EXCEL MACROS FOR MULTIPLE SIMULATIONS

INSTRUCTIONS:

This macro is designed to work with the results from multiple simulations on the same landscape. The purpose is to enable comparisons between differences in simulations due to changes in the system logic or changes due to different management scenarios. It is not intended to compare different landscapes.

It does not work with a single simulation. It utilizes the file that contains

the results from a set(s) of multiple simulations.

This macro processes each data type (processes, species,

sizeclass / structure, and density separately. There is no

correlation between these values. If you want to process

specific combinations of species/sizeclass/density then use

the “all-states-report” and the “SIMPPLLE_Diversit-Matrix.xls”

PRE-MACRO USE

The file that contains the results from multiple simulations has to be edited before running the macro. These are files that have the *ls.txt as part of their name.

Insert a row before each type of data block and label with the following so the macro

will be able to identify the following:

PROCESS

SPECIES

SIZECLASS (no space)

DENSITY

See the SIMPPLLE_macro_example_file_ls.txt

Within this file we have also inserted “END” at the end of each type of

data. This is not required.

Some “ls.txt” files will have multiple sets of each data type if the user is has made

the simulation choice to “track” “special areas” and or “ownership”. Make sure the labels for each type of data fully enclosed the data types.

USING THE MACRO

Open spreadsheet (Simpplle_Output_Macros.xls)

Enable macros in the opening

Select NEW DATA

Browse to find the desired “ -ls.txt” file(s)

Select OK,

Then select individual data types or all of them

After the macro is complete, save results as a spreadsheet *.xls, don’t save over the

*-ls.txt file

This will put the results from each set of multiple simulations in a separate spreadsheet

with each data type being in a workbook. It calculates for each time step across all the number of simulations the following values:

Maximum

Minimum

Average

Standard Deviation

Medium

Mode

A line plot of the values for each time step for each simulation is automatically created.

Two additional graphic displays can be selected.

The Maximum, Minimum and Average values for each attribute (each individual process, species, size class, or density) can be created. The values are for the entire set of time steps for the entire number of simulations. This graphic is generated using the “stock chart type”, using the High (Maximum), Low (Minimum) and

Close (Average, or Medium, or Mode) values. The user needs to specify what attributes from each type should be plotted as one will probably not want to see the graphic for all processes, species or sizeclass.

Column graphs for the percent (based on Average, Medium, or Mode) that each species, sizeclass, or density is of the total landscape acres by time step can be generated. This uses the average or medium or modal value as specified by the user. The user needs to specify what attributes from each type should be plotted as one will probably not want to see graphics for all processes, species or sizeclass.

If you want to save the results as a spreadsheet (don’t save by overriding the original *-ls.txt file), you have to specify that when you close the file. The saved results can be used later in the “OVERVIEW” option.

If you want to compare two or more sets of multiple simulations with the results from above

Open spreadsheet (Simpplle_Output_Macros.xls)

Enable macros in opening

Select CREATE OVERVIEW

Browse to find you’re saved *.xls files (results from NEW DATA option)

Select as many as you would like (two minimum)

Save (name must be in quotes!!)

Select OK

The graphics automatically created in the OVERVIEW will only be line plot comparisons for each process, species, sizeclass and density. The user needs to select where the comparison is done with the Average, Medium, or Modal values.

An optional stacked column chart comparing the percent distribution of the fire process into its three components (stand replacing fire, mixed severity fire, and light severity fire) can be chosen. User can select if the Average across all time steps, all simulations in used, or if the Average for only the last time step of all simulations is used.

CHART OPTIONS - summary

Options vary by whether you are doing “basic processing” or the “overview” comparison.

Basic- Processing:

Standard --- A line plot of each value of each data type, all time steps for each simulation.

Optional --- A Max, Min, Average (or Medium or Modal) plot for selected values

of selected data types. Values are taken from all time steps, all

simulations.

A column chart showing percent of total landscape acres by time step

for selected species, sizeclass, or density values.

Overview:

Standard --- A line plot that compares the average value over the time steps

between each set of multiple simulations. Plot is made for each value

for each data type(process, species, sizeclass and density)

Optional --- Change the above line plot to use Median or Modal value.

A stacked column chart using percent distribution of the fire

processes between the stand replacing fire, mixed severity fire, and

light severity fire. Within this choice, an option to display for all

time steps, or just the last time step. The percents are averages

across all time steps, all simulations, or just the last time step, across

all simulations.