LSD Run-time Plot
The LSD Run-time Plot window is automatically created during the simulation run to show the dynamic plotting of the time series of selected Variables (or even Parameters). Users must mark the Variables to be plotted by selecting the Run-time Plot option using the LSD Browser. If no Variable (or Parameter) is marked, the Run-time Plot window is not created during the simulation run.
The run-time plot area is automatically sized according to the number of steps set for the simulation (horizontal dimension) and to maximum and the minimum values of the plotted Variables (vertical dimension). Note that the y-axis dynamic rescaling slightly overshoots the maximum and minimum values to mitigate excessive rescaling operations.
Users should select carefully which Variables’ time series to shown during the run-time:
1. Do never select series contained in Objects that can be created or destroyed during a simulation;
2. Do select series which values are around the same range of values, to avoid the “plot-flattening” because of rescaling.
The Run-time plot is optimized for simulation runs lasting up to 500 time steps. For longer periods, the user may have to use the horizontal scroll bar to see the values being produced in the more recent time steps. However, this can be also managed automatically (see below).
Run-time plot controls
Marking the Scroll checkbox enables the automatic scrolling of series lasting longer than 500 time steps. In this case, if Scroll is marked, the plot area scrolls at each time step.
The button Center centers the plot area on the current simulation run time step. It is useful only for simulations lasting more than 500 time steps.
Performance considerations
The plot of the Runtime series can slow down the simulation run, in particular when many Variables are being plotted. Just minimizing this window increases the speed of the simulation program. It is also automatically minimized when the Fast button is used in the LSD Log.
To avoid the Runtime Plot to be used, simply remove the Run-time Plot option from all the selected Variables or use the command Run>Remove Plot Flags in the LSD Browser menus. This is particularly recommended in the case of multiple simulation runs (set by the Simulation Settings in the LSD Browser) once this may potentially create tens or hundreds of new windows (the Run-time Plot window is not reused across runs). If the computer desktop has been already “flooded” by Run-time Plot windows, the option Run>Close Run-time Plots in the LSD Browser menus may be used to destroy all such windows.