21 Mar 2014 – APSIM 7.6 Release Notes
21st March 2014
SWIM 3 included
Swim version 2 has been in APSIM for many years, however various elements of it’s complex parameterisation have precluded it from incorporation into the GUI. Swim version 3 has been developed from V2. The approach taken in V3 enables SWIM3 to run using properties as provided in the APSoil database. This model was meant to be released in APSIM 7.5 but a key .dll file was missing. That has been fixed.
New Oil Palm module
The APSIM-Oil Palm model simulates the growth, frond development and bunch dynamics of oil palm and the water, carbon and nitrogen cycling within a plantation. The model also provides a simple capability for simulating an understory cover crop.
New RLink module
An RLink module has been added that links the apsim framework to the R dll. The RLink module is a pluggable component that provides users with the ability to write R script.
Defects fixed for non-admin users
When APSIM 7.5 was run on a computer where the user didn’t have administrative privileges, the user interface would produce errors when toolboxes were selected. This has now been fixed.
Changed “Run on Cluster” form
The Apsim Initiative computing cluster has been upgraded and several things have changed. The pool is accessible via the internet The condor version is now 8.0.6. There are now 64 bit Linux and Windows execute nodes in the pool (it was all 32bit windows). To use it, open the ApsimUI to submit a job via the “run on cluster” button. Enter your username/password. Later on, open ftp://: @apsrunet.apsim.info: and look for an .out.zip file. More detail is in the documentation.
Changes to “user_defined” tillage
The SurfaceOM and Soilwat modules treat arguments to the tillage event slightly differently. Both modules accept an optional “type” parameter that can be used as a key in a lookup table of tillage parameters. To now, if this key was defined and had an entry in the table, then the optional parameters (f_incorp, cn_red etc) were used as overides if they were defined. Using structures in these events instead of ApsimVariants loses the ability to define optional parameters. So now, if the key is defined, it must specify a valid section in the table, or the special key “user_defined” which will skip reading the table, and the module will use whatever parameters the user specifies. Any parameter that isnt defined it is either zero or blank. .NET and CI2 modules that use structures (cf. ApsimVariant) to pass the message have no way to specify optional parameters, and are unaffected.
Improvements to user interface factorials
Factorials in APSIM 7.6 are now more flexible. A list of weather files or station numbers can now be provided in a grid, making it easier to specify a large number of files or numbers. In addition, Initial Water components can be part of a factorial.