v1.53 Release Notes
Release Date: 2/24/2018
(includes notes on interim updates 2/28/2018, 3/4/2018)
Improvements
The Presence API treats users in different groups as independent users. In other words, a user being online/offline is tracked at the group level, not sim-wide.
Time-based simulations such as those written in SimLang or Vensim have a more efficient "replay" data storage format available. This permits more efficient replays for simulations with long time series. This format must be specified in the model context file.
Users may set a decision to a boolean value in SimLang. A True or False value is translated to 0 or 1.
Epicenter enforces limits on simultaneous runs for simulations. This will prevent runaway simulations from impacting other simulations running on the same backend servers.
Multiplayer simulations send notifications on the push channel when users are assigned/unassigned a role. This allows multiplayer simulations to notify the user when new users join or leave a world.
An optional parameter "modelVersion" can be specified in the model context file. This allows simulations to track what version of a model has been loaded.
The "saved" field of runs can be set/cleared in bulk based on all run fields. This includess model name and model version. This capability is useful when a model changes and a simulation wishes to hide all runs from the old model.
Runs can be removed from memory either for a specific project or for specific model file name. Again, the capability will be helpful for authors wishing to ensure that all current runs use a new model.
Improvements - Interface Builder
The interface builder has been updated with a significant set of improvements.
The model can be changed in the Model Settings page. Authors will also be prompted to select which model to use when starting a new project if there are multiple models in a directory.
Authors may edit the page "grid". They may add new rows and columns making for more flexible layouts.
Sliders have an option to allow directly editing inputs. This places a textbox beside the slider for direct decision input.
You can create "custom templates" for your pages. "Custom templates" are analogous to "master pages" except changing a template will only affect new pages, leaving any existing pages as-is.
New "Toggle" component for inputs. This functions in a similar manner to a checkbox.
Improvements - Experimental
This release includes a few experimental features, not yet documented. Contact Forio for more information.
Forio Epicenter now supports Vensim "cin" files. The files should be uploaded to the model directory. The Run Service or Run Manager needs to be initialized with a "cinFiles" parameter listing the files in the order they should be applied.
New model upload API allows the user to upload CSV files with data to a running model.
Bug Fixes
The run API was not searching properly for runs when the model file includes spaces, causing the Interface Builder run comparison to fail.
Users should not be able to be added to multiple worlds in the same group.
Sorting a group by expiration date gave an error message.
Other updates for performance and stability, particularly with regard to the Interface Builder, File API, the Push Channel, and the run APIs.