Using Automatic Synchronization

• the end result of any step selected on the PPR tree, Gantt chart or PERT chart.
• an animated simulation of the process up to and including the step selected on the PPR tree, Gantt chart, or PERT chart.
• It also describes how to control the behavior of other activities: i.e., whether they apply only during the running of a parent process or whether they apply to process as whole.  This behavior is set, by default, in Tools > Options > DELMIA Infrastructure > Simulation, but the default values can be overridden by the Automatic Synchronization On/Off command.

Automatic Synchronization simulates either a process or the resource world. The behavior of the command depends up on whether you have pre-selected an activity, including Task Specification Activities (TSAs), before launching the command.

If No Activity Is Pre-selected

Automatic Synchronization treats the process as the current context, and allows the user to select activities under the process to update the simulation world at the end of the selected activity.

If an Activity Is Pre-selected

Automatic Synchronization determines the context based on the pre-selected activity. If the activity belongs to the process, then the current context is set as the process, and you can select other activities under the process. If the pre-selected activity belongs to a logical resource behavior, then the context is set to resource.  You can select other TSAs from the ResourceList to update the simulation world at the end of the selected activity.

For a more complete discussion of the resource simulation, see About Resource Simulation.

1. Click Automatic Synchronization .

   The icon turns orange and the Automatic Sync toolbar appears, showing the default values set for Automatic Synchronization in Tools > Options > Infrastructure > DELMIA Infrastructure > Simulation.  In the example above, the options are set as: Smooth Animation = Off Step = On.  When a user selects the Animate check box, the step size can be altered. This option corresponds to the Smooth Animation option available on the Tools > Options > Infrastructure > DELMIA Infrastructure > Simulation tab.

2. (Optional) Alter the default values. Any changes made apply only for as long as you run Automatic Synchronization .

   If you de-select animation on the Automatic Sync pop-up toolbar (that is, select step synchronization), you will see the end results of every activity you select on the PPR tree, the Gantt chart, or the PERT chart. If you select animation, the table below explains the results:

   If you select an activity that ends... Then: Before the last activity you selected (e.g., select the first activity after selecting the third)... The 3D geometry jumps to its position at the ending time of the selected activity, without any animation effects (i.e., the result will be the same as in the step mode). When the previously selected activity did... No movement of the 3D geometry occurs. After the last activity you selected (e.g., select the third activity after selecting the first).. The user sees the simulation performing (with animation) from the current time until the end time of the selected activity.

3. (Optional) Select types of activities that you wish to omit from the viewing using Automatic Synchronization .

   1. Click Automatic Sync Options On/Off .

      The icon turns orange and the Automatic Sync Options dialog box appears.
      	This dialog allows the user to control the automatic synchronization options while Automatic Synchronization runs. The dialog box can remain open while the user is running Automatic Synchronization or it can be turned off if the user does not want to control these options. The modified values are available only for the lifecycle of the current Automatic Synchronization command; these values are not stored in the simulation settings.
      	To change the default settings, see Tools > Options > Infrastructure > DELMIA Infrastructure > Simulation, and refer to the Common Simulation Options setting.
      	The table below describes the effect of setting the options.
      	Option Effect State Management When the State Management option is enabled, the simulation will synchronize to the start condition of any simulated activity before executing the simulation details. If the start condition is not available or if the State Management option is disabled, the simulation engine will only execute the simulation details for the current activity. Apply End Condition The Apply End Condition option is only available when the State Management check box is selected. If the State Management and Apply End Condition check boxes are both selected, the user sees the 3D window getting updated with the end condition, in addition to 3D context, start condition, and real time simulation output for the activity. The order in which these conditions get applied is: 3D context start condition simulation execution end condition. Text Message Activities The effect of the automatic synchronization options is the same as those for the Process Simulation command: the activities of a specified type (Text Message, Viewpoint, Hyperlink, Annotation, or Pause Simulation) are simulated only if the corresponding option is listed as Enabled. Visibility Activities always appear enabled. The possible behaviors of an activity are: Process (default value) or Parent for the Text Message Activities, Annotation Activities, and Visibility Activities. When users select Process, the scope of the activity is the whole process (e.g., a Text Message Activity remains visible from its insertion point to the end of the process, unless another Text Message Activity is inserted to delete the original). When users select Parent, the scope of the activity is limited to the parent activity (e.g., a Text Message Activity remains visible from its insertion point to the end of its parent activity; a second Text Message Activity is not required to delete the original). N/A for the Viewpoint Activities and Pause Simulation Activities. The scope of these activity types cannot be controlled during simulation. Continue (default value) or Pause for the Hyperlink Activities. When Continue is selected, the simulation continues to play after displaying the hyperlink window. When users select Pause, the simulation pauses after displaying the hyperlink window, to allow users to inspect the information displayed. To continue the simulation, users perform an action specific to the simulation playback command they are currently using (e.g., reselecting the activity they want to reach). Viewpoint Activities Hyperlink Activities Annotation Activities Visibility Activities Pause Simulation Activities In addition to the features described above, Pause Simulation Activities has the following behaviors: As with Process Simulation, the Pause Simulation Activities are simulated only if the animation mode is used and the newly selected activity does not need a jump back in time in the simulation environment. If a Pause Simulation Activity is reached when running Automatic Synchronization with animation and with the Pause Simulation Activities enabled, the simulation pauses. The Pause Simulation activity is highlighted. Also, a message window is displayed indicating the simulation time. When users want to resume the simulation, they reselect the activity that they want to reach. This activity is highlighted, so users do not need to remember which was the activity.
      	Besides highlighting the desired activity (which is automatically highlighted in all cases), running Automatic Synchronization with animation highlights the other currently simulated activities.  This provides feedback for the user.

   2. Select the activities you want Automatic Synchronization to enable or deselect the activities you want Automatic Synchronization to disable.

4. Select one or more activities, one after the other, until you have observed as many as you wish.

5. (Optional) Add an activity while in Automatic Synchronization by clicking the command used to create the activity. and following the steps typically associated with that activity's creation.

6. (Optional) To modify an activity while running Automatic Synchronization :

1. Click Modify Activity On/Off on the Automatic Sync pop-up toolbar.

   Modify Activity On/Off appears highlighted in orange on the Automatic Sync toolbar.

2. Select the activity to modify.

   The dialog boxes used to modify the activity appear.
   	If you select the activity with the right mouse button, you do not get a contextual menu that enables you modify the activity.
   	If you select Modify Activity On/Off in error, click the command again; it is deselected.

3. Modify the activity according to the dialog boxes associated with the activity.

   Once you click OK in the only or last dialog box associated with the activity, Modify Activity On/Off is no longer active and the command is no longer highlighted.

7. (Optional) To delete an activity while running Automatic Synchronization:

1. Click Delete Activity On/Off on the Automatic Sync toolbar.

   Delete Activity On/Off appears highlighted in orange on the Automatic Sync toolbar.

2. Select the activity to delete.

   A confirmation box appears, requesting verification that the deletion is desired.

   If you select Delete Activity On/Off in error, click the command again; it is deselected.

3. Click the Yes button.

   The activity is deleted.

   Delete Activity On/Off is no longer active and the command is no longer highlighted..

8. To exit from Auto Synchronization, choose one of the following actions:

   De-select Automatic Synchronization (it turns from orange to its original colors) Click on the X (close) button on the upper right corner of the Automatic Sync pop-up toolbar.