Using Dispatcher vs. Acquire TE from a Group

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Theresa B asked Jan 16 2023 at 8:00 AM Theresa B commented Jan 17 2023 at 11:18 AM

Using Dispatcher vs. Acquire TE from a Group

Hi, again, another Dispatcher/Process flow question from me - but theoretical this time!

I've seen 2 kinds of implementation around:

using a dispatcher to organise the dispersal of resources (and assign multiple operators to a processor) around a model
creating a group of task executers and acquiring the requisite number in an Acquire Resource activity

Is there any difference between doing it one way or the other?

I assume if you were not using Process Flow, you'd use a Dispatcher for the organisation of several Task Executers; would you bother using a dispatcher rather than creating a group of TEs and drawing from that list?

Thanks in advance!

Software Version:

FlexSim 22.2.0

processflow dispatcher object group

Answer 1 · 2023-01-16T08:50:33Z

David Seo answered Jan 16 2023 at 8:50 AM Theresa B commented Jan 17 2023 at 11:18 AM

Using dispatcher object in standard library is more easer than using TE resource group like TE List. You should make a custome logic for using an available resource among the TEs group.

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Felix Möhlmann commented · Jan 16 2023 at 9:42 AM

To add to this:

In my mind, the dispatcher is simpler to use, but as a trade-off, is a lot more restricted in how it can be used. If your goal is just "some operator needs to do single, independent task somewhere" with a relatively simple heuristic to decide which operator out of group of available ones should be used, then the dispatcher is a perfectly fine method to achieve this.

As soon as tasks get more complex (for example involve multiple steps in a certain order) or the rules that determine who should do them have multiple restrictions, a Process Flow with a resource or list will end up easier to use.

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Theresa B Felix Möhlmann commented · Jan 16 2023 at 9:57 PM

Thanks for both your responses!

To clarify, Dispatcher is easier to use for the listed heuristics for "Pass To" and "Queue Strategy", otherwise I would need to design my own "Dispatcher" by creating a group of Task Executers.

I know that "Find Slot" is a built-in activity that I can use to find a specific slot using SQL; is there a similar thing for TEs in process flow, or would this be a chunk of custom code?

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Jason Lightfoot ♦♦ Theresa B commented · Jan 16 2023 at 10:45 PM

You can use query syntax in pull from lists and acquire resource activities in process flow

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