Pramod Parajuli

Simulation and Modeling, CS-331

Chapter 11
Introduction to GPSS

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General Description

- Blocks Æ activities
- Lines Æ sequence of activities
- For a choice, more than one line leaves a
block and the condition for the choice is stated
at the block
- Entities move through the system e.g.
messages in a communication system, motor
vehicles in transportation ..
Block
- Name of block

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- Set of data fields (A,B, C, …)

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General Description

Resources
GPSS Entities Expressions Queues
Block statements Logic Switches Storages
Reports Plot Data streams
Savevalue Tables User chains
Math libraries (RNGs, Statistical Analysis, etc.)

GPSS Entities
Transaction Block
Facility Function
Logic switch Matrix
Queue Storage
Save value Table

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User chain Variable

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Numeric group Transaction group

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General Description

GPSS – Basic commands

CLEAR reset statistics and remove transaction
CONTINUE resume the simulation
EXIT end the GPSS world session
HALT stop the simulation and delete all queued commands
INCLUDE read and translate a secondary model file
INTEGRATE automatically integrate a time differential in a use variable
REPORT set the name of the report file or request an immediate report
RESET reset the statistics of the simulation
SHOW evaluate and display expression
START set the termination count and begin a simulation
STEP attempt a limited number of block entities
STOP set a stop condition based on block entry attempts
STORAGE define a storage entity

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TABLE define a table entity

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VARIABLE define a variable entity

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General Description

GPSS – Blocks

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General Description

GPSS – Blocks
- GPSS block diagram consists of many blocks
- An identification number called a ‘location’ is given to each
block
- Movement of transactions is usually from one block to the block
with the next highest location
- Blocks can be given names for the identification if required

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Transaction

- Transaction move from block to block

- Transaction attempting block to block is called ‘active
transaction’
- If a transaction fails to find favorable conditions while
entering a block, it may come to rest. Then, another
transaction is chosen to begin
- Transactions are numbered sequentially throughout a
session starting with 1
- CLEAR statement begins the numbering of transaction at
1
- Behavior of transaction is determined by its attributes;
GPSS World Reference Manual – Chapter 4 (r4.html), page 3

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- ASSIGN, MARK, TRANSFER SUB, SELECT, SPLIT, COUNT

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blocks create a transaction parameter

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Transaction

Active transaction
- Active transaction go as far as it can
- When it can not move further, another transaction is chosen to
be active
- There can be no more than one active transaction

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GPSS Blocks
ADVANCE
An ADVANCE Block delays the progress of a Transaction for a
specified amount of simulated time.

ADVANCE A,B
Operands
A - The mean time increment. Required. The operand must be Name,
Number, String, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA or SNA*Parameter.
B - The time half-range or, if a function, the function modifier. Optional.
The operand must be Null, Name, Number, String,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example
ADVANCE 101.6, 50.3

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This example creates a Block which chooses a random number between

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51.3 and 151.9, inclusively (i.e. 101.6 plus or minus 50.3), and
delays the entering Transaction that amount of simulated time. 9

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GPSS Blocks
ASSIGN
ASSIGN Blocks are used to place or modify a value in a
Transaction Parameter.
ASSIGN A,B,C
Operands
A - Parameter number of the Active Transaction. Required.
The operand must be Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression,
SNA, or SNA*Parameter, followed by +, -, or Null.
B - Value. Required. the operand must be Name, Number, String,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
C - Function number. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name,
PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA or SNA*Parameter.

Examples
ASSIGN 2000, 150.6

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This is the simplest way to use the ASSIGN Block. The value 150.6 is assigned to

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Parameter number 2000 of the entering Transaction. If no such Parameter

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exists, it is created.

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GPSS Blocks

DEPART
A DEPART Block registers statistics which indicate a reduction
in the content of a Queue Entity.
DEPART A,B
Operands
A - Queue Entity name or number. Required. The
operand must be Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression,
SNA or SNA*Parameter.
B - Number of units by which to decrease content of the Queue Entity.
Default value is 1. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name,
PosInteger, String, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
Example
DEPART WaitingLine

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In this example the content of the Queue Entity named WaitingLine is reduced by

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one and the associated statistics accumulators are updated.

