Actions Commands
Navigation: User Guide -> Menu Commands -> Actions Commands
Contents
Run
Command Button | ![]() |
Command Path | Actions - Run |
Short Cut Key | Ctrl+Shift+R |
If the Run button is pressed, SysCAD will start the Steady State (ProBal) solve or Dynamic simulation.
Notes:
- SysCAD is totally interactive, i.e. while it is solving, or running, the user can change parameters, access units and pipes, copy fields, etc.
- Most of the commands under File, Project and Graphics require SysCAD to be stopped before it can be activated. For example, Project | Settings, and so on.
Stop
Command Button | ![]() |
Command Path | Actions - Stop |
Short Cut Key | Ctrl+Shift+E |
If the Stop button is pressed SysCAD will STOP the Steady State / Dynamic Simulation if SysCAD is currently solving.
Notes: Most of the commands under File, Project and Graphics require SysCAD to be stopped before it can be activated. For example, Project | Settings, and so on.
Idle(Pause)
Command Button | ![]() |
Command Path | Actions - Idle |
Short Cut Key | Ctrl+Shift+I |
This will pause a dynamic or Steady State simulation once it has completed the current iteration.
Notes:
- This is particularly useful in Dynamic mode where the user does not want to Stop the model, which will involve a Restart, but they do want to check the state of the model.
- This command may not pause SysCAD immediately, especially if the project runs slowly. Wait for the word Wait to appear on the status bar at the bottom of the page.
- Most of the commands under File, Project and Graphics require SysCAD to be stopped before it can be activated. For example, Project | Settings, and so on.
Step
Command Button | ![]() |
Command Path | Actions - Step |
Short Cut Key | Ctrl+Shift+T |
This is will perform one iteration (in Steady State), or one Step (in Dynamic), when activated. This is very useful for debugging a project, as it allows the user to advance the project one step at a time.
Run to Steady State
Command Button | ![]() |
Command Path | Actions - Run to Steady State |
Short Cut Key | None |
This will run a Dynamic model to steady state. Steady state is defined as the point where the flows, levels and concentrations no longer change. The results from this will be the same as those obtained from a converged steady state model.
The following commands can also be accessed at:
- Action Commands in the Plant Model Access window; or
- Solver Set up for Steady State Projects - Options or Solver Set up for Dynamic Projects - Start Options; or
- Startup Reset Actions on the Solver Settings - Scenario tab page (for dynamic projects only).
Solve Flows
Command Path | Actions - Solve Flows |
Short Cut Key | Ctrl+Shift+F |
Reset
Command Path | Actions - Reset |
This will perform a total reset on the entire project. The functions that are performed for ProBal (Steady State) and Dynamic are listed below:
Steady State (ProBal)
- Clear the state of streams and any conduits (composition, temperature, pressure, etc.)
- Clear previous internal solver solutions,
- Reset previous results stored and used in unit models and sub models, e.g. RB, VLE, etc.
- Clear PID solution history, previous measured and output, etc.
- Clear controllers, e.g. Reference tags, PGM tags, etc.
- Clear tear stream convergence history
- Clear flash train convergence history.
Dynamic
This would perform all the above functions as given for Steady State, with the following additional functions:
- Empty all surge contents, tanks, conveyors, multistore, etc. regardless of presence of Preset image.
- Initialise all controllers, statistics and timer resets.
- Reset to time zero for profiles, events, etc.
- Reset totalisers.
- Empty spill contents.
Reset Actions
Process
Command Path | Actions - Reset Actions - Process |
This command is only valid for Dynamic projects. It will empty all pipes and flow values when the run begins.
Control
Command Path | Actions - Reset Actions - Control |
This command is only valid for Dynamic projects. It will reset all controllers back to 'Base' state, i.e. the same state as when the controller is first inserted into the project. This is mainly relevant for PID controllers.
Statistics
Command Path | Actions - Reset Actions - Statistics |
This command is only valid for Dynamic projects. It will reset the Statistical blocks when scenario is started.
Events/Profiles
Command Path | Actions - Reset Actions - Events/Profiles |
This command is only valid for Dynamic projects. It will reset all Event and Profiles back to start time.
Empty
Command Path | Actions - Reset Actions - Empty |
This command is only valid for Dynamic projects. It will empty all surge contents, tanks, conveyors, multistore, etc. regardless of presence of Preset image.
Preset
Command Path | Actions - Reset Actions - Preset |
This command is only valid for Dynamic projects. It will apply all user defined Preset action for models. Currently this is only applicable for tanks with surge where a Preset image and options can be set.
Notes:
- Make sure the preset conditions are properly defined in each unit operation (containing volume) before using this command.
- Only surge units with 'AllowGlobal' enabled will be Preset.
Remove Qualities
Command Path | Actions - Remove Qualities |
Qualities Models like PSD (Particle Size Distribution), SSA, Material Tracking, etc are carried along streams between units. Qualities can be computationally demanding and so it is generally better to only carry Quality information at places in the model where it is being used.
Where there is a recycle loop, it is difficult to remove qualities from the loop, since even if the source of the quality entering the loop is removed, the quality information still remains "stuck" in the recycle loop including the tear. A complete Reset would clear the quality, but you may not want to solve from empty. This command solves this problem. The Remove Qualities command will remove the qualities information (but not configuration) from all models and streams in a project and they will only reappear once the model is run. They only reappear in downstream units and streams after the point where the Quality is created.
Contents to Presets
Command Path | Actions - Contents to Presets |
Only valid for Dynamic projects. This command copies the current composition of the surge content to the Preset Image. This means that the next time a Preset action is performed, the composition will match the current contents of the surge. This can be performed on individual tanks using the CopyContentToPreset button on the Settings tab of the Tank access window.
Set Time to Zero
Command Path | Actions - Set Time to Zero |
This command is valid for ProBal and Dynamic projects. It will reset time to zero. (Time zero in SysCAD is in seconds and corresponds to midnight January 1 1970.)
In the case of ProBal, the only visible effect of this command is to reset the Historian to zero.