VEDA-BE, the VEDA (VErsatile Data Analyst) Back-End (BE) system allows the TIMES modeler to construct custom Sets and Tables to facilitate the analysis and interpretation of results. This includes the case where a TIMES modeler uses either VEDA Front-End (FE) or ANSWER-TIMES to manage their TIMES model data and to initiate their TIMES GAMS model runs. This document pays particular attention to how to use VEDA-BE for those working with ANSWER-TIMES, where the user has properly installed on their PC:
- The ANSWER-TIMES software (property of Noble-Soft Systems, Australia);
- The VEDA-BE software (property of KanORS-EMR, India); and
- The GAMS modeling language software (property of GAMS Development Corporation, United States).
In the remainder of this document the user is also assumed to have created subfolder AT_VBE-Example4 of the C:\VEDA\Veda_BE\Databases folder by proceeding as follows:
- Copied the file AT_VBE-Example4.zip supplied by Noble-Soft Systems into the C:\VEDA\Veda_BE\Databases folder; and
- Invoked Winzip to “Extract to here” to create the subfolder AT_VBE-Example4 (so creating subfolder C:\VEDA\Veda_BE\Databases\AT_VBE-Example4).
In addition, the user is assumed to have a copy of the ANSWER-TIMES demonstration database Example4.mdb. For ANSWER-TIMES version 6.8.1 onwards, this is supplied by Noble-Soft Systems in the C:\AnswerTIMESv6\Answer_Databases folder.
VEDA-BE employs a simple Table Definition form (below), a dynamic table data cube for viewing and manipulating results, a set management subsystem, and a powerful direct connection with Excel that enables tables and graphs to be dynamically updated. Each of these key capabilities is discussed in this document.
This overview for ANSWER-TIMES users is complemented by the VEDA-BE online documentation at VedaSupport.