Overview of GEMPACK

GEMPACK (General Equilibrium Modelling PACKage) is a collection of programs designed to solve economic models -- especially CGE (computable general equilibrium) models. Models are specified by TAB files -- these are text files written in GEMPACK's TABLO language. Each TAB file is processed by the TABLO program to produce a model-specific executable program (called "TABLO-generated programs"). Data for such programs (for example, input-output tables or elasticities) are usually stored in files called Header Array or HAR files. Simulation results are stored in SL4 files ( a special type of HAR file).

The original GEMPACK programs, all written in Fortran, are command-line programs with a non-graphical, "glass teletype" interface. They form the core of GEMPACK and are still used by veterans. They are portable between different operating systems. The chief programs are:

TABLO	translates TAB file into an executable program (or, optionally, into bytecode).
GEMSIM	an interpreter: executes bytecode versions of TABLO-generated programs.
MODHAR	translates text data into HAR file.
SEEHAR	translates HAR file into text.
SLTOHT	translates SL4 file into HAR or text formats

Since 1995, additional GEMPACK programs have been available, which only run on Windows PCs. These have a more modern graphical interface, and are written in Pascal [Delphi]. Most of these GEMPACK windows programs make some use of the core programs listed above: they are really "wrappers" or "shells" which provide a more convenient interface to the original GEMPACK programs. The main windows programs are:

Program	Description	Using other programs:
WinGEM	a portal to all the other GEMPACK programs, which guides the user through the stages of specifying a model, creating data files, and running simulations.	all
RunGEM	a convenient interface for running simulations and viewing results.	SLTOHT and others
TABmate	a text editor tailored to GEMPACK use	TABLO
AnalyseGE	used to analyse simulation results: presents an integrated view of input data, model equations, and results.	TABLO, SLTOHT and others
ViewHAR	used to view and modify HAR data files	none
ViewSOL	used to view simulation results in solution (SL4) files.	SLTOHT (for older SL4s)