Suggetsed improvements list in SimBiology

hi SimBiology team, here a list of things I recenlty found in SimBiology not working or worth improving - roughly in the order of importance.

1. Check that the reaction rate's units are dimensionally consistent with units of the relevant species (see units issue).
2. Parameters/species etc. cannot be alphabetically sorted (in Browser > Model > …) (also no sorting wrt other columns is possible).
3. Plots disappear after collapsing – not always but often enough – and cannot be restored. The only solution is to restart SimBiology.
4. Dropdown menus with plot settings keep disappearing as well – restarting toolbox only remedy.
5. Validation shows errors if ‘unused’ parameters (listed in 'Model Tools / Unused' tab) have no units assigned, seems uncessary to me.
6. Resizing of diagram with mouse wheel is impossible but would be very useful – could be done with e.g. ‘CTRL + mouse-wheel’.
7. Adding breakpoints to edges.

Hope it helps. Best, Maciej

Answer 1

[Cris LaPierre]

The best place to share your suggestions with MathWorks is here (Create Service Request then select the appropriate option):

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

[Florian Augustin]

Hi Maciej,

I just wanted to add to Cris' answer. Contacting MathWorks' Technical Support is the best way to make sure usability issues, improvements, and bugs will be addressed. In any case, however, we really apreciate your feedback! We already recorded issue 1 to fix it. I made a note of your suggestions 2, 5-7 in our system.

I'd have a question about issues 3 and 4. You should be able to re-open plots without restarting SimBiology. If you are using the "Workspace View", all plots should be listed in the Browser panel under tab "Documents". If you are using the "Project View", plots are listed under the "Project" tab. You can switch between the views by clicking on the little downward triangle on the right of the tabs in the Browser panel. If this doesn't help, could you share reproduction steps for the disapearing plots and also for the missing dropdown menus? You could also contact Technical Support if you prefer not to share further information on MATLAB Answers. In this case, please reference this MATLAB Answers post.

Thank you,

Florian

[emjey]

Thanks Florian. Unfortunately, it seems I am unable to switch to the 'Workspace View' to start with. See screenshot

there is simply no downward triangle I can use. Any ideas?

[Florian Augustin]

Hi Maciej,

my apologies, I should have been more specific. Plots that were generated by the Programs in the SimBiology Model Analyzer app should be accessible as I mentioned in the last comment. You can switch between the SimBiology Model Builder and the SimBiology Model Analyzer via a button in the toolstrip.

The SimBiology Model Builder app allows you to plot model simulations as well. Those plots are accessible, e.g., via the Tools button (select "Model Simulation") in the app's toolstrip. Are those the plots that you cannot access?

Best regards,

Florian

[emjey]

Yes, I was talking about plot in SimBiology Model Builder app / Model Simulation panel.

For example, consider the following:

1. I create three plots. I run simulation, all plots are produced. So far so good
2. I collapse plots 2 & 3 by clcking their lables, e.g. 'PLOT 2'.
3. Then when I delete plot 1 via the 'Remove Plot...' option and all three plots disapear. Restarting SimBiology seems the only option to restore the plots.

I was able to reproduce that multiple times. Each time I was restarting SimBiology. It looks like a bug to me.

[Florian Augustin]

Hi Maciej,

Thank you for the reproduction steps! I was able reproduce the issue using your example. This looks like a bug to me as well. We are working on fixing this.

Best regards,

Florian