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GPSS Blocks
ENTER
When a Transaction attempts to enter an ENTER Block, it either takes or
waits for a specified number of storage units.
ENTER A,B
Operands
A - Storage Entity name or number. Required. The operand
must be Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA or
SNA*Parameter.
B - Number of units by which to decrease the available storage capacity. Default
value is 1. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example
ENTER Toolkit, 2
In this example the Active Transaction demands 2 storage units from the storage

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units available at the Storage Entity named Toolkit. If there are not enough storage

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units remaining in the Storage Entity, the Transaction comes to rest on the Delay

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Chain of the Storage Entity.

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GPSS Blocks
GATE
A GATE Block alters Transaction flow based on the state of an entity.
GATE O A,B
Operands
O - Conditional operator. Condition required of entity to be tested
for successful test. Required. The operator must be FNV, FV, I, LS,
LR, M, NI, NM, NU, SE, SF, SNE, SNF, SNV, SV, or U.
A - Entity name or number to be tested. The entity type is implied
by the conditional operator. Required. The operand must be Name,
PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
B - Destination Block number when test is unsuccessful. Optional. The operand
must be Null, Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA,
SNA*Parameter.
Examples
GATE SNF MotorPool

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In this example of a "Refuse Mode" GATE Block, the Active Transaction enters the GATE

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Block if the Storage Entity named MotorPool is not full (i. e. if at least 1 unit of

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storage is available). If the Storage is full, the Active Transaction is blocked until 1 or
more storage units become available.

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GPSS Blocks
GENERATE
A GENERATE Block creates Transactions for future entry into the simulation.
GENERATE A,B,C,D,E
Operands
A - Mean inter generation time. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name,
Number, String, ParenthesizedExpression, or DirectSNA. You may not use Transaction
Parameters.
B - Inter generation time half-range or Function Modifier. Optional. The operand must be Null,
Name, Number, String, ParenthesizedExpression, or DirectSNA. You may not use Transaction
Parameters.
C - Start delay time. Time increment for the first Transaction. Optional. The operand must be Null,
Name, Number, String, ParenthesizedExpression, or DirectSNA. You may not use Transaction
Parameters.
D - Creation limit. The default is no limit. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger,
String, ParenthesizedExpression, or DirectSNA. You may not use Transaction Parameters.
E - Priority level. Optional. Zero is the default. The operand must be Null, Name, integer, String,
ParenthesizedExpression, or DirectSNA. You may not use Transaction Parameters.

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Example

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GENERATE 0.1

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This is the simplest way to use the GENERATE Block. This Block causes a priority zero Transaction to
enter the simulation every tenth of a time unit.

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GPSS Blocks

LEAVE
A LEAVE Block increases the accessible storage units at a
Storage Entity.
LEAVE A,B
Operands
A - Storage Entity name or number. Required. The operand
must be Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or
SNA*Parameter.
B - Number of storage units. The default is 1. Optional. The operand must be Null,
Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example
LEAVE RepairMen,10

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In this example, when a Transaction enters the LEAVE Block, the available storage

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units at the Storage Entity named RepairMen is increased by 10.

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GPSS Blocks
LINK
A LINK Block controls the placement of the Active Transaction on the User Chain
of a Userchain Entity.
LINK A,B,C
Operands
A - Userchain number. The Userchain Entity which may receive the entering
Transaction. Required. The operand must be Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
B - Chain ordering. The placement of new Transactions on the Userchain. Required. The operand must be
LIFO, FIFO, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
C - Next Block location. The destination Block for Transactions which find the Link Indicator of the
Userchain in the off state (reset). Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA or SNA*Parameter.

Example
LINK OnHold,FIFO
In this example, the Active Transaction is placed at the end of the User Chain Entity named OnHold. It is
removed from all chains except Transaction Groups and Interrupt Chains. In other words,

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preemptions are not cleared. The Transaction remains on the User Chain until some other

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Transaction enters an UNLINK Block and specifically removes it. In the present example, the
Transaction is placed at the end of the User Chain named OnHold.

