Query "SELECT a label of a List" with the new options of the List

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question

Pierre G asked Sep 6, '19 anthony.johnson edited Sep 20, '19

Query "SELECT a label of a List" with the new options of the List

Hi,

I tried to do the Tutorial 4.1 of the Process Flow, and it's not working with the 19.2. In the Pull from List, the query is "SELECT rollQuantity" (rollQuantity is a Label of the List) but the entire token is pulled while it's supposed to only decrement the label.

But it's working with the older versions.

To make the tutorial work in 19.2, I had to add one step : I checked the Use First SELECT Value as Quantifier in my List's options (which is a new option of this 19.2 I imagine), but I don't understand what is the purpose of this option.

Someone can explain to me why I have to check this option, and what is the purpose of it ?

Software Version:

FlexSim 19.2.0

list query

a.png (12.6 KiB)

a.png (70.2 KiB)

tuto4.fsm (40.3 KiB)

Answer 1 · 2019-09-06T15:59:20Z

anthony.johnson answered Sep 6, '19 anthony.johnson edited Sep 20, '19

We have realized that our initial design of the list's query interface, while really cool and useful, is actually a little weird relative to how traditional SQL works. In standard SQL, the SELECT clause tells what information you want to query. However, the original design of the list was that the SELECT clause created this special rule where the first column of SELECT defines a quantity evaluator that you want to pull from. Further, subsequent SELECT columns do absolutely nothing. So, after significant internal discussion, we decided that we should bring the list's default behavior more inline with a more "traditional" understanding of how a SELECT clause works, that is, you just want to know things about what you are pulling.

So, in the default behavior, the SELECT clause will define labels that will be set on the puller, meaning the puller gets the result of the SELECT stored on its labels with the corresponding SELECT column name. You can still get the original, "special rule" functionality, though, by checking the box.

We'll put an item on our development list to update the tutorial.

· 2

Sebastian Hemmann commented · Sep 20, 2019 at 12:31 PM

@anthony.johnson

is it possible that even the option is deleted? Can´t find it on the lists in Process Flow.

I liked and used the SELECT function (old style) very much. What is the workaround to use this feature now?

There is also no hint in the user manual, that anything changed!?

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anthony.johnson ♦♦ Sebastian Hemmann commented · Sep 20, 2019 at 03:40 PM

It's all in the List's General tab, shown in the question's screenshot above. To get the exact same as the old functionality, you uncheck Assign SELECT Values to Puller Labels and check Use First SELECT Value as Quantifier. From Process Flow you click the list and press the Advanced button.

We did include this change in the release notes: "Added options to the List for special handling of SELECT values." Although this was a little vague, and we did not mention that we change what the default does, so perhaps we could make that more descriptive.

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