Input File Format

Data analysis tools usually work with data stored in a spreadsheet format, such as comma-separated values or csv files. However, when the number of data entries per combination is more than one, storing such data is not possible in just one spreadsheet in a standard way. Hence, Vismon accepts a special input file format that solves this problem. Any data should be converted to that format to be read by Vismon.

INPUT FILE DESCRIPTION
The definition is as follows. Note that only the cases starting with - should be in the input file.
-- HEADER --

    - Name of the data set
    - LF (Line Feed, or new line)
    - Number of management options
    - LF
    

    For each management option,
        - Name of the management option
        - LF
        - Number of values of the management option
        - LF
    

        - Number of indicators
        - LF
    If the indicators have an underlying data structure, such as "3x4", you should indicate it in the data file as,
        - Number of rows
        - LF
        - Number of columns
        - LF
    (If there is no structure, specify the structure as having 1 row, and n (= number of indicators) columns.)
    

    For each indicator,
        - Name of the indicator
        - LF
        - Short name of the indicator
        - LF
        - Unit of the indicator (such as K or %)
        - LF
        If the highest values of the indicator are prefrable,
            - max
            - LF
        Otherwise,
            - min
            - LF
    

    - Number of simulation outputs
    - LF
    

-- MANAGEMENT OPTION VALUES --

    For each management option (with the same order as above),
        - Values of the management option separated by LF's
    

-- INDICATOR VALUES --

    For each management option combination,
        - Values of simulation output separated by LF's
    

EXAMPLE:
Suppose the user has a data set with 2 management options, Escapement target, and Harvest rate, each having 4 values. Escapement target has values 0, 100, 200, and 300; Harvest rate has values 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00. The data set contains 2 indicators, Average escapement, and Average subsistence catch. For each management option combination there are 2 simulation values. The indicator value are as follows:

Escapement target	Harvest rate	Average escapement	Temporal CV of escapement
0	0.25	10.1, 10.5	500.1, 500.5
100	0.25	20.1, 20.5	500.2, 500.6
200	0.25	30.1, 30.5	500.3, 500.7
300	0.25	40.1, 40.5	500.4, 500.8
0	0.50	10.2, 10.6	600.1, 600.5
100	0.50	20.2, 20.6	600.2, 600.6
200	0.50	30.2, 30.6	600.3, 600.7
300	0.50	40.2, 40.6	600.4, 600.8
0	0.75	10.3, 10.7	700.1, 700.5
100	0.75	20.3, 20.7	700.2, 700.6
200	0.75	30.3, 30.7	700.3, 700.7
300	0.75	40.3, 40.7	700.4, 700.8
0	1.00	10.4, 10.8	800.1, 800.5
100	1.00	20.4, 20.8	800.2, 800.6
200	1.00	30.4, 30.8	800.3, 800.7
300	1.00	40.4, 40.8	800.4, 800.8

The input file header is:

	Alaska (A03)
	2
	Escapement target
	4
	Harvest rate
	4
	2
	1
	2
	Average escapement
	Avg esc
	K
	max
	Temporal CV of escapement
	CV of esc
	%
	min
	2

Management option values are added to the input file as (in the same order as in the header):

	0
	100
	200
	300
	0.25
	0.50
	0.75
	1.00

For adding indicator values, the management option combinations are considered in this way:
'All' values of the first management option with the 'first' value of the second management option; 'all' values of the first management option with the 'second' value of the second management option; etc.
Therefore, the indicator values are added to the input file as:

        10.1
        10.5
        20.1
        20.5
        30.1
        30.5
        40.1
        40.5
        10.2
        10.6
        20.2
        20.6
        30.2
        30.6
        40.2
        40.6
        10.3
        10.7
        20.3
        20.7
        30.3
        30.7
        40.3
        40.7
        10.4
        10.8
        20.4
        20.8
        30.4
        30.8
        40.4
        40.8
        500.1
        500.5
        500.2
        500.6
        500.3
        500.7
        500.4
        500.8
        600.1
        600.5
        600.2
        600.6
        600.3
        600.7
        600.4
        600.8
        700.1
        700.5
        700.2
        700.6
        700.3
        700.7
        700.4
        700.8
        800.1
        800.5
        800.2
        800.6
        800.3
        800.7
        800.4
        800.8