SIMUL8 Newsletter

May Newsletter - The top features of SIMUL8 2011

In this issue:

See the new features in action

There are many features that we haven't managed to fit in this newsletter.

We have a new clock, sub window tabs, sliders, annotations, improved charts and more.

This 30 minute webinar gives you details on all the features and lets you see them in action.

Want to see the features in action? View the webinar now

Poll

What feature are you looking forward to using in SIMUL8 2011?
Please select one of the following options:
New Interface
3D
Sub windows as tabs
Annotations

Last month’s poll showed that 46% of you think reducing your carbon footprint is important to your organization. To see the full result click here.

Need a helping hand?

It wasn't just SIMUL8 that got a facelift, the help files did too!

Everything has been updated and there are hints and tips on how to get the most out of all the new features.

Visit the How do I? section and learn how to do everything from copying objects to speeding up your simulations.

Browse the help files now.

My top five, three, features of 2011!

Every year I’m given the tough task of picking my top 5 features of the new release to tell you about. What will I pick - onscreen clock, sliders, annotations or maybe sub-window tabs? I spend hours deliberating to get the list down to 5 and then increase it to 7!

This year it was easy. Not because there are less features or less I want to tell you about, but there’s three key features I want to highlight and there's so much to say there isn't enough room in one newsletter for any more!

Want to find out more about all the great features in 2011? Visit our 2011 Site and discover them for yourself!

1. New Interface – Don’t make me think

 

 

 

The new interface is beautiful, SIMUL8 looks modern, fresh and sophisticated and I could love the new interface for that alone.

But the interface is so much more than pretty; it puts everything just where it should be. I never have to think where anything is any more.

Even as CTO I’ve discovered features I never knew existed!

Planning on the new interface nervously started about 18 months ago and we’ve tried and tested many variations to get it right.

It had to make it easy for newcomers to the software but also deliver practicality to our loyal existing users. I think we’ve got that balance just right.

When you open SIMUL8 everything you need to quickly get started is there, draw your process, then run it and then check out the results.

Everything you need as a new user is on the drawing objects panel and home tab.

Then close the drawing tab and start to explore the additional tabs to add more detail to your simulation.

If you know SIMUL8 already you’ll love the new interface because:

  • • Less clicks - e.g show an object title in just 2 clicks instead of 8
  • • Create global variables without going into the information store
  • • See all Visual Logic events for your object from one button, so any event is only ever 2 clicks away
  • • No more endless object dialogs - click on the object to see all its properties from our new object tabs
  • • A dedicated spreadsheet icon to get quickly into all your spreadsheets

If you really don’t want to convert to the new interface you can turn it off -
but I guarantee you won’t want to.

Check out our help file on getting around

 

2. 3D – The wow factor with ease

Before I tell you how much I love 3D, let me first clearly state I don’t believe in 3D. SIMUL8 and simulation is about giving you results quickly and easily that help you make evidence based decisions.

Having said that, I am completely addicted to 3D. We've made it so quick and easy to use, I cannot stop playing with it!

SIMUL8 has had 3D for about 10 years. For 2011 we overhauled the engine to give you a fantastic new look and feel.

More importantly we completely changed how you interact with it. Now it's easy, just one click to set up your 3D view.

Getting images is easy too. You can just import images directly from Google Warehouse.

You can even import whole scenes, sort of like background images for the 3D world.

This lets you quickly create an impressive looking simulation. You pick images for your actual objects and you’re done.

3D won’t directly improve your decision making but it will help you get buy in. It looks great and a 3D simulation is easier for non simulation people to relate to because it matches what they’re used to seeing.

Want to build your own 3D world? Find out how easy it is with our 3D help files

 

3. SIMUL8 Live Passport - Collaborative working

We want to stay at the forefront of technology and keep innovating, and the SIMUL8 Live Passport is an example of this.

A SIMUL8 Live Passport consists of two main elements and both can be used to communicate decision making and help with buy in on projects;

    SIMUL8 Private Channels

    SIMUL8 Web allows you to share simulations with the world by sharing them online. With SIMUL8 Private Channels only you and the people you invite can see your simulations.

    This means you can securely share your simulations with clients or colleagues, allowing them to run and make changes to the simulation and see the results for themselves.

    Private channels can be accessed anywhere, online, without any downloads required.

    SIMUL8 Connect

    SIMUL8 Connect is our new online project collaboration tool and it is designed to make project management easy.

    It allows you to manage all your files - including all SIMUL8 project files and related information, and store them all in your own online repository.

    This means all your files are stored in one place and you can keep track of all the different revisions of your simulation.

    Clients or colleagues can be invited to view your project and they can see what you have been working on.

    This works great if you want to share your project with a client, or if there is a team of you working on one project, it can be used as a central base to store all the project information and ensure that no versions of your simulation are lost.

    As Connect is all online, your files are available to access anywhere, anytime in a totally secure environment.

Want to know more about the SIMUL8 Live Passport?

So that's my 3 top features of SIMUL8 2011 - new interface, improved 3D and the SIMUL8 Live passport, but there are lots more I haven't had the chance to mention.

Want to find out more about all the great features in 2011? Visit our 2011 Site and discover them for yourself!