To open or exit a model

Analytica User GuideExamining a ModelTo open or exit a model

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 “.ana”.

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.

Another way to open a model is to:

1. 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.
2. 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.

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.

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

Tip

If you click the Stop button, it stops checking. Diagrams might have missing arrows and cross-hatched nodes indicating unchecked definitions. 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.

If the model contains any variables whose definitions are missing or invalid, they are listed in the 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 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 → 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

• Menus
• Tutorial: Opening the Rent vs. Buy model
• Create a model
• Tutorial: Create a model
• Create and save a model
• Tutorial: Open a model to browse
• Combining models into an integrated model
• Tutorial: Sharing a model with ACP
• Example Models and Libraries
• Tutorial: Quitting Analytica

Examining a ModelTo open or exit a modelDiagram window