Exchange of Multi-Dimensional Arrays between FlexSim and Python

Question

question

Ulrich B2 asked Aug 26, '22 Ulrich B2 published Aug 26, '22

Exchange of Multi-Dimensional Arrays between FlexSim and Python

Hello,

is there a way to exchange of Multi-Dimensional Arrays between FlexSim and Python?

I have only managed to pass 1-Dim Arrays to my py script, returning a list greater then 1-Dim back to FlexSim results in a Null-Object.

Thank you!

Uli

Software Version:

FlexSim 22.2.1

python arrays

Answer 1 · 2022-08-26T07:12:59Z

Ulrich B2 answered Aug 26, '22 Ralf Gruber commented Aug 26, '22

Hello,

this seems to work:

Table tab = Table("MyGlobalTable");
Array arr = tab.clone();
var outVarArray = node("MODEL:/Tools/UserCommands/callPyFnc_getTable/code").evaluate(arr);
print(arr, " --> Return from Python --> ", outVarArray);

The only thing to consider: integers arrive as floats on python side, therefore, if used for e.g. indexing, these have to be casted to integer's

Thanks,

Uli

· 1

Ralf Gruber ♦ commented · Aug 26, 2022 at 08:55 AM

Uli,

per class definition in FlexSim an array is one dimension only:

https://docs.flexsim.com/en/22.2/Reference/CodingInFlexSim/FlexScriptAPIReference/Data/Array.html

You can use arrays or variant type variables as the elements of your one dimensional array to use it in multiple dimensions, but you will have to consider that when reading elements of your array.

Good luck

0 ·

Answer 2 · 2022-08-26T11:14:27Z

Ulrich B2 answered Aug 26, '22 Ulrich B2 published Aug 26, '22

It seems like if FlexSim <-> Python conversions are "string" centric.

Passing back a dictionary with a Two-Dimensional Array as value is possible by setting the value as a string representation of the array:

def getTable(arrayFromFlexSim):  
    arr = np.array(arrayFromFlexSim)
    seq = dict()     
    for i in range(0, 3):            
        seq[i] = np.array2string(arr)
    
    return seq

The Dictionary get converted correctly to FlexSim:

Map: {
0: Array[3]: {Array[5]: {1,1,0,1,1},Array[5]: {1,0,0,1,1},Array[5]: {1,1,1,1,2}}, 
1: Array[3]: {Array[5]: {1,1,0,1,1},Array[5]: {1,0,0,1,1},Array[5]: {1,1,1,1,2}}, 
2: Array[3]: {Array[5]: {1,1,0,1,1},Array[5]: {1,0,0,1,1},Array[5]: {1,1,1,1,2}}
}

If the 2-Dim Array is not converted to its string representation, the conversion result on FlexSim side will fail:

Map: {0: NULL, 1: NULL, 2: NULL}

Just in case someone might get trapped here too. :)

question