tab at the bottom of the panels. For information about using panels, see Working with panels.Use the Graphical Function panel to define a converter or flow as a graphical function.
To view the Graphical Function panel, click the tab at the bottom of the panels. For information about using panels, see Working with panels.
Note: To view the Graphical Function panel, you must be viewing the model on the Model layer and you must select a converter or flow.
Select this check box to transform the selected converter or flow into a graphical function.
To delete the graphical function relationship from the entity, clear the Graphical check box.
Use the options on the Graph tab to define the graphical function by drawing a graph of the function.
Grid
Displays the curve for the graphical function.
- To draw the curve manually, click and drag in the grid to sketch the curve. As you draw, a circle on the curve indicates your current location on the curve. As you draw, the associated Y-axis coordinates of the curve appear in the output of the table on the Points tab.
- To edit the curve, click and drag the section of the curve that you want to move.
Tip: You can also edit the input and output values and change the curve by typing new values in the table on the Points tab.
Y-axis minimum and maximum
Specify the Y-axis minimum and maximum values in the two boxes to the left of the graphical function grid.
The values in these boxes set the maximum and minimum value for display of the output entity.
The number in the bottom box (the minimum value) must be less than the number in the top box (the maximum value).
Entity name
The name of the entity for which you are defining the graphical function appears to the left of the graphical function grid.
X-axis minimum and maximum
Specify the X-axis minimum and maximum values in the two boxes beneath the graphical function grid. The number in the box furthest to the left (the minimum value) must be less than the number in the top further to the right (the maximum value).
The values in these boxes set the input range for the graphical function.
The minimum value you enter here becomes the first entry in the left column of the table on the right side of the dialog box.
The maximum value you enter here becomes the last entry in the left column of the table on the Points tab.
Use the table on the Points tab to define the graphical function by specifying point values for the function.
Tip: You can also edit the output values by dragging the curve in the grid on the Graph tab.
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– Click the lock above the input values column to unlock/lock the column. To edit the values in the input values column, you must first unlock the values by clicking .<entityname> input values column – This column displays and allows you to edit the input (X-axis) values for the graphical function. The default input entity is TIME, but you can specify another entity in the equation for the graphical function entity (on the entity's Equation panel). The initial values displayed in this column are determined by the values entered in the X-axis minimum and maximum boxes on the Graph tab.
To edit the values in this column, first unlock the column by clicking (above the column), then type the new values in the column (or paste the new values). When you edit input values, the curves displayed on the Points tab and the Graph tab change to reflect the new values.
Note: Enter X-axis values must be in order of value, from low to high.
Tip: You can import or export graphical function input values by creating data links to your model from an Excel or .CSV file; these links allow you to import data from a spreadsheet and to be export data to the same or different spreadsheet. For more information, see Overview: Importing and exporting data.
<entityname> output values column – This column displays and allows you to edit the output (Y-axis) values for the graphical function. The output values are generated automatically when you sketch a curve in the grid on the Graph tab.
To edit the values in this column, click the value you want to edit and then type the new value (or paste the new values). When you edit output values, the curves displayed on the Points tab and the Graph tab change to reflect the new values.
Tip: You can import or export graphical function output values by creating data links to your model from an Excel or .CSV file; these links allow you to import data from a spreadsheet and to be export data to the same or different spreadsheet. For more information, see Overview: Importing and exporting data.
Type the number of data points that the graphical function will contain (you must specify at least two data points). The number you enter here determines the number of points in the graph displayed in the grid on the Graph tab, and the number of rows in the table on the Points tab.
If the graphical function contains more data points than you can easily view on the Graph tab, drag the zoom slider beneath the grid to zoom in and out on the curve. Drag the slider toward the "-" sign to zoom out. Drag the slider toward the "+" sign to zoom in.
If a graphical function contains more data points than you can see at once in the table on the Points tab, scroll bars appear so you can scroll up and down in the table list.
Click the appropriate button to select the type of graph type you want to use for the graphical function. The type you select affects the appearance of the graph on the Graphical Function panel. It also tells the software how to calculate values in the function that are not specified by the data points (that is, how to calculate values that are off the graph):
– Click this button to use a continuous graph. With a continuous graph, the curve is a continuous line. Values between given data points are interpolated, resulting in as smooth a curve as possible. Values that are off the graph (either at the start of the curve or the end of the curve) are held horizontally at the last value, to infinity. For example, if the last value on the graph is 25.0, all values further to the right, off the graph, are assumed to be 25.0. Continuous is the default graph type. 
– Click this button to use a continuous extrapolation graph. With a continuous extrapolation graph, the curve is a continuous line. Values between given data points are extrapolated, resulting in as smooth a curve as possible. Values that are off the graph (either at the start of the curve or the end of the curve) are extrapolated so that they extend the curve linearly based on the last two graphed data points. For example, if the last value on the graph is 25.0 and the change between the last two points and the one that immediately preceded it on the graph is .5, the next data point, off the graph, is calculated as 25.5, and the next as 30.0, and the next as 35.5, etc. 
– Click this button to use a step graph. With a step graph, the curve is a series of flat, unconnected line segments. Like the continuous graph, values that are off the graph (either at the start of the curve or the end of the curve) are held horizontally at the last value, to infinity. For example, if the last value on the graph is 25.0, all values further to the right, off the graph, are assumed to be 25.0.The following picture shows the difference between the same curve graphed as a continuous and as a step graph.
This check box appears if the selected flow or converter has been defined as an arrayed entity.
Note: To create an arrayed flow or converter, select the Arrayed check box on the Array panel for either the stock connected to the flow that you are defining as a graphical function, or for the converter you are defining as a graphical function and selecting one or more dimensions to add to the arrayed entity. To define a graphical function for the arrayed entity select the Graphical check box on the Graphical Function panel.
Selecting the Apply To All check box allows you to define a single graphical relationship that will be applied to all elements within the array. If you clear the Apply to All check box, you must define an individual curve for each element in the arrayed entity.
To apply a single graphical function to all elements in the array, select this check box, and then use the options at the top of the panel to define the graphical function as you would for a non-arrayed entity.
To define a separate graphical function for each element in the array, clear this check box. If you clear this check box, a table appears in the Equation box where you can define graphical functions for each element/dimension combination.
For more information about defining graphical functions for arrayed entities, see Defining graphical functions.
See Also