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GPSS Blocks

LOGIC
A LOGIC Block changes the state of a Logicswitch entity.
LOGIC O A
Operands
O - Logic operator. Required. The operator must be S, R,
or I.
A - Logicswitch Entity number. Required. The operand
must be Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or
SNA*Parameter.

Example
LOGIC S PowerSwitch

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In this example, the Logicswitch Entity named PowerSwitch is left in the true or

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"set" state.

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GPSS Blocks
MARK
A MARK Block places an absolute clock time stamp into the Active
Transaction or into its Parameter.
MARK A
Operand
A - Parameter number. Parameter to receive value of system clock.
Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Examples
MARK Beginning
In this example, when a Transaction enters the MARK Block, its Transaction Parameter
named Beginning is given a value equal to the value of the absolute system clock,
AC1.

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MARK

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In this example, when a Transaction enters the MARK Block, its Mark Time is set equal to
the value of the absolute system clock.

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GPSS Blocks

PRIORITY
A PRIORITY Block sets the priority of the Active Transaction.
PRIORITY A,B
Operands
A - New priority value. Required. The operand must be Name,
integer, String, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
B - Buffer option. Places Active Transaction behind priority peers on CEC.
Optional. The operand must be BU or Null.

Example
PRIORITY 10
In this example any entering Transaction is made to have a priority of 10.

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GPSS Blocks

QUEUE
A QUEUE Block updates Queue Entity statistics to reflect an
increase in content.
QUEUE A,B
Operands
A - Queue Entity name or number. Required. The operand
must be Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or
SNA*Parameter.
B - Number of units by which to increase the content of the Queue Entity. Default
value is 1. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example

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QUEUE WaitingLine

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In this example the content of the Queue Entity named WaitingLine is increased
by one and the associated statistics accumulators are updated.

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GPSS Blocks

RELEASE
A RELEASE Block releases ownership of a Facility, or removes
a preempted Transaction from contention for a Facility.
RELEASE A
Operand
A - Facility number. Required. The operand must be Name,
PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example
RELEASE Teller1
In this example, when a Transaction which owns the Facility Entity named Teller1
enters the RELEASE Block, it gives up ownership to the Facility.

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GPSS Blocks
SAVEVALUE
A SAVEVALUE Block changes the value of a Savevalue Entity.
SAVEVALUE A,B
Operands
A - Savevalue Entity number. Required. May be followed by + or - to
indicate addition or subtraction to existing value. Required. The
operand must be Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or
SNA*Parameter, followed by +, -, or Null.
B - The value to be stored, added, or subtracted. Required. The operand must be Name,
Number, String, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Examples
SAVEVALUE Account,99.95
In this example, the Savevalue Entity named Account takes on the value 99.95.
SAVEVALUE The_Bard,"A rose by any other name ..."

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In this example, the Savevalue Entity named The_Bard is assigned a string. If the Savevalue

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Entity does not exist, it is created.

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GPSS Blocks
SEIZE
When the Active Transaction attempts to enter a SEIZE Block, it waits for
or acquires ownership of a Facility Entity.

SEIZE A
Operand
A - Facility name or number. Required. The operand must be Name,
PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example
SEIZE Teller1

In this example, when a Transaction attempts to enter the SEIZE Block, the state of the
Facility named Teller1 is tested. If it is idle, ownership is given to the Active
Transaction, which is allowed to enter the SEIZE Block and proceed to the Next

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Sequential Block (NSB). If the Facility is busy (owned), the Active Transaction comes

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to rest on the Delay Chain of the Facility.

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GPSS Blocks

TABULATE
A TABULATE Block triggers the collection of a data item in a Table Entity.
TABULATE A,B
Operands
A - Table Entity name or number. Required. The operand must be Name,
PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
B - Weighting factor. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, Number,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example
TABULATE Sales

When a Transaction enters this TABULATE Block, the Table Entity named Sales is found.
Sales must have been defined in a TABLE Command. Then the statistics associated

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with the table are updated with no weighting.

