About Data Sources

When you are working with input file parameters, you configure the location where the file exists prior to the iSIGHT component executing by clicking Edit on the iSIGHT Component Editor or the Support Files tab. You can also edit the data sources from the Design Gateway’s Files tab.

The following data sources are available:

  • <None>. The data source is not configured. By default, this is the setting for new input file parameters. Typically, a file that will be mapped from another component in the simulation process flow has no data source. If such a file parameter is not mapped or the component is run by itself, the component receives an empty file.

  • File. The data are stored in a regular file on the file system. In the Name text box, enter the base name of the file, excluding all directory path information. You can click Browse to navigate to the file that you want to use. In the Path text box, enter an expression that defines the directory path of the file.

The meaning of the expression in the Path field is determined by the Options list setting:

Absolute path The Path text box contains the actual name of the directory containing the named file in absolute path form. Isight attempts to access the file under this directory at run time. Typically, this option works only when running locally or when the directory is on a shared file system. By default, this is the setting for inferred input file parameters. This file parameter type is not suitable for distributed or parallel execution.
Runtime directory The Path text box holds the substitution key {rundir}, an expression designating the component’s run-time working directory. You can add subdirectories to this expression. At run time, the expression is replaced with the actual current working directory, and Isight attempts to access the file from the working directory.
Model directory The Path text box holds the substitution key {modeldir}, an expression designating the directory containing the model file that declares this component. You can add subdirectories to this expression. At run time, the expression is replaced with the actual directory that contains the model file (if there is a model file), and Isight attempts to access the file there. This file parameter type is not suitable for distributed or parallel execution.
Shared file system The Path text box holds a substitution key {root root-name}, where root-name is a symbolic root defined in the Preferences options or in a SIMULIA Execution Engine station properties file. You use this option when the file is on a shared file system that is mounted in different places on different computers. You can add subdirectories to this expression. At run time, Isight obtains the definition (if any) of this expression (e.g., from the SIMULIA Execution Engine station environment to which the component was dispatched); the expression is replaced with the defined directory, and Isight attempts to access the file there. For more information, see Setting Files and Directories Preferences in the Isight User’s Guide.

Note: You can click in the Name or Path text box to specify the insertion point for a parameter substitution. Select a parameter from the Parameters list. A properly formatted parameter substitution key {var parameter-name} is inserted into the selected location. At run time, Isight substitutes the pre-execution value of the parameter into the path and file name of the file and tries to access the file by the resulting name.
In Model Store the contents of the file inside the Isight model. Isight transfers the data to where the component executes. This option is the most convenient because it eliminates any concerns about shared file systems or parallel execution. Model files, however, are limited in size. In-model files should not be larger than a few hundred thousand characters (about 2000 lines). The absolute limit is dependent on the amount of available memory but is usually around 5 MB. Click Reload From to select the file to be copied into the model or to re-load a modified file into an existing model.
URL Specify a file residing on a server. You can use all forms of URLs supported by Java. You can specify the amount of time to wait for the server to respond or enter “0” to wait until the underlying protocol times out. A URL-type file parameter with a file: URL is equivalent to a file-type file parameter.