The process of publishing an existing Bayesian network model starts with the WebSimulator Editor in BayesiaLab.
The WebSimulator Editor allows you to configure the to-be-published model within BayesiaLab.
Once you save these settings with your Bayesian network file, you can upload and publish it via the WebSimulator Administration Page.
In BayesiaLab, you open the WebSimulator Editor by selecting Main Menu > Tools > WebSimulator Editor
.
The WebSimulator Editor is available both in the Modeling Mode and the Validation Mode.
To configure a WebSimulator or an Adaptive Questionnaire, you need to go through each tab of the WebSimulator Editor as described in the following sections:
The configurations of each tab are automatically associated with your Bayesian network model.
As you save your model, these settings are automatically recorded in the same XBL file.
Whenever you reopen your Bayesian network model, you can return to the WebSimulator settings and modify them as necessary.
Once you have saved your fully configured model as an XBL file, you can leave BayesiaLab and proceed to the WebSimulator Administration Page to upload and publish your model.
BayesiaLab indicates the presence of a WebSimulator configuration with the WebSimulator indicator icon in the bottom-right corner of the main window.
This list displays the Available Nodes in the current Bayesian network that can be used as Inputs or Outputs in the WebSimulator of the network.
This list shows the Available Metrics that can be used as Output Components in the WebSimulator of the network.
The panels for Available Nodes and Available Metrics appear identically in all three tabs of the WebSimulator Editor, i.e., Simulator, Inputs, and Outputs.
Name of the WebSimulator, as it will appear in the list of the models.
You can specify the Title to be shown at the top of the published WebSimulator page.
Name of the WebSimulator's Author.
For public WebSimulators, indicating the Field of Study can help your audience find your model on the WebSimulator Home Page.
For public WebSimulators, indicating the Type of Analysis can help your audience find your model on the WebSimulator Home Page.
Theme Color refers to the background color of the horizontal panel at the top of your published WebSimulator.
By default, the Description field adopts the content of the Comment associated with your Bayesian network model.
For public WebSimulators, this Description also appears on the WebSimulator Homepage when end-users hover with their cursor over the preview tile.
This picture is also used for your model's preview tile on the WebSimulator homepage.
You can specify a Logo Picture or banner to appear in the upper left corner of your model's WebSimulator page. Most screenshots on this topic page feature the banner of the 2018 BayesiaLab Conference in Chicago.
Logo URL allows you to associate a hyperlink with the Logo Picture.
Font Size allows you to specify the size of the font displayed on your model's WebSimulator page.
Input Layout refers to the style in which the Input elements appear in the Input Panel.
History Layout is only applicable to Adaptive Questionnaires. This option defines how the pieces of evidence that the end-user has set appear in the Input Panel.
Output Layout refers to the style in which the Output elements appear in the Output Panel.
If you check the Show Variations option, your model's WebSimulator will highlight the impact of the pieces of evidence set by the end-user.
If you check the Reference State option, the WebSimulator will display variations relative to the marginal distributions of the Outputs.
If you specify Targets by dragging available nodes into the Targets panel, your WebSimulator will serve as an Adaptive Questionnaire.
Unlike the Adaptive Questionnaire function in BayesiaLab (Main Menu > Inference > Adaptive Questionnaire
), an Adaptive Questionnaire in the WebSimulator permits multiple Targets.
For Input Layout, History Layout, and Output Layout, you can choose from the following styles:
List of Available Nodes in the current Bayesian network that can be used in the WebSimulator as Inputs or Outputs.
This list shows the Available Metrics that can be used as Outputs in the WebSimulator of the network.
The panels for Available Nodes and Available Metrics appear identically in all three tabs of the WebSimulator Editor, i.e., Simulator, Inputs, and Outputs.
This panel displays the nodes that are selected to be published as Inputs in the WebSimulator.
States
Probabilities
Mean
Mean Mode
Binary
MinXEnt
Displayed Name specifies the name of the component in the WebSimulator. By default, it is the name of the node or the metric.
Clicking the Long Name button adopts any Long Name that you may have defined for the node when editing the network in BayesiaLab.
You can also edit the Displayed Name.
Font Color specifies the color of the Displayed Name in the WebSimulator.
Image Size — The image displayed in the component is square, and you can specify the length of the square's sides in pixels.
