Iterations

If you have specified more than one value for a fixed field or a distribution parameter, an independent set of simulated cases - effectively, a separate simulation - is generated for each specified value. This allows you to investigate the effect of varying the field or parameter. Each set of simulated cases is referred to as an iteration. In the simulated data, the iterations are stacked up.

If the Create iteration field check box on the Advanced Options view of the Simulation Generate node dialog is selected, an iteration field is added to the simulated data as a nominal field with numeric storage. The name of this field can be edited by typing in the Name field on the Advanced Options view. This field contains a label which indicates to which iteration each simulated case belongs. The form of the labels depends on the type of iteration:

• Iterating a fixed field. The label is the name of the field, followed by an equals sign, followed by the value of the field for that iteration, that is

  field_name = field_value

• Iterating a distribution parameter. The label is the name of the field, followed by a colon, followed by the name of the iterated parameter, followed by an equals sign, followed by the value of the parameter for that iteration, that is

  field_name:parameter_name = parameter_value

• Iterating a distribution parameter for a categorical or range distribution. The label is the name of the field, followed by a colon, followed by "Iteration", followed by the iteration number, that is

  field_name: Iteration iteration_number