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GPSS Blocks

TERMINATE
A TERMINATE Block removes the Active Transaction from the
simulation and optionally reduces the Termination Count.
TERMINATE A
Operand
A - Termination Count decrement. Default is 0. Optional. The
operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression,
SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

Example
TERMINATE 1
In this example, when a Transaction enters the TERMINATE Block it is removed
from the simulation. Also, the Termination Count of the simulation, which is

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set by a START Command is decremented by 1.

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GPSS Blocks
TEST
A TEST Block compares values, normally SNAs, and controls the destination of the
Active Transaction based on the result of the comparison.
TEST O A,B,C
Operands
O - Relational operator. Relationship of Operand A to Operand B for a successful
test. Required. The operator must be E, G, GE, L, LE, or NE.

A - Test value. Required. The operand must be Name, Number, String,

ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
B - Reference value. Required. The operand must be Name, Number, String, ParenthesizedExpression,
SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
C - Destination Block number. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
Example
TEST G C1, 70000

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In this example of a "Refuse Mode" TEST Block, the Active Transaction enters the

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TEST Block if the relative system clock value is greater than 70000.
Otherwise, the Transaction is blocked until the test is true.

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GPSS Blocks
TRANSFER
A TRANSFER Block causes the Active Transaction to jump to a new Block
location.
TRANSFER A,B,C,D
Operands
A - Transfer Block mode. Described below. Optional. The operand must
be BOTH, ALL, PICK, FN, P, SBR, SIM, fraction, Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, SNA*Parameter, or Null.
B - Block number or location. Parameter name or number when in P Mode. Optional. The
operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or
SNA*Parameter.
C - Block number or location. Increment value in FN or P Mode. Optional. The operand must
be Null, Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
D - Block number increment for ALL Mode. Default is 1. Optional. The operand must be Null,
Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

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Example:

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Look into the modes.

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GPSS Blocks
UNLINK
An UNLINK Block removes Transactions from the User Chain of a Userchain Entity.
UNLINK O A,B,C,D,E,F
Operands
O - Relational operator. Relationship of D to E for removal to occur. These choices are
explained below. Optional. The operator must be Null, E, G, GE, L, LE or NE.
A - User Chain number. User Chain from which one or more Transactions will be removed. Required. The operand must be
Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
B - Block number. The destination Block for removed Transactions. Required. The operand must be Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
C - Removal limit. The maximum number of Transactions to be removed. If not specified, ALL is used. Optional. The
operand must be ALL, Null, Name, PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
D - Test value. The member Transaction Parameter name or number to be tested, a Boolean variable to be tested, or BACK
to remove from the tail of the chain. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name, PosInteger,
ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, SNA*Parameter or BACK.
E - Reference value. The value against which the D Operand is compared. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name,
Number, String, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter. Operand E is not used if Operand D is a
Boolean Variable.
F - Block number. The alternate destination for the entering Transaction. Optional. The operand must be Null, Name,
PosInteger, ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.

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Example

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UNLINK OnHold,Reentry,1
This is the simplest way to use the UNLINK Block. The first Transaction at the head of the Userchain Entity named OnHold,
if any, is taken off the chain and is directed to the Block labeled Reentry. It is put on the CEC behind Transactions

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GPSS Control Statements

CLEAR
A CLEAR Command returns the simulation to the unused
state.
CLEAR A
Operand
A - ON or OFF. If the A Operand is omitted, ON is
assumed. Optional. The operand must be ON, OFF or
Null.
END
The ENDControl Statement has been replaced by EXIT, which
can terminate a Session. END is now a keyword in the
PLUS Language.

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GPSS Control Statements
FUNCTION

A FUNCTION Command defines the rules for a table lookup.

There are several types of Function Entities. Each has its own rules pertaining to the table
lookup. For each, the lookup table is specified in one or more Function Follower
Statements. Type C Functions are a special case. They use a table lookup, followed
by a linear interpolation.
The use of Function Commands to define probability distributions has been largely
supplanted by the built-in distributions in the Procedure Library. This is discussed in
Chapter 8. The old Function Types are still supported by GPSS World.

