Version 9 features and enhancements focus on ease-of-use. This important upgrade makes it easier to build and maintain models, learn about systems and processes, and communicate results using STELLA® and iThink®.

New Features

Data import/export via Microsoft® Excel – Data can be imported directly from a Microsoft Excel worksheet into a STELLA or iThink model and from a model to the same or different worksheet. Worksheet/model links can be either persistent (every time the model is open or run it accesses current worksheet data) or one-time. Linking models to worksheets makes it easy to routinely update models with new values or update worksheets with latest model run results.

Click to enlarge screenshot Dynamic export makes it easy to update Excel worksheets with latest run results

Models presented as Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) – Causal Loop Diagrams highlight the dominant feedback loops or selected causal connections between entities in your model. Underlying model elements (stocks and flows) are retained so models can be used to create diagrams and diagrams can be used to create or modify models. View Demo

Version 9 models compatible with earlier versions – Version 9 models can be saved as Version 7 models making it easy to share work with users who have not yet upgraded.

Expanded image format options (for creating and importing image files) – Image files can be created or imported in the following formats: PICT (*.PCT), GIF (*.GIF), Bitmap (*.BMP), TIFF (*.TIF), Jpeg (*.JPG), or PNG (*.PNG).

New built-in functions – A new Statistical function (LOGNORMAL) and five new Array functions (ARRAYMIN, ARRAYMAX, ARRAYMINIDX, ARRAYMAX_IDX, and ARRAYVALUE) have been added to the list of available built-in functions.

Productivity and User Interface Enhancements

Drag and drop capabilities – New drag and drop capabilities simplify graph and table creation/updates and the addition of pictures to model presentations.

• Stock, flow, and converter icons can be dragged onto a graph or table icon for display and listing in the Define Graph or Define Table dialog box. View Demo
• Pictures can be dragged from the desktop, browser, the Finder, or Windows Explorer for display in the Graphics Frame.

Right-click access to commands – Right-clicking on an entity in a model provides access to a shortcut menu of commands.

User interface improvements – STELLA and iThink interfaces have been updated and reorganized to make the applications easier to use. Changes include:

• Updated toolbar icons
• Tabbed access to model layers
• Larger, repositionable dialog boxes with title bars
• Replacement of hand selection tool with standard arrow selection tool