Swarm models follow a common syntax that helps users to
understand the way their parts interact. The observer swarm and
the model swarm are typically designed in a similar way. Methods
that will appear in many classes, for example, include:
| Objective C example | Java example |
|---|
+ createBegin;
- createEnd;
- buildObjects;
- buildActions;
- activateIn; |
| createBegin ();
createEnd ()
buildObjects ();
buildActions ();
activateIn (); |
|
There are also methods that allow the input and output of
information from the object. By custom, these are usually
prefaced by the words get and
set. For example:
| Objective C example | Java example |
|---|
-setParameterValue: (int) value;
-(int) getParameterValue; |
| Object setParameterValue (int value);
int getParameterValue (); |
|
These methods can be written to so that
setParameterValue causes an object to set
some internal parameter equal to a value, and
getParameterValue will cause the agent to
report back the value.
In addition,there will be methods that carry out the
specialized actions dictated by the substance of the research
problem.
The model swarm object is usually subclassed from Swarm and
it is the primary object that is responsible for telling
subclasses to build their agents. The model swarm also give those
agents a place in memory, and schedules their activities.