Variables Guide

ARENA VARIABLES USER’S GUIDE
Functions variables
NSYM ( Symbol Name )—Symbol number. All defined simulation elements have a
unique number. For those constructs that have names, the function NSYM may be
used to return the number corresponding to the construct name. The Symbol Name
must be specified as a simple name or indexed name; the index, if used, may be an
expression. NSYM returns an integer value; it is not user-assignable.
NUMBLK [ ( Block Label ) ]—Block number. NUMBLK returns the number of the
block corresponding to Block Label. It is an integer value; it is not user-assignable. If
Block Label is omitted, NUMBLK returns the number of the current block.
TF ( Table ID, X Value )—Table function value. TF evaluates the value stored in Table
ID for a real-valued quantity X value. TF returns a real-valued quantity; it is not userassignable.
UF ( User Function Number )—User-coded function. UF executes the C, FORTRAN,
or VBA code of function UF, passing User Function Number as the function number
parameter. The return value of UF is provided by the user-coded routine; it is a realvalued
quantity.
General-purpose global variables
Three mechanisms are provided to access the value of a variable. All return real- or
string-valued quantities; variables are user-assignable. Where a Variable Number is
required, it is the construct number of the variable (as listed in the Variables module
from the Elements panel). The number may be entered as a constant, an expression,
or as NSYM(Variable Name).
V ( Variable Number )—Variable value. The V( ) array returns the current value of the
specified Variable Number, which is the instance number of the corresponding
variable in the Variables module.
VAR ( Variable Number [, Index 1, Index 2 ] )—Variable value. VAR returns the value
of the general-purpose variable Variable Number with associated indices Index 1 and
Index 2; the number of indices specified must match the number defined for the
variable. This variable is used when the actual Variable ID to be accessed or changed
is stored in an attribute, another variable, a static, and so on.
Note: The value of VAR(Variable Name) is not the same as the value of simply the
Variable Name. Using the Variable Name returns the actual variable value; function
NSYM may be used to translate a variable identifier into the desired Variable Number.
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