The Probe block pulls and stores other block state information values at specified time intervals. Attributes to be pulled from other blocks are named in the Probe block’s Attributes Table. The names are arbitrary but must be unique within each Probe block. When values are pulled from other block ports, they are stored in a SimDataModel. The SimDataModel can be accessed through the block’s OutData port. Display blocks, such as the Histogram block, are often connected to a Probe block’s OutData port to visualize the data. Any block that also uses a SimDataModel is automatically notified when the data in the SimDataModel is modified.

You create attribute entries in the Probe block’s Attributes Table by clicking the Add button on the properties dialog box Attributes page. This results in a new attribute entry (with a default name and type) being added to the Attributes Table. You can edit the Name and Type of the attribute directly in the table. The attribute names listed in the Probe block’s Attributes Table must be unique. You can change the attribute type through a drop-down list in the Type table cell. You can delete attributes from the Attributes Table by selecting the attribute row in the table and then clicking the Remove button. Clicking the Apply button causes all entries in the Attributes Table to be pushed to the Probe block and any input value ports to be created or deleted as needed.

Each attribute in the Probe block’s Attributes Table has an input value port associated with it. At the specified time interval, the Probe block attempts to pull values from each of its attribute input ports and store those values in its SimDataModel instance. The frequency with which the Probe block pulls values is controlled through its Poll Interval options. You can decide to pull at a constant interval by selecting the Constant option and entering a valid value in the Interval field. You can also have the Probe block pull a value from its InPollInterval port to determine when the next attributes pull should be scheduled. In this case, you must select the Port option and attach a valid numeric source (such as a Numeric Source block) to the InPollInterval port.

You can limit the number of observations stored in a Probe block through its Capacity control. If the capacity is exceeded, a warning is logged and observations are overwritten.

The Probe block can save values that it extracts to a SAS data set or JMP table. Saving options are available on the Save dialog box.

When a true Boolean value arrives at the InClearData port, it is used as a signal to clear all the data that have been collected by the Probe block up to that time during the simulation execution. If the InClearData port receives a false value, the signal is ignored and data are not cleared. When a true Boolean value arrives at the InSignal port, the Probe block attempts to pull values from each of its attribute input ports and store those values in its SimDataModel instance. If the InSignal port receives a false value, the signal is ignored.