• Open a model file and run a simulation
• Create a first project and model file
• Next steps...

Open a model file and run a simulation

The purpose of this section is to show you how to launch GAMA, open and "play" with a simple GAMA model and create a first empty model.

First of all, please run the GAMA platform.

• At the first run (and eventually at each run if you do not check the box), you will have to choose a workspace. A workspace is a directory in which you will store your models

• This is the graphical user interface of GAMA after starting up:

• After having closed this first tab (by clicking on the top-left cross), you get the main GAMA interface:

• In GAMA, model files are organised in 3 libraries:
• Models library: it contains model example provided with GAMA.
• Shared models: this library is linked to an SVN repository one which registrered users can share their projects with the GAMA community.
• User models: this library will contain the models developed by the user and stored locally.

• In each library, models areorganized in projects. A project directory contains generally various subdirectory to store the GAML model files (in models or includes for submodels), the documentation of the model (in doc) and additional ressources necessary for the model (e.g. images in images).

• We will begin by displaying a first model file. We choose the StupidModel16.gaml in the project named stupid. We can display it in the central tab by double-clicking on it in the left tab. We can also notice that once the model has been opened, an outline of the various elementsof the model are displayed in the right tab.

• We will now run the model. To this purpose, we right-click on the central tab. The contextual menu contains the "Available experiments for StupidModel16". We choose "Load 'default'".

An alternative way to load the same experiment is to click on the button labelled "Load experiment…", which provides the same menu.

• We can notice that the interface has been significantly modified. We said that we have changed the perspective. We are now in the simulation perspective designed to play and observe simulation.

• The interface is also fully based on tab that can be moved, resized, openend and closed during the simulation. In the central tab, we often have the display of the environment. We also have a tab dedicated to the simulation parameters that can be changed to explore the simulation.

• To run/pause the simulation, you have to click on the “Run/Pause” button. We can also choose to run it step by step with the Step button. To relaod the model after having changed the parameters, we can use the Reload button.

• We can come back to the modeling perspective (the interface to display and modify the model files) using the change perspective button or using the shortcut F6.

• We then comeback to the interface used to open the StupidModel_16.gaml.

Create a first project and model file

• In the modeling perspective, we will create a first project in the User Models library. We thus right-click on this library and choose New.

• First we have to create a new project.

• We choose to name it First Project. GAMA will produce several repositories in the project to storethevarious kinds of files (GAML models, documentation, ressources...).

• In this project, we will create a first GAMA model. We thus right-click on the project, choose New. We choose Model file (in GAMA) and name it First Model. We thus get the following interface, with a new and almost empty model file in the central tab.

• We are now ready to write our first GAMA model!

Next steps...

This was only the very first steps on the long and fascinating way to master GAMA. You can continue our trip by reading the other sections of the GAMA 1.4 documentation.

• We advice you to begin by the Tutorials section to write your first models.
• Do not hesitate to have a look to the modeling guide that describes exhaustively the GAML language.
• To explore deeply the possibilities of GAMA, you can have a look to the Interface Guide.

After having mastered the basis of GAMA and its language GAML, you could need to implement your own operators and agent skills or desire to take part to the development of GAMA. The Developing Guide will help you to install the development environment and the source code of GAMA.