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Text Component

Dragging the text component to the canvas will create a text box where you can add a text label to your sim. Use the text properties to change your text, font style, add actions, replacement values, and create conditional events that are triggered by comparative values (for more information, see 'Text Settings: Conditionals' below). Note that this component is capable of supporting basic HTML code. Also, note that this text component is used to provide information to the user and is not used to get data from the user. To provide an option for users to enter data, use the ‘Text Area’ component found in the 'Text, Images, and Video' components list on the component panel.

Access the text component properties by clicking on the text component after it has been placed on the canvas. The Text Settings tab will appear in the component panel displaying a stack of horizontal tabs that are labeled and categorized as follows:

• Text and Styles – Contains the property options used for creating and modifying your text.
  
• Actions – Contains the property options used to set your text to trigger an action when clicked on by a user.
  
• Replacement Values – Contains the property options used to create a text label that changes. For example, a label with a replacement value can be set to display the current user name. When a new user logs into the sim, the label will automatically display the new user name. Other common uses include current simulation time, or the value of a variable.
  
• Conditionals – Contains the property options used to enable your text to be displayed based on the value of a variable in the model, a value of an interface variable, or the value of a simulation property.
  
• Position, and ToolTip – Contains the property options used to adjust the size and position of the text and provide tooltip information to the user.
  

Scroll down to view descriptions of all the text component property options. Note that the property descriptions below are divided into the same categories found in the Text Settings tab.

Text Settings: Text and Styles

Click the 'Text and Styles' tab in the component panel to access the properties for creating and modifying your text.

• Default Text – Enter the text inside the 'Default Text' entry box to be displayed in the sim.
  

• Font Family – Click the ‘Font Family’ drop-down menu arrow to choose a font style for your text.
  
  
• Font Size – Enter a number in the ‘Font Size’ text entry box to adjust the size of your text.
  
  
• Font Color – Click on the ‘Font Color’ box to choose a color for your font.
  
  
• Scrollable – Check this box to add a scroll bar when your text exceeds the available space of your textbox.
  
  
  

Text Settings: Text and Style Tab

Text Settings: Actions

Click the 'Actions' tab in the component panel to access the properties used to set your text to trigger an action when clicked on by a user.

• None – This option does nothing.
  
  
• Reset Simulation – Resets the simulation without retaining the decision values from the previous run. Once the reset is completed, the user will be directed to the page selected in the ‘Destination Page’ drop-down menu.
  
  
• Goto Page – Skips the sim to another page based on the ‘Destination Page’ drop-down menu.
  
  
• ResetVars – Resets the simulation while retaining the decision values from the previous run. The sim will go to the page chosen from the ‘Destination Page’ drop-down menu.
  
  
• Logout of Simulation – This option will logout the user when the text is clicked on. The sim will go to the option chosen from the ‘Page to go to on Selected Action’ drop-down menu.
  
  
• Destination Page – The sim will go to the page selected after any one of the above actions has been completed
  
  

Text Settings: Actions Tab

Text Settings: Replacement Values

Replacement values are applied to allow text in a label to change based on the replacement value settings. For example, a label with a replacement value can be set to display the current user name. When a new user logs into the sim, the label will automatically display the new user name. Other common uses include current simulation time, or the value of a variable. Click the 'Replacement Values' tab in the component panel to access the properties used to add replacement values. See the FAQs below for instructions on creating a replacement value.

• Type – Click the arrow for the ‘Type’ drop-down menu arrow to choose one of the following options:
  
  
  • Variables – Allows all available variables to be chosen from the ‘Variable’ drop-down menu. To view the variables, click on the ‘Variable’ drop-down menu, and then click ‘Browse’.
    
    
  • Run – Allows the following run properties to be chosen from the ‘Property’ drop-down menu (to view the run properties in the component panel, click the ‘Property’ drop-down menu, and then click ‘Browse’):
    
    
    • Time: Displays the current time of the simulation.
      
      
    • TimeFormatted: Displays the current time of the simulation formatted using the M TimeFormat property in the model.
      
      
    • Step: Displays the current step of the run.
      
      
    • EndStep: Displays the final step of the simulation.
      
      
    • EndTime: Displays the final time of the simulation.
      
      
    • StartTime: Displays the start time of the simulation.
      
      
    • Run Count: Displays the number of the current run. Note that this is only applicable for simulations set up with a limited run capacity. The default run count is set to 0.
      
      
    • Run Limit: Displays the total number of runs for the current user. Note that this is only applicable for simulations setup with a limited run capacity. The default run limit is set to 0 (infinite).
      
