Before a festive break code freeze, updates for both AnyLogic and AnyLogic Cloud arrived. Contained within them were several noteworthy improvements. Let’s take a look!
AnyLogic
Smaller releases for AnyLogic help make new features and updates available more quickly than the earlier ‘big release’ cadence. Towards the end of 2021, we introduced AnyLogic 8.7.8 and 8.7.9. Highlights from the updates include new rack functionality for the Material Handling Library and added file output capability for models exported to AnyLogic Cloud.
The two updates also fixed bugs, added a new example model, and introduced other improvements. Let’s take a closer look at the big changes and the new example model.
Back-to-back rack placement
The earlier AnyLogic 8.7.7 release introduced the Storage markup element. This element helps quickly draw large-scale storage areas by automatically calculating the size or number of racks needed to fill a specified area. With it, you can quickly populate a warehouse with shelving racks and aisles as needed. Now, the element supports back-to-back shelving racks.
AnyLogic 8.7.9, with the addition of back-to-back shelving racks, makes it possible to organize shelves in pairs so that one aisle provides access to two shelves. Arranging shelves in this way is the most popular method in high-load warehouses.
Export to file for models in Cloud
Since version 8.7.8, models uploaded to the AnyLogic Cloud platform can export data to a file. For example, this file export functionality allows experiment results to be written to an Excel file where they can be used for analysis or integration with other analytical tools. Any file format is permitted, including compressed ZIP files.
With Excel files, exported data can be written to a specific tab, giving the possibility to use a single file for both input and output. The model configuration data can be read from one tab and the experiment output written to another.
Create GIS Network by Code
A new example model in version 8.7.9 demonstrates how to programmatically create a GIS network. You can find the model in the How-To models of the latest version of AnyLogic. Search for ‘GIS’ in the Example Models on the welcome screen and select the model named ‘Create GIS Network by Code’.
Within the model’s createRoute function, there is example code for creating a GIS network. You can adapt the method to read coordinates from a data source and automatically connect them with routes.
The demonstration model creates a route in two segments between two endpoints and runs a train across the network, as shown below. You can dive into the code details in the Create GIS Network by Code help documentation.
AnyLogic Cloud
At the end of 2021, AnyLogic Cloud iterated through versions 2.2.8 and 2.2.9. They brought enterprise features, user experience improvements, and security updates.
API
Using AnyLogic Cloud is not all about the web interface, it is also straightforward to access cloud-based simulation models via API (RESTful, JavaScript, Java, and Python). Since version 2.2.8, the JavaScript API client allows the calling of Monte Carlo 1st order experiments. (Learn more about these types of simulation experiment in our blog Monte Carlo simulation for business)
LDAP and Active Directory
For the Private Cloud Pro and Enterprise editions, there is now LDAP and AD support. Users can authenticate via an organization’s LDAP or AD services to use private installations of AnyLogic Cloud.
Security
All Cloud editions are secured against the recent log4shell attack. The updates have also brought changes that increase protection against cross-site request forgery attacks.
User experience
Internationalization is much easier thanks to improved language pack support in version 2.2.9. You can see in the public AnyLogic Cloud interface that there is now built-in support for the Chinese (simplified) and Russian languages. Let us know in the comments below which language you would like included!
Update details can always be found in the new AnyLogic Help: release notes for AnyLogic and AnyLogic Cloud.
Test out the latest Cloud release on the AnyLogic Cloud site or get started with simulation modeling by downloading the free AnyLogic Personal Learning Edition. If you already have AnyLogic installed, you will automatically receive the update, or you can trigger the update from the Help menu.