# Speeding up Simfit and Simdem

     This file: speedup.txt

     Configuration options to speed up execution of Simfit and Simdem

     Summary

     The default configuration of Simfit uses many procedures designed to
     assist inexperienced users as follows.

     1) Checking the installation for missing or incorrectly specified files

     2) Giving an option to view data files before proceeding to open them
        for plotting or analysis

     3) Offering the possibility to type in data directly instead of by
        the usual file/clipboard methods

     4) Providing names of typical test files to indicate correct formatting

     5) Displaying messages to alert users to special features when programs
        are used for the first time.

     6) Showing warnings to double check that users really do want to exit
        from an advanced plot, and so lose any editing they may have done.

     Once users have become familiar with using Simfit, some of these procedures
     may prove tedious, as they slow down the process of loading and running
     Simfit. So options are provided to switch such features on or off as
     required to speed up Simfit.

     Experienced users who want to speed up data analysis should read
     about items 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, and maybe
     switch them off.

     Simfit only: Configuration options 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (0 = false, 1 = true)

     These options can be altered from the left hand check boxes on the main Simfit
     configuration control, and are only effective after re-loading Simfit.

     They can also be set using the speedup option after using the [Configure]
     button on the main Simfit task bar, followed by pressing the [Advanced] button
     on the main configuration control. After editing these options, the [Apply]
     button must be pressed to save the changes made.

     Once Simfit has been installed and configured properly it is
     recommended that you switch off these options, which will only be
     having the effect of slowing down the loading of Simfit.

     These options are not referenced by the Simdem package.

     Item 4: 0 ... silent start up
             1 ... display advisory messages on start up
             Set 1 for group use so that everybody gets a chance to
             appreciate the Simfit philosophy, but individual users
             will read the messages once then set 0 to switch off.
             To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0.

     Item 5: 0 ... no check for missing Simfit files
             1 ... display program file missing error messages
             The only reason to set 0 is to speed up initialisation,
             or where users know why certain files are missing.
             To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0.

     Item 6: 0 ... no check for running from the Simfit folder
             1 ... flag unsatisfactory simfit configuration
             This should be set to 1 as unpredictable results may occur
             when running from outside the Simfit folder. Expert users
             with several dedicated versions containing special editions
             of some Simfit programs may wish to have one remote driver
             to switch between installations, and could try setting 0.
             To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0.

     Item 7: 0 ... no check for missing auxiliaries
             1 ... check that user-specified programs exist
             Set 1 unless some files have been deleted or not specified
             because they are never going to be used.
             To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0.

     Item 8: 0 ... no check that PS-viewer/Ghostscript exists
             1 ... check that PS-viewer/Ghostscript exists
             Misguided users who do not appreciate the power of Simfit
             PostScript facilities and are content to just use Windows
             graphs (which, by the way, should always be png or enhanced
             metafiles, emf) may set 0 to switch off PostScript checking.
             It is a serious mistake not to install Ghostscript and a
             front end like GSview, as these provide many additional
             and powerful graphical procedures to Simfit users, even
             if PostScript printing is not available. Note that, with
             the GSview and Ghostscript packages installed, PostScript
             files can be printed on any printer.
             To speed up Simfit, advanced users should set this to 0.
             Linux/Wine users should switch off because ghostscript is
             a standard Linux program, and GSview is not required.

     Item 9: 0 ... no check that the PS-printer driver exists
             1 ... check that the PS-printer driver exists
             As for Item 8.

     Simfit and Simdem: Configuration options 31 to 36 (0 = false, 1 = true)

     These options can be adjusted after selecting the Advanced sub-item from the
     main Simfit configuration control.

     They can also be set using the speedup option after using the [Configure]
     button on the main Simfit task bar, followed by pressing the [Advanced] button
     on the main configuration control. After editing these options, the [Apply]
     button must be pressed to save the changes made.

     Switching off these options will dramatically speed up the running of
     Simfit by eliminating the need for many routine mouse clicks and menu
     selections. Changing the options has an immediate effect.

     However, it should be noted that these options apply globally. For this
     reason they should be switched on when using a new procedure, or one that
     you have not used recently, so that you obtaim maximum help in understanding
     the actions and file formats required before disabling the dedicated help.

     These options also function in the Simdem package

     Item 31: 0/1, provide the option to View/Open/Cancel each time a data
                   file is selected. Advanced users may wish to set this
                   to 0 to speed up data analysis.
                   This option can be very useful if you try to input a data
                   file that Simfit says it will not accept because it is
                   formatted incorrectly, because you can readily check
                   the formatting details.

     Item 32: 0/1, display all Windows-specific messages.
                   Advanced users should set this to 0.
                   Note that several warning messages are only meaningful
                   to the Windows Operating System and have no value under
                   Linux/Wine, where users should always set this to 0,
                   i.e. switch off

     Item 33: 0/1, display ... Now input a file formatted like *.* advice
                   each time a procedure is selected. Advanced users may
                   wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis.
                   This option merely gives you the name of a suitable
                   test file, and will simply be a nuisance once you know
                   the format required.

     Item 34: 0/1, provide the option to type in data values directly as an
                   alternative to using File/Clipboard. Advanced users may
                   wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis.
                   This option can often be very useful when several small data
                   sets are required, and it would be tedious to create numerous
                   small data sets, or repeatedly transfer values from a spreadsheet
                   using the clipboard. For instance, when analysing a set of 2 by
                   2 contingency tables by a chi-squared test, or when plotting
                   simple bar or pie charts.

     Item 35: 0/1, display ... First time user messages, e.g. alternative
                   file formats when using program Simplot. Advanced users may
                   wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis.
                   When a procedure is familiar this procedure is just irritating,
                   but it should be switched on when using an unfamilar procedure.

     Item 36: 0/1, provide the option to cancel quitting from advanced graphics
                   displays in order to continue with further editing, saving
                   configuration or graphics files, etc.  Advanced users may
                   wish to set this to 0 to speed up data analysis.
                   This procedure is provided so that inexperienced users will
                   be aware that, if they exit from an advanced plot after editing
                   the titles, legends, symbols, etc., without saving a graphics file,
                   or printing the graph, then all the editing will be lost  on
                   quitting the plot.