Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your model.
We find that most of the models in the NetLogo Models Library do convert correctly, but there is still a sizable minority that does not.
In general, the following NetLogo features are not available on Tortoise and are not likely to be until sometime in 2018 (at the earliest):
- Extensions
- File I/O
- BehaviorSpace
- HubNet
- 3D
- System dynamics modeler
- Shapes editor
- NetLogo dictionary support
There are also a number of assorted NetLogo primitives that have not yet been implemented in Tortoise. A model that references any unimplemented primitive cannot be automatically converted by us. However, we have found that one can usually get a model working passably—if not perfectly—by removing references to troublesome primitives and replacing them with the equivalent NetLogo code. More information on the currently-unimplemented primitives can be found here.
Indeed, one of Tortoise's major goals is precisely to replace Java applets. To that end, users can create standalone Tortoise pages that can be saved and then used even in absence of an internet connection. Of course, conversion of models is, as noted above, not guaranteed. The converter should tell you if something won't convert. If you find that a model converts and doesn't work correctly, please let us know.
Along those same lines, it is worth noting that Tortoise models can be embedded into other web pages with iframes.
Here is our current list of features that need to be implemented before we will consider Tortoise to be a fully-functional replacement for applets:
- agent engine
- file I/O
- miscellaneous primitives
- renderer/GUI
- better runtime error handling
You are welcome to try it!
We know that performance on the iPad is slow at the moment, but, in terms of what functionality works and what functionality doesn't work, it should be the same across all platforms. Please let us know if you find that not to be the case.