NAME FUNCTION A,B

Label / Operands

NAME - Entity Label this entity. Required. The field must be Name.

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A - Function argument. Required. The operand must be Name, PosInteger, String,

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ParenthesizedExpression, SNA, or SNA*Parameter.
B - Function type (one letter) followed immediately by the number of data pairs in the

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Function Follower Statements. Required. 30
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GPSS Control Statements

INITIAL
An INITIAL Command initializes a Matrix Entity, a Logicswitch Entity, Savevalue
Entity, or an element of a Matrix Entity.

INITIAL A,B
Operands

A - Logicswitch, Savevalue, or Matrix element specified as SNA, or the

name of a Matrix Entity. Operand A must have the form of an LS, X,
or MX class SNA, or a Matrix Name. Required. The operand must be
Name, LSPosInteger, LS$Name, XPosInteger, X$Name,
MXPosInteger(m,n) or MX$ Name(m,n). Coordinates (m,n) must be
Name or PosInteger.

B - Value to be assigned, or “UNSPECIFIED” The default is 1. Optional.

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The operand must be Null, Number, String, Name, or UNSPECIFIED.

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GPSS Control Statements

RESET

A RESET Command marks the beginning of a measurement

period.
RESET
Operands
None.

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GPSS Control Statements

START
A START Command begins a simulation.

START A,B,C,D

Operands
A - Termination count. Required. The operand must be PosInteger.
B - Printout operand. NP for “no printout”. Default is to print a
standard report. Optional. The operand must be NP or Null.
C - Not used. Kept for compatibility with older dialects of GPSS.
D - Chain printout. 1 to include the CEC and FEC in the standard
report. Optional. The operand must be Null, or PosInteger.

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GPSS Control Statements

STORAGE
A STORAGE Command defines a Storage Entity.
NAME STORAGE A
Label / Operand

NAME - Entity Label for this entity. Required. The field must be
Name.
A - Total storage capacity. Required. The operand must be
PosInteger.
Example
MotorPool STORAGE 20
This Command defines a Storage Entity named MotorPool with a total
capacity of 20 units.

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Note: Storage name must be defined before the simulation program and

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name of storage must start with 3 alphabets.
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GPSS Control Statements

TABLE
A TABLE Command initializes a frequency distribution table.

NAME TABLE A,B,C,D

Label / Operands
NAME - Entity Label for this entity. Required. The field must be Name. The length
of a Table name is limited to 32 characters.
A - Table argument. The data item whose frequency distribution is to be
tabulated. Optional. The operand must be Name, Number, String,
ParenthesizedExpression, or SNA. Ignored by ANOVA, but must be specified
when used by TABULATE Blocks.
B - Upper limit of first frequency class. The maximum argument which causes the
first frequency class to be updated. Required. The operand must be Number
or String.
C - Size of frequency classes. The difference between the upper limit and lower

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limit of each frequency class. Required. The operand must be Number or

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String.
D - Number of frequency classes. Required. The operand must be PosInteger.

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Entities

Transaction entities:
GENERATE, SPLIT, TRANSFER, TERMINATE ..

Facilities entities:
SEIZE, RELEASE ..

Queue entities:
QUEUE, DEPART

Storage entities:
ENTER, LEAVE

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Action Times

• An interval of time is called an action time

• Represented by an integral number
• All times are in terms of same unit

• GENERATE and ADVANCE blocks employ action times

• GENERATE block controls the interval between
successive arrivals of transaction
• ADVANCE is concerned with representation of the
expenditure of time
• Action time may be fixed interval or a random variable
• Action time is defined by giving mean (A) and a

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function modifier (B)

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• If ‘B’ is zero, the action time is constant equal to the

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Action Times

• The modifier can be specified as a function that

controls the action time
• The action time is derived by multiplying the mean by
the value of the function
• Function might take various parameters

• As seen already, GENERATE block begins creating

transactions from zero time and continues
• The ‘C’ field can be used to specify an offset time as the
time when the first transaction will arrive (Ref. 14)
• Transactions have priority level and they can carry items
of data called parameters

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• ‘E’ field determines the priority of the transaction

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Action Times

• The parameters can exist in four formats

– Signed integers of fullword
– Signed integers of halfword
– Signed integers of byte
– Signed floating-point numbers
• If not specified, the program creates transactions with 12
halfword parameters.

