Simulation language

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A computer simulation language describes the operation of a simulation on a computer. There are two major types of simulation: continuous and discrete-event though more modern languages can handle combinations. Most languages also have a graphical interface and at least simple statistical gathering capability for the analysis of the results. An important part of discrete-event languages is the ability to generate pseudo-random numbers and variates from different probability distributions. Examples are:

  • Discrete-event simulation languages, viewing the model as a sequence of random events each causing a change in state.
    • AutoMod
    • eM-Plant
    • Rockwell Arena
    • GASP
    • GPSS
    • SIMAN, a language with a very good GUI (Arena) currently owned by Rockwell Automation, Inc.
    • SimPy, an open-source package based on Python
    • SIMSCRIPT II.5, a well established commercial compiler
    • Simula
    • Java Modelling Tools, an open-source package with graphical user-interface[1]
    • Poses++, a discret-event simulation system with Petri net based modelling
  • Continuous simulation languages, viewing the model essentially as a set of differential equations.
    • Advanced Continuous Simulation Language (ACSL), which supports textual or graphical model specification
    • Dynamo
    • Simulation Language for Alternative Modeling (SLAM) (There used also be a Simulation Language for Analogue Modelling (SLAM))
    • VisSim, a visually programmed block diagram language
  • Hybrid, and other.
    • EcosimPro Language (EL) - Continuous modelling with discrete events
    • Saber-Simulator - Continuous and discrete event capability. It simulates physical effects in different engineering domains (hydraulic, electronic, mechanical, thermal, etc.)[2]
    • Simulink - Continuous and discrete event capability
    • SPICE - Analog circuit simulation
    • Z simulation language
    • Scilab contains a simulation package called Scicos
    • XMLlab - simulations with XML [3]
    • Flexsim 4.0 powerful interative software for discrete event and continuous flow simulation.

[edit] See also

Software choice for discrete event simulations