A portable process-oriented compiler for event driven simulation

Modern Simulation Program Generators (SPGs) must address four key issues: portability, user interface, consistency and extensibility. Portable SPGs allow the user to edit the model outside of the SPG giving the user the flexibility to add features not supported by the SPG. An SPG’s user interface should mimic the user’s perception of the system to be modelled. Often the user visualizes the model as a network diagram. The user interface and the SPG’s consistency determine ease-of-use. SPGs should be developed under a standard environment to provide consistency between programs. They should be modular, to allow the code generator to be modified as new simulation tools are developed. Xsimcode addresses each of these issues. It is a portable SPG, providing flexibility for experienced modelers. It uses a graphical, direct manipulation interface to represent the simulation model. A noun-verb dialogue limits the user’s choices once an object is selected. As an X-Windows program, Xsimcode’s interface is consistent with many other X-Windows programs. Xsimcode’s user interface module and code generation module are separated by a data structure, allowing Xsimcode to be extended to support other simulation languages or ported to other windowing environments.