View source for To open or exit a model

[[Category:Analytica User Guide]]
[[Category: Models]]

<breadcrumbs>Analytica User Guide > Examining a Model > {{PAGENAME}}</breadcrumbs>


'''Models''': An Analytica '''''model '''''is a collection of variables, modules, and other objects intended to represent some real-world system you want to understand. Between sessions, a model is stored in an Analytica document file with the file type “<code>.ana</code>”.

'''To open a model''': The simplest way to open an existing model is just to double-click the icon for the model file in the Windows directory.

:[[File:Chapter1 1.png]]

Another way to open a model is to:

# Start up Analytica by double-clicking the icon of the Analytica application, or selecting '''Analytica '''from the Windows '''Start '''menu. Analytica opens a new, untitled model.
# In the top-left of the Analytica application window, press on the '''File '''pull-down menu, and select '''Open Model'''. A directory browser dialog appears to let you to find the model file you want.

However you start a model, Analytica shows this progress bar as it reads in the model file.

:[[File:Chapter1 2.png]]

<tip title="Tip">Click the '''Stop '''button if you change your mind and decide not to open the model. It stops reading, resulting in a partially loaded model.</tip>

Next, it shows a progress bar as it checks the definitions of variables and functions in the model.

:[[File:Chapter1 3.png]]

<tip title="Tip">If you click the '''Stop '''button, it stops checking. Diagrams might have missing arrows and cross-hatched nodes indicating unchecked [[definition]]s. If you later ask to show the result of a variable, it checks any variables needed. Thus, clicking '''Stop '''simply defers some checking, and causes no problems with the model.</tip>

If the model  contains any variables whose definitions are missing or invalid, they are listed in the [[Invalid variables|Invalid Variables window]]. You can still compute results for variables with valid definitions, as long as they don’t depend on variables whose definition is invalid.

'''To close a model''': To close a model, select '''Close Model '''from the '''File '''menu. If you have made any changes to the model, a dialog asks you whether you want to save the changes before closing.

'''To open another model''': Analytica can open only one model at a time. To switch to another model, first close the model, by selecting '''Close Model '''from the '''File '''menu. Then select '''Open Model '''from the '''File '''menu. A dialog prompts you to locate and open another model.

'''Example models''': Several [[Example Models and Libraries|example models]] spanning several categories are installed with Analytica. You can quickly get to these either from the ''Analytica / Example Models ''shortcut on the Windows’ ''Start / Programs ''menu, or from within Analytica from '''File &rarr; Open''' dialog by pressing the '''''Analytica Example Models''''' button at the upper left.

'''To exit Analytica''': To exit (or quit) Analytica, select '''Exit''' from the '''File '''menu. If you have made any changes to the model, it prompts you to save your model first.

==See Also==
* [[Tutorial: Open a model to browse#Opening_the_Rent_vs._Buy_model|Tutorial: Opening the Rent vs. Buy model]]
* [[Create a model]]
* [[Creating Models]]
* [[Create and save a model]]
* [[Tutorial: Open a model to browse]]
* [[Combining models into an integrated model]]
* [[Sharing Models  with Others]]
* [[Example Models and Libraries]]
* [[Tutorial: Open a model to browse#Quitting_Analytica|Tutorial: Quitting Analytica]]


<footer>Examining a Model / {{PAGENAME}} / Diagram window </footer>