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Succession of Events

• The program maintains records of when each transaction

in the system is due to move
• If more than one transaction due to move, transactions
are processed according to their priority
• If same priority, then first-come, or first-served basis is
applied
• No time is spent to enter into ADVANCE block
• If the transaction can not enter a block due to some
conditions, it is monitored and;
– Another transaction is started from that point or,
– It enters TERMINATE block and it is removed from the simualtion
or,

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– It is kept on a chain

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• When processing of a transaction is finished, the

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Choice of Paths

• TRANSFER block allows some other location than the

next sequential location to be selected
• The choice between two blocks is referred to as next
blocks A and B
• The selection factor in field A of TRANSFER block
guides the selection
• It can be set to indicate one of nine choices (coming..)
• Next blocks ‘A’ and ‘B’ are placed in fields ‘B’ and ‘C’
• If no choice, the selection factor is left blank
• Random choice can be set by using selection factor ‘S’
• Probability of selecting ‘A’ is then ‘1-S’ and next block ‘B’
is ‘S’

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• Setting field ‘A’ to BOTH, allows a transaction to select
an alternate path depending upon existing conditions.41

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Choice of Paths

• If move is possible, transaction goes to A otherwise to B

• If both are impossible, transaction waits for the first to
become possible, giving preference to A in the event of
simultaneity

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Facilities and Storages

• Facilities and Storages are permanent entities that

operates on the transactions
• Facility is defined as an entity that can be engaged by a
single transaction at a time
• Storage is defined as an entity that can be occupied by
many transactions at a time up to some predefined limit
• A transaction controlling a facility can be interrupted or
preempted by another transaction
• Both facilities and storages can be made unavailable if
the equipment they represent breaks down and made
available again if repaired
• Entities are numbered starting from 1

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Facilities and Storages

Example
Type of system Transaction Facility Storage
Communications Message Switch Trunk
Transportation Car Toll booth Road
Data processing Record Key punch Computer memory

In SEIZE, RELEASE, ENTER, LEAVE blocks, field ‘A’ indicates

which facility or storage is intended
• SEIZE block allows the transaction to engage a facility if
it is available
• The RELEASE block allows the transaction to disengage
the facility
• ENTER block allows a transaction to occupy space in

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storage

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• LEAVE block allows it to give up the space

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Facilities and Storages

Example
GENERATE 5
SEIZE 1 Sample program - 2
ADVANCE 4,3
RELEASE 1 Using facility only
TRANSFER 0.1,ACC,REJ
ACC TERMINATE 1 Get one inspector
REJ TERMINATE 1

myStorage STORAGE 3

Beg GENERATE 5 Sample program - 3

ENTER myStorage
ADVANCE 12,9 Using storage
LEAVE myStorage
TRANSFER 0.1,ACC,REJ Get three inspectors

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ACC TERMINATE 1

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REJ TERMINATE 1

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Gathering Statistics

• Some blocks are used to gather statistics

• E.g. QUEUE, DEPART, MARK, TABULATE
• These blocks introduce two other entities, queues and
tables
• When conditions are not favorable to enter a block,
transactions may be kept waiting at a block. When
conditions are favorable, they are allowed to move on
• QUEUE block increases and DEPART block decreases the
queue numbered in field ‘A’
• If field B is blank, the change is a unit change otherwise
the value of field B
• The program measures average and maximum queue

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lengths, distribution of time spent on the queue etc.