      
    • ID: Displays the ID. The ID is a unique identifier for the current run.
      
      
  • User – Allows the following user properties to be chosen from the ‘Property’ drop-down menu (to view the user properties in the component panel, click the ‘Property’ drop-down menu arrow, and then click ‘Browse’):
    
    
    • First Name: Displays the first name of the currently logged in user. Note that if no user is logged in, “Unknown” is displayed.
      
      
    • Last Name: Displays the last name of the current logged in user. Note that if no user is logged in, “Unknown” is displayed.
      
      
    • Full Name: Concatenates the first and last name of the user. Note that if no user is logged in, “Unknown Unknown” is displayed.
      
      
    • Email: Displays the email address of the current user. Note that if no user is logged in, “Unknown” is displayed.
      
      
    • Role: Displays the multiplayer role of the current user. This is only useful for multiplayer simulations. The default value is “No Role”.
      
      
    • Team: Displays the team name that the current user is on. This is only useful for multiplayer simulations. The default value is “No Team”.
      
      
  • Property – This text entry box will appear beneath the ‘Type’ drop-down menu if ‘Run’ or ‘User’ type is selected. Click the arrow for the drop-down menu, and then click ‘Browse’ to choose your property from the list.
    
    
  • Variables – This text entry box will appear beneath the ‘Type’ drop-down menu if ‘Variables’ is selected. Click the arrow for the drop-down menu, and then click ‘Browse’ to choose your variable.

• Add – Use this button to add the type and property to your selected text.
  
  
  
• Remove – Use this button to remove the type and property from your selected text. Note that the replacement value needs to be in the table located above the ‘Remove’ button option.
  
  

FAQs

What does a replacement value do?
How do I set a replacement value?

Tutorials

Creating a 'First Name' and 'Simulation Time' replacement value.

Text Settings: Replacement Values Tab

Text Settings: Conditionals

A conditional is used to enable your text to be displayed based on the value of a variable in the model, a value of an interface variable, or the value of a simulation property. To access the properties for adding a conditional, click the 'Conditionals' tab in the component panel.

• Text to Display – Enter the text in the ‘Text to Display’ text entry box that you would like to display in your sim.
  
  
• When – Click on the ‘When’ drop-down menu arrow, and then click ‘Browse’ to choose a variable, an interface variable, or a simulation property.
  
  
• Is Equal To – Click the ‘Is Equal To’ drop-down menu arrow to create a condition for the text, and then enter a value in the text entry box to compare to the ‘When’ option. The drop-down options include the following:
  
  
  • “is greater than or equal to”
    
    
  • “is equal to”
    
    
  • “is greater than”
    
    
  • “is less than”
    
    
  • “is less than or equal to"
    
    
  • “is not equal to”
    
  
  
• Add Conditional – Click the ‘Add Conditional’ button to add the conditional to the conditional list.
  
  
• Remove Conditional – Click the ‘Remove Conditional’ button to remove a conditional selected in the conditional list.
  
  
• Edit Conditional – Click this button to edit a conditional selected in your conditional list.
  
  

Note that conditionals are executed in the order they appear in the list and execution stops when the first conditional is met.


FAQs
How do I create a text conditional?

Text Settings: Conditionals Tab

Text Settings: Size, Position, and ToolTip

Click the ‘Size, Position, and ToolTip’ tab in the component panel to access the properties used to adjust the size and position of the text and provide tooltip information to the user.

• X – Enter a number in the ‘X’ text entry box to adjust the left and right positioning of the text on the canvas. A higher number moves the text to the right, and a lower number moves the text to the left.
  
  
• Y – Enter a number in the ‘Y’ text entry box to adjust the up and down positioning of the text on the canvas. A larger number will lower the position, and a smaller number moves the text higher.
  
  
• Width – Enter a number in the ‘Width’ text entry box to adjust the text width.
  
  
• Height – Enter a number in the ‘Height’ text entry box to adjust the text height.
  
  
• Tab Index – Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file. The tabIe index property is -1 by default, meaning no tab index is set.
  
  
• Lock – Use the ‘Lock’ checkbox to lock the text ’s position in place on the canvas. A small lock icon will appear near the text. Click on the lock icon or uncheck the lock checkbox to unlock the text.
  
  
• Visible to Facilitator Only – Use the ‘Visible to Facilitator’ checkbox to restrict the text ‘s visibility to only be seen by facilitators.
  
  
• Tooltip – Enter in the details of the text in the ‘ToolTip’ text entry box. The details entered will appear on the screen when a user places their mouse cursor on or across the text.
  
  

Text Settings: Size, Position, and ToolTip Tab

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