Parameter Groups — Making a Parameter Tree

Parameters can be arranged in a tree.

Apps are the top-level parameter groups. By convention, these typically represent independent sub-systems or simulation models. Parameter groups have child parameters, but can also contain child parameter groups, forming a tree.

C# Sample

Like parameters, group identifiers have the same app name suffix to ensure uniqueness.

    var config = new ConfigurationBuilder
    {
        Applications =
        {
            new ApplicationBuilder("hydro")
            {
                Description = "Hydraulics",
                ChildParameterGroups =
                {
                    new ParameterGroupBuilder("rat:hydro", "RAM Air Turbine")
                    {
                        ChildParameters =
                        {
                            new ParameterBuilder("ratDeployed:hydro", "ratDeployed", "RAT deployed")
                        }
                    },
                    new ParameterGroupBuilder("ptu:hydro", "Power Transfer Unit")
                    {
                        // ..
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }.BuildConfiguration();

Tip

In the C# API, the Application and ParameterGroup classes — after building configuration — both implement IParameterTreeGroup.
This interface provides description and tree-traversal abstractions.

JSON

Parameters are serialized as a flat list, and referenced from the "tree" by identifier.

{
    "hydro": {
        "desc": "Hydraulics",
        "tree": {
            "groups": [
                {
                    "id": "rat:hydro",
                    "desc": "RAM Air Turbine",
                    "params": [
                        "ratDeployed:hydro"
                    ]
                },
                {
                    "id": "ptu:hydro",
                    "desc": "Power Transfer Unit"
                }
            ]
        },
        "parameters": [
            {
                "id": "ratDeployed:hydro",
                "name": "ratDeployed",
                "desc": "RAT deployed"
            }
        ]
    }
}

Info

Parameters can be added into more than one parameter group, so that they appear in the tree in multiple places.

This can be useful where a parameter could fit into more than one logical category.