Use multiple subscripts in graphs.csv

[LSarribouette]

Hi,

I have successfully transformed my Vensim model into a running JavaScript app, but I had to simplify my model by suppressing multiple subscripts.

• Is it possible to use multiple subscripts in the graphs.csv file ?
• How many subscripts can I use to call variables to plot in the graphs.csv file ? We currently use up to 3 subscripts.
• Also, I see a label "vensim graph" in the .CSV file. Does it mean that plots built in vensim can be used directly ?

This does not work:

1,,Graphs,Pop,,,,line,,,,,,,,,,,,0,,,,,,,Pop[China,LV],,line,PopChina,blue,,,PopObs[China,LV],,dotted,PopObsChina,red,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

whereas this works fine:

1,,Graphs,Pop,,,,line,,,,,,,,,,,,0,,,,,,,Pop1[China],,line,PopChina,blue,,,PopObs1[China],,dotted,PopObsChina,red,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

with Pop1[China] = Pop[China,LV], defined in the .mdl model

[chrispcampbell]

Hi @LSarribouette,

Is it possible to use multiple subscripts in the graphs.csv file ?

Yes, the issue you're running into is that in the CSV format, when you have a cell that includes commas, you need to "escape" the text in that cell with double quotes. (See this SO answer about different escaping options.)

In your example, you'll need to use "Pop[China,LV]" and "PopObs[China,LV]" like this:

1,,Graphs,Pop,,,,line,,,,,,,,,,,,0,,,,,,,"Pop[China,LV]",,line,PopChina,blue,,,"PopObs[China,LV]",,dotted,PopObsChina,red,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Note that @sdeverywhere/plugin-config uses CSV format for config files because it's based on the build system for En-ROADS. CSV was chosen because it allows non-technical (and technical) users to configure the app using Excel (or OpenOffice or Pages or any tool that supports CSV), and those tools generally handle the escaping for you. The files are awkward to edit by hand in a text editor; you can do it as long as you're ready to deal with the CSV formatting gotchas. (The Rainbow CSV extension in VS Code can help.)

How many subscripts can I use to call variables to plot in the graphs.csv file ? We currently use up to 3 subscripts.

You can use up to 8 subscripts.

Also, I see a label "vensim graph" in the .CSV file. Does it mean that plots built in vensim can be used directly ?

Unfortunately, no. I should probably remove that column name because I see now that it can be confusing, and it's not actually used by plugin-config. The reason it exists is historical (from En-ROADS) where modelers would first build a rough draft of a graph in Vensim, and then would note that in the CSV file for others to translate it into a polished graph for the app.

[LSarribouette]

Thank you very much for your answer!