A User Input (

) for a feature or property becomes a data storage editable by the user for the corresponding instance in the Model Builder (see
User Inputs for an overview).
To add a User Input, first add a feature node, for example, a
Generic Feature,
Domain Condition, or
Device Model Feature, then:
The Settings window of a user input contains the following sections:
In the Declaration section you specify the name of the parameter in the
Input name field. The description, symbol, and physical quantity of the user input works identical to variable declaration; see
Variable Declaration and
Dependent Variable Declaration.
The dimension and default value of the user input is a bit different compared to variables. For scalars, vectors, and matrices you set the desired dimension in the Dimension list. Use the
Single array type for the
Array type list, which also is the default. When you need user inputs that are vectors of vectors, or vector of matrices, choose
Double in the
Array type list. You can then choose the outer dimension with the
Outer dimension list and the inner dimension with the
Inner dimension list. The
Inner dimension list is identical to the
Dimension list, but the
Outer dimension list has fewer options. For all double-array user inputs, the default value refers to the inner dimension and fills up the outer dimension with identical defaults.
When the user input is a scalar, there is an option to define a set of allowed values. In the Allowed values list, you can choose
Any or
From list. If you choose
From list, a table shows up that you can fill the with allowed values. The
Default value list only contains the values entered in the
Allowed values list. If you choose
Any in the
Allowed values list, you specify the default in the
Default value field.
User inputs of the type Boolean is a special case of a scalar with two allowed values, internally represented with
0 and
1. The obvious control type for this user input is a check box that either can be cleared (
0) or selected (
1). To make the check box selected by default, select the
Default selected check box.
In the Allowed space dimensions list you can define what space dimensions this particular user input can be used in. The option
Same as parent (the default option) means that the user input supports the same space dimensions as the parent feature or property. If you want to control the space dimensions manually, choose
Customized from the list. You can then select the allowed space dimensions from a list of all space dimensions.
This section contains advanced options that you do not have to change in most cases. In the Input base vector system list, you can override the input base vector system specified by the parent (for example, a feature or property) by choosing something else than the default option
Same as parent. See
Using Coordinate Systems and
Transformation Between Coordinate Systems for more information about selecting base vector systems.
If you want the user input to disappear when it is inactive, select the Hide user input in GUI when inactive check box. Select the
Show no description check box to hide the text label containing the description above the GUI component of the user input. Similarly, you can hide the symbol from the GUI by selecting the
Show no symbol check box. As a final option, it is possible to add a divider above the GUI component and any description text label. The divider is a horizontal line with an optional descriptive text. Select the
Add divider above the user input check box to add the divider. When selected, you can enter the divider text in the
Text field.