STEM allows you to copy and paste model data between input fields, model elements and even different models, and provides a variety of different interfaces to facilitate these actions. Copy and paste can be used at two levels in STEM:
- groups of model elements can be manipulated through the iconic interface (views), and
- selections of fields can be manipulated in data dialogs.
These operations are completely separate.
Except inside interpolated-series dialogs, STEM data is usually copied by reference. This means that while the copy operation identifies the location of the data to be copied, the values used for a subsequent paste will be those actually present at paste time – they may not be the same ones present at the time of copying.
STEM allows you to paste data over an existing location in a number of different ways:
- Paste Link sets up a formula so that the target becomes dependent on the source, which means that whenever the copied data changes, the target will change with it.
- Paste Formulae copies values and, if present, nested/top-level formulae, so that the target has the same dependencies as the copied data.
- Paste Values copies values only, so that the target will be completely unaffected by subsequent changes to the copied data.
For elements and inputs governed by several parameters, the Editor will ask whether to overwrite previously-set inner fields. Additionally, when model elements have been copied:
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Paste Elements creates new model elements, with the same values and dependencies as the originals (equivalent to Paste Formulae). You will be prompted to name the new elements unless Automatic Names in the Options menu is checked.