Variable Sampling Method

Units:	-
Mode:	Input Only
Multi-band:	False
Default Value:	1
Validation Rule:	In (0,1,2)
Key Property:	No
Description:	Sampling method applied to the variable

Variable Sampling Method controls how samples are created for the variable. It can take the following values:

None (Value = 0)

Only the band 1 Profile will be used without stochastic modification.

Auto (Value = 1)

Random samples will be generated as described in the Variable topic. The number of samples generated is Risk Sample Count.

User ( Value = 2)

Each input Profile band forms one sample in order i.e. band 1 is sample 1, band 2 is sample 2, etc. These can be read from a Data File.

The last option is advanced. It can be used to read predefined sample data into the Variable without further random modification. For example, assume you have outage data (Generator Units Out) defined in a Data File as follows:

           Year    Month    Day    Period    1    2    3    4    5
 2003    7    1    4    0    0    0    0    0
 2003    7    1    5    0    0    0    1    0
 2003    7    1    6    1    0    0    0    0
 2003    7    1    7    0    0    0    0    0
 2003    7    1    8    0    0    0    0    0
 2003    7    1    9    0    0    1    0    0
 2003    7    1    10    0    0    0    1    0 

        

NOTE: This file format is "Bands in Columns" and is described in Text File Formats.

These data can be read into a Variable object as follows:

Property	Value	Data File	Units	Band
Sampling Method	User
Profile	0	OUTAGES	-	200

Here the Data File points to the following:

Data File	Property	Value	Filename	Units	Band
OUTAGES	Filename	0	Outages\Units Out.csv	-	200

The Variable is then attached to the Generator Units Out property:

Property	Value	Data File	Units	Band	Date From	Date To	Timeslice	Action	Expression
Units Out	0		-	1				=	My Variable

NOTE: If you have several Generator objects in the same data Data File, i.e. you are using "Named Bands in Columns" format, then create one Variable object for each Generator and name it the same as the Generator so that the data will be found in the file. Only one Data File is required in this instance.