Number Output Format
Clicking on Number Output Format, you can specify the number format of the Input. Note that this option is only available for Probabilities-type and Mean-type Inputs.
The Description field provides you with space for additional information regarding the output component.
The published WebSimulator displays this content when end-users hover with their cursor over the component.
By default, Description adopts the Comment you may have added to the node while editing the network in BayesiaLab.
This list displays the Available Nodes in the current Bayesian network that can be used as Inputs or Outputs in the WebSimulator of the network.
This list shows the Available Metrics that can be used as Outputs in the WebSimulator of the network.
The panels for Available Nodes and Available Metrics appear identically in all three tabs of the WebSimulator Editor, i.e., Simulator, Inputs, and Outputs.
This panel displays the nodes that are selected to be published as Outputs in the WebSimulator.
To add nodes or metrics as Output Components, you select the nodes or metrics on the Available Nodes or Available Metrics lists and then drag and drop them onto the Outputs panel.
You can remove an item from the Outputs panel by dragging it back to its origin.
You can reorder the list items by dragging them to the desired positions on the list. The specified order will be retained in the WebSimulator display.
As you drop nodes or metrics onto the Outputs list, you will be prompted to select the appearance of their corresponding components in the WebSimulator. The options depend on the type of node or metric:
Probabilistic Node — Display Options:
Mean Bar
Mean Gauge
Probability Bar
Probability Text
Utility Node — Display Options:
Utility Bar
Utility Gauge
Utility Text
Joint Probability Metric — Display Options:
Joint Probability Bar
Joint Probability Gauge
Joint Probability Text
Global Utility Metric — Display Options:
Global Utility Bar
Global Utility Gauge
Global Utility Text
Decision Node:
Quality Bar
Function Node
Function
The Displayed Name specifies the component's name label in the WebSimulator. By default, it is the name of the node or the metric.
Clicking the Long Name button adopts any Long Name that you may have defined for the node when editing the network in BayesiaLab.
You can also edit the Displayed Name.
Font Color specifies the color of the Displayed Name in the WebSimulator.
Component Image allows you to select an image or icon to display with the component. By default, any image already associated with the node in BayesiaLab will be used.
Image Size — The image displayed in the component is square, and you can specify the length of the square's sides in pixels.
Output Format for Function Node
If a Function Node is selected as an Output component, a separate Output Format button allows you to set the number format separately from the other components. By default, the Function Node component adopts the number format defined in the Properties tab of the Function Node Editor.
The Description field provides you with space for additional information regarding the output component. The published WebSimulator displays this content when end-users hover with their cursor over the component. By default, Description adopts the Comment you may have added to the node while editing the network in BayesiaLab.
Preview
The Preview button opens up a static preview of the WebSimulator in your default web browser to let you see its appearance before publishing it. This lets you quickly fine-tune the layout and experiment with various component settings.
The Preview is static and does not perform any simulation. While you can experiment with the inputs, the output side of the WebSimulator will not update.
Reset Button
Available Nodes
Available Metrics
Name
Title
Author
Field of Study
Type of Analysis
Theme Color
Description
Description allows you to provide a description or commentary, which is available to the end-user by clicking on the Information icon on your WebSimulator page.
Description Picture
With Description Picture, you can specify a pictorial representation of your model. You can upload an image file of your choice or click the snapshot icon to capture a picture of your current Bayesian network.
This image is available to the end-user when clicking on the Eye icon on the WebSimulator page.
Logo Picture
Logo URL
Font Size
Input Layout
History Layout
Output Layout
Show Variations
Reference State
Targets
Grid
Flow
Line
Accordion
Available Nodes
Available Metrics
Inputs
You can add nodes to the list by dragging them from the list of Available Nodes to the list of Inputs .
Upon adding a node to the list of Inputs , you will be prompted to select the format of the Input:
Switches
Combo Box
Slider
Text
Slider
Text
Both
Displayed Name
Font Color
Component Image
Component Image allows you to select an image or icon to be displayed with the component. By default, any image that is already associated with the node in BayesiaLab will be used.
Image Size
Description
Available Nodes
Available Metrics
Outputs
Displayed Name
Font Color
Component Image
Image Size
Number Output Format
Clicking on Number Output Format, you can specify the number format of all components, with the exception of the Function Nodes.
Description
A reset button is available for most settings. Click it to return to the default value.