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Gathering Statistics

• To measure the length of time taken by transactions to

move through the system or part of the system, MARK
and TABULATE blocks are used.
• MARK block notes the time of arrival on the transaction
• TABULATE block subtracts the time noted by a MARK
block from the time of arrival at TABULATE block
• The time, ‘transit time’, is entered in a table whose
number or name is indicated in field ‘A’ of TABULATE
block
• If transaction entering a TABULATE block has not passed
through a MARK block, the transit time is derived by
using as a base the time at which the transaction was

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• Therefore, MARK block can be considered to reset the

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Gathering Statistics

Example
myStorage STORAGE 3
myTable TABLE M1,5,5,10

Beg GENERATE 5
QUEUE 1 TABLE A,B,C,D
ENTER myStorage
A = transit time tabulation
DEPART 1
MARK B = lower limit of the table
ADVANCE 12,9
C = tabulation interval size
LEAVE myStorage
TABULATE myTable D = no. of intervals
TRANSFER 0.1,ACC,REJ

ACC TERMINATE 1
REJ TERMINATE 1

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Conditional Transfers

• TRANSFER block – conditional, and unconditional

myTable TABLE M1,5,5,10
Beg GENERATE 5
ADVANCE 2 Gordon – 215
TRANSFER
Explain
BOTH,,CONV1
SEIZE 1
ADVANCE 12,9
RELEASE 1
TAB TABULATE myTable
TERMINATE 1 CONV2 ADVANCE 2
TRANSFER
CONV1 ADVANCE 2 BOTH,,CONV2
TRANSFER SEIZE 3
BOTH,,CONV2 ADVANCE 12,9
SEIZE 2 RELEASE 3

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ADVANCE 12,9 TRANSFER ,TAB

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RELEASE 2

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TRANSFER ,TAB CONV3 TERMINATE

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Program Control Statements

CLEAR - wipe out statistics and transactions. Re-run starts

simulation from beginning. But do not reset random
number generator seeds
RESET – clears the statistics gathered, reset relative clock
START – continues with previous statistics if not wiped out

START
CLEAR
START

Given sequence of statements run the same simulation twice

but the second run would use a different set of random
numbers

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JOB – instructs the program to wipe out all preceding model
and proceed with the following problem

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Program Control Statements

JOB – resets the random number seeds so each simulation

finds the program in exactly the same form as does the
first problem

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Reports

Title

GPSS World Simulation Report - SAMPLE9.1.1

Tuesday June 6, 2000 13:20:07

The title line of the standard report is taken from the

name of the Model File that produced the report.
The Date and Time of the running of the model

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is also included.

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Reports

General Information
START TIME END TIME BLOCKS FACILITIES STORAGES
0.000 11359.609 32 3 1

START TIME. The absolute system clock at the beginning of the

measurement period. Utilizations and space-time products are based
on the START TIME. The START TIME is set equal to the absolute
system clock by a RESET or CLEAR statement.
END TIME. The absolute clock time that the termination count became 0.
BLOCKS. The number of Block entities in the simulation at the end of the
simulation.
FACILITIES. The number of Facility entities in the simulation at the end of
the simulation.

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STORAGES. The number of Storage entities in the simulation at the end of

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the simulation.

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Reports

Names

NAME VALUE
ADDUP 10007.000
CHAIN1 10012.000
COLLECT 10017.000

· NAME. User assigned names used in your GPSS World

model since the last Translation.

· VALUE. The numeric value assigned to the name. System

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assigned numbers start at 10000.

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Reports

Blocks
LABEL LOC BLOCK TYPE ENTRY COUNT CURRENT-COUNT RETRY
1 GENERATE 61 1 0
2 JOIN 60 0 0
3 JOIN 60 0 0
.. .. .. . .
11 LINK 51 0 0
NXTBLK 12 SEIZE 51 0 0

LABEL. Alphanumeric name of this Block if given one.

LOC. Numerical position of this Block in the model. “Location”.
BLOCK TYPE. The GPSS Block name.
ENTRY COUNT. The number of Transactions to enter this Block since the last RESET
or CLEAR statement or since the last Translation.

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CURRENT COUNT. The number of Transactions in this Block at the end of the

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RETRY. The number of Transactions waiting for a specific condition depending on the

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Reports

Refer to Chapter – 11 of ‘Reference Manual’

For

Facilities Queues Storages

Tables and Qtables Userchains Transaction Groups
Numeric Groups Logic Switches Savevalues
Matrix Entities
The Current Events Chain
The Future Events Chain

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