Most logic interfaces have five basic buttons (Figure). The Add Rule, Rename Rule, Copy Rule, and Delete Rule buttons are located in the upper left portion of logic interfaces. The Apply button is located in the lower right portion of logic interfaces. Across all 15 logic interfaces, there are only three exceptions to this basic approach. The Sensitivity Variable interface does not have any of the buttons because that interface is used to manage a single list (no need to add, rename, copy, or delete the list) of variables identified as uncertain that is saved as the list is updated (no need to apply changes). The Road Rule interface only has an Apply button because there is one road rule per model (no need to add, rename, copy, or delete). The Hatchery Editor interface has the same five buttons, but the add, rename, copy, delete, and apply buttons are used to manage hatchery plans instead of rules.
Figure. Buttons and windows associated with rule add, rename, duplicate, delete, and save.
Clicking the Add Rule or Rename Rule or Copy Rule button opens an interface prompting the user to enter a rule name. Rule names must be unique to the rule type. In other words, a recruitment rule and an instinctual rule can have the same name, but there cannot be two recruitment rules with the same name. When a duplicate name is detected, a warning message will be provided and the duplicate name will not be accepted. Clicking the Delete Rule button opens an interface asking the user to confirm delete. Clicking the Apply button saves the current settings of the rule. Rules do not need to be wholly completed before clicking the Apply button. This allows users to work with other interfaces as they develop rules, but please be aware that unapplied rule changes will be lost when users navigate to interfaces other than the logic interfaces.
Several logic interfaces, and other features such as Communities - Movement, use the Variable Picker to select a “variable” for use in modeling. In this case, variable is used as broad term that includes imported data, variables computed based on imported data, and internally generated model variables such as the size of a community-class. The Variable Picker is opened by clicking on the browse buttons associated with interface fields that allow variables to be specified (Figure). After selecting the desired variable, clicking OK in the picker writes the selection to the corresponding interface.
Figure. The Variable Picker is used to select variables for use in rules and other EFMSim features.