Opening SL4 solution files

Since GEMPACK Release 9.0, the SL4 files used to store solution files are actually a type of HAR file, which ViewHAR can open. However, the way in which the solution data is stored is not easy to read (it is designed only for use by GEMPACK programs).

ViewSOL is designed to display SL4 files more conveniently, but has one serious disadvantage: it will not display variables with 4 or more dimensions.

Since June 2009, ViewHAR has been adapted to display SL4 files in a more user friendly way, known as the "SOL view". This view is similar to that of ViewSOL, but shows higher-dimension variables.

However, compared to ViewSOL, ViewHAR's presentation of a solution has several limitations:

•you can only see one solution at once

•you cannot see solution Subtotals

•you cannot see which variables are exogenous

•you cannot see "levels" solution numbers

ViewHAR suppresses row and column totals when viewing percent change variables in SL4 files, as it makes no sense to add these values.

Variables are sorted alphabetically (the integer headers reflect the order in which variables appear in the model TAB file).

The Contents page contains a "<-100" column which counts, for percent change variables, how many values are less than -100. This may help you notice % change variables which changed sign. To discover exactly which elements changed sign, right-click the variable from the Contents screen and select the Properties option -- at the bottom of the Properties window, the [first 50] elements<-100 will be listed. The Properties window also tells if a variable is percent or ordinary change.

If you want to see SL4 data in its original form, use the File..Options dialog to uncheck the option Display SL4 files in SOL view.

If you save an SL4 file while in the SOL view:

•you will need to choose a new name, not using the SL4 suffix

•the saved file will contain the headers that you see, not the headers of the original SL4 file.

ViewHAR prevents you from saving files with SL4 suffix -- since usually such files are only generated by a model. If you do really need to modify and save SL4 data, work with a copy which has the HAR suffix.

For SAGEM solution files, ViewHAR will only show you the cumulative result column. If there is no cumulative result, ViewHAR gives an error message.

Warning: ViewHAR can only open SL4 files created with GEMPACK Release 9.0 or later. If you try to open an SL4 file made with an earlier GEMPACK version, you will probably get an error message like:

not a HAR SL4 file (might be an old-style, non-HAR, SL4 file)

However, ViewSOL can still open such files.

Fine print: Some of the "SOL view" viewing options (eg, no row/column totals, the "<-100" column in Contents) may be applied by ViewHAR to other HAR files if ViewHAR thinks that the files really contain %change results. Such behaviour is triggered if the first line in the File History starts with "#SolView". If the header long names end in "(c)" or "(p)" ViewHAR may infer that a variable is respectively an ordinary or percent change.

URL of this topic: www.copsmodels.com/webhelp/viewhar/hc_solview.htm

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