overview
graphical interface
batch mode
rewriting the model
resources

Graphical Interface

Using the ECCO Modelling Software

Installation

You will need to install (in the following order). Follow the hyperlinks to each for detailed instructions:

Once you have done these, you should be able to start up the GUI application using the 'runEcco' batch or script file, as described under the Installer resources section.

The user interface is modelled after the Windows Explorer, but allows you to interact with any kind of object, rather than just files. When opened from runEcco, there will be two objects visible in the main view, a welcome message and the model, inside a folder called 'top'.

Select the welcome message with the mouse in order to view its properties in the right-hand area, in this case, just a short description.

Selecting the 'Irish ECCO Model' brings up several properties and actions. Press the button labelled 'open' (or double-click on the ecco model icon on the left to achieve the same effect).

Once the ECCO model icon has been opened, we see that it contains two folders, labelled 'changes' and 'save'. Select the 'save' folder. Note that the line of names along the top has now expanded to read 'top > Irish ECCO Model' rather than just 'top'. Each name in this line is a clickable link to that folder.

Each ecco model contains a list of variables that may be saved. By default, when the model is first opened, no variables are flagged as saved, so a simulation run would generate no data (I know, this doesn't make good sense, I will correct it in future releases). Click the 'save all' button to save all variables quickly,...

...or open up the save folder and check or uncheck individual items from the right-hand-side property sheet (the ticks and crosses in the list view won't respond to mouse clicks). When opening up the save folder, it may take a short while before the list is fully populated.

Return to the view of the ECCO Model. Click on the 'run' button. The run button requires information before it can complete its action, so it will open up and prompt you for that information. (You may need to scroll down the right hand side pane a little to see all of the expanded button). The first three fields in the form are already filled in, and can be left as they are. Simply type in a run name for your simulation, and press the run button again. This time it will execute the action.

Once simulation is completed, you may press the 'view results' button. This will bring up a second window, listing all saved results. Double-click on these items to add them to line graphs. You can also create extra line graphs, clear the current graph, etc. by using the buttons along the bottom of the panel.

If you wish to alter policies in the model, and compare simulations, close the graphing window and return to the view of the model. In 'top > Irish ECCO Model' press the 'reset' button, then open up the folder 'top > Irish ECCO Model > changes'. The view lists three types of change:

Single - a single numerical value that can be changed by typing into the right hand pane
Tabular - a tabular dataset, typically a time series. To edit this, press the 'edit' button and modify the values by typing or clicking on the graph and then using the arrow keys on the keyboard.
Scenario - this is a collection of individual changes, and a set of relevant indicators to be saved. Click on the scenario to read a description of what it does, and hit 'apply' to effect those changes. Multiple scenarios can be applied with each other, and with tabular and single changes.

Once the changes are made, save anything you want to be saved (resetting resets all variables to unsaved state) and press 'run', entering a different name for this simulation. Clicking on 'view results' will then list the outcomes of all simulations in the same window.