The Extractor block extracts attribute values from an entity as it passes through the block. Each attribute has an output value port associated with it. When an entity enters the block, entity attribute values are retrieved from the entity and pushed to their respective output value ports.
You can also connect an Extractor block’s output value port to an input value port of another block without any connections to the Extractor block’s InEntity port. For example, you can connect an output value port of an Extractor block to the InServiceTime port of a Server block. After an entity enters the Server block, it is passed to the Extractor block (via the InServiceTime port) to extract the appropriate entity attribute value to be used for the InServiceTime value.
- InEntity
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Input entity port for entities to enter the Extractor block.
- OutEntity
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Output entity port for entities to exit the Extractor block.
- Add
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Adds a new attribute with a default Name and Type to the Attribute table. You can change the Name and Type of the attribute directly in the table. The attribute names in the Extractor block’s Attribute table must be unique. You can change the attribute Type through a drop-down box on the cell in the table. (An attribute Type cannot be changed in the table after the Apply button is clicked. If you want to change an attribute Type after Apply has been clicked, you must remove the attribute, add it again, and then modify the Type of the newly added attribute before clicking Apply again.)
- Remove
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Deletes the selected attribute from the Attribute table.
- Apply
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Updates all attributes in the Extractor block as specified in the Attribute table, and creates or deletes value ports as needed.