utilities

• Better tools for loading big result file into MATLAB. See ..\dymola\mfiles\dymtools.

News in version 5.0

News in version 4.x