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Example with functionality overview

For the content of the individual examples, see the examples directory in the project repository.

Installing the package

Enter Julia package mode (press ]) and run:

add EnergyModelsGUI

It might take a few minutes to install.

Then press BACKSPACE to exit package mode.

Running the GUI

From the Julia REPL (i.e, command-line in julia; julia>), run

# Starts the Julia REPL
using Pkg
using EnergyModelsGUI

# Get the path of the examples directory
exdir = joinpath(pkgdir(EnergyModelsGUI), "examples")

# Activate project for the examples in the EnergyModelsGUI repository
Pkg.activate(exdir)
Pkg.instantiate()

# Include the code into the Julia REPL to run the following example
include(joinpath(exdir, "EMI_geography.jl"))

You should then get the following GUI: Example image for GUI

Functionality overview

Left visualization area

The left fraction of the window shows a visualization of the topology with the following functionality:

  1. You can move a Node/Area by holding down the left mouse button and dragging to the desired location (at which you then release the left mouse button). The Links/Transmissions to this Node/Area will be updated as well. All nodes associated with an area moves correspondingly when moving an Area object. The Area objects are indicated by double line edges as in the example below (each city is an Area). A selected Node/Area can also be moved using the arrow keys.
  2. Selecting a Node/Area/Link/Transmission (by left-clicking) will print information about this object in the box on the top right. The selected object will have a green line style.
  3. You can select multiple nodes/areas by holding down ctrl and left-clicking.
  4. You can change the focus area (pan) of the window by holding down the right mouse button and dragging.
  5. You can zoom in and out by using the scroll wheel on the mouse.
  6. Hovering over a component will show the name and its type (and investments if it has occured).
  7. A Transmission mode from the EnergyModelsGeography package will be dashed if it contains investment data (as can be seen in the example above from, i.e., Oslo to Bergen). A Node will have dashed edges if it contains investment data and the same for assosiated Links.
  8. The legend box of Resources shows an overview of all resources in case[:Products].
  9. The upper-left label indicates at which level of the topology you are at (top_level is an overview of all Areas).
Top left toolbar

The toolbar on top left of the window provides the following functionality:

  1. back: If currently in an area (opened by the open button, see below), navigate back to the Top level . This button has the keyboard shortcut MouseButton4 (or Esc). Note: This functionality only works when using the EnergyModelsGeography package, as in this example.
  2. open: Open an area by first selecting the area to open and then clicking this button. This button has the keyboard shortcut space. Opening an area can also be accomplished by double clicking the area icon. Note: This functionality only works when using the EnergyModelsGeography package, as in this example.
  3. align horz.: Align selected nodes/areas horizontally.
  4. align vert.: Align selected nodes/areas vertically.
  5. save: Save the coordinates of the Nodes/Areas to file (if there are multiple areas, a file for each area in addition to a file for the Top level). The location of these files can be assigned through the design_path input parameter to the GUI function (this feature has the shortcut ctrl+s).
  6. reset view: Reset the view to the optimal view based on the current system if the view has been altered (this feature has the shortcut ctrl+r).
  7. Exapnd all: Toggle this to show/hide all components of all Areas.
Top right text areas

The first text area (to the left) shows some tips of using the GUI by defult, but is temporarily changed upon a selection of an EMX object in which information of this object is shown. The second text area (to the right) shows result summary (if available). Note that both these areas are scrollable.

Middle left toolbar

The toolbar on middle left of the window provides the following functionality:

  1. Plot: Activate one of the three available plots:
    • Strategic: Strategic period plot
    • Representative: Representative period plot
    • Operational: Operational period plot
  2. Period: Menu for choosing a StrategicPeriod for a case.
  3. Representative period: Menu for choosing a RepresentativePeriod for a case.
  4. Scenario: Menu for choosing a Scenario for a case.
  5. Data: Select the available data to be visualized in the plot area to the bottom right (if a component is selected, the menu will update to contain the available data for this component).
Bottom right visualization area

The bottom right fraction of the window shows a visualization of the results associated with the selected available data. It will automatically adjust when altering the different periods/scenarios. Note that the axis limits for the differnt plots are saved individually for each plot if altered (otherwise the axis limits updates automatically) but can be reset by hitting the reset view button (see below).

  1. You can zoom into the plots by scrolling with the mouse wheel.
  2. Scrolling with the mouse wheel while holding in the x key will zoom in the x-direction and scrolling while holding the y key will zoom in the y-direction.
  3. Hovering plots shows the nearest data coordinate.
Bottom right toolbar

An additional toolbar on the bottom right is related to the plot area above and has the following functionality:

  1. reset view: Reset the view to the optimal view if the view has been altered.
  2. pin current data: Pin the latest plotted data, which enables comparing with other data in the same time type.
  3. remove selected data: After selecting a plot (left-click the line so it turns green), this button will remove it (the button has shortcut Delete). You can select multiple plots by holding the ctrl key while selecting.
  4. clear all: Removes all plots.
  5. Export: Choose which data to export.
    • All: all data (or entire window)
    • Plots: the current active plots
  6. Choose the export format (REPL prints the data to the REPL).
  7. export: Export the data using the chosen setup.