Simulation Settings
The Settings button provides access to the Simulation Settings dialog.
It is possible to override the Start and End dates that the simulation runs between. Checking the Override Start / End dates check box un-greys the date boxes and enables the setting of start and end dates to suit, allowing a small sub-section of the overall project to be simulated. The dates will be shown on the TimeLiner Simulate tab. These dates will also be used when exporting animations.
You can define the Interval Size to use when stepping through the simulation using the playback controls. The interval size can be set either as a percentage of the overall simulation duration or to an absolute number of days or weeks, etc.
Use the drop down to select the interval unit, then use the Up and Down arrow buttons to increase or decrease the interval size.
It is also possible to highlight all the tasks that are being worked on during the interval. By checking the Show all tasks in interval check box, and for example setting the Interval Size to 5 Days, all tasks being worked on during those 5 days will be set to their Start Appearance in the main view, including those that begin and end within the bounds of the interval. The Simulation slider will show this by drawing a blue line under the slider. If un-checked, tasks that begin and end within the bounds of the interval will not be highlighted in this manner, and will need to overlap with the current date in order to be highlighted in the main view.
You can define the overall Playback Duration for the complete simulation (the time needed to play it through from start to finish). Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to increase or decrease the duration (in seconds). You may also enter a duration directly into this field.
You can define whether the current simulation date should be overlayed on the main window, and if so whether it should appear at the top or bottom of the screen. From the drop down, choose from None (to display no overlay text), Top (to display the text at the top of the window), or Bottom (to display the text at the bottom of the window).
You can Edit the information displayed in the overlay text using the Overlay Text dialog. This dialog also makes it possible to alter the Font Type Style and Size by clicking on the contained Font button.
You can define whether the current simulation should interact with the current animation. If so, during the TimeLiner sequence playback, JetStream will also play the current animation, i.e. providing camera interaction throughout the simulation. You can pre-record a suitable animation for use with the simulation, using the normal JetStream Roamer Animation tools (see the section called "Creating Animations" in the chapter called "Animating" in the JetStream Roamer book). This option also affects the Animation Export
TimeLiner supports Planned and Actual dates and provides five simulation Views . Each view will playback the schedule depicting Planned and Actual relationships:
Actual . Choose this view to simulate the Actual schedule only (i.e. only use the Actual start and Actual end dates).
Actual (Planned Differences) . Choose this view to simulate the Actual schedule against the Planned schedule. This view will only highlight the items attached to the task over the Actual date range (i.e. between Actual Start and Actual End. See diagram below for graphical representation). For time periods where the Actual dates are within the Planned dates (on schedule), the items attached to the task will be displayed in the Task Type Start Appearance. For time periods where the Actual dates are early, or late in comparison to the Planned dates (there is a variance), then the items attached to the task will be displayed in the Task Type Early or Late Appearance, respectively.
Planned . Choose this view to simulate the Planned schedule only (i.e. only use the Planned start and Planned end dates).
Planned (Actual Differences) . Choose this view to simulate the Actual schedule against the Planned schedule. This view will only highlight the items attached to the task over the Planned date range (i.e. between Planned Start and Planned End. See diagram below for graphical representation). For time periods where the Actual dates are within the Planned dates (on schedule), the items attached to the task will be displayed in the Task Type Start Appearance. For time periods where the Actual dates are early, or late in comparison to the Planned dates (there is a variance), then the items attached to the task will be displayed in the Task Type Early or Late Appearance, respectively.
Actual against Planned . Choose this view to simulate the Actual schedule against the Planned schedule. This will highlight the items attached to the task over the entire Planned and Actual date range (i.e. between the earliest of Actual and Planned start dates and the latest of Actual and Planned End dates. See diagrams below for graphical representation). For time periods where the Actual dates are within the Planned dates (on schedule), the items attached to the task will be displayed in the Task Type Start Appearance. For time periods where the Actual dates are early, or late in comparison to the Planned dates (there is a variance), then the items attached to the task will be displayed in the Task Type Early or Late Appearance, respectively.
