Web-based interfaces for simulation of coloured Petri net models

Abstract.

This paper describes an approach which allows users without knowledge of coloured Petri nets to control the simulation of coloured Petri net models and interpret the results obtained from simulations via web-based interfaces. We describe the architecture design of facilities in a simulation tool for making it possible to simulate a coloured Petri net model via a web-based interface. The approach is based on giving the modeller the ability to easily create a CGI script containing the entire simulator. The initial conditions of the simulator for running several simulations can then be specified via a so-called HTML form on a web page. The fact that the initial conditions of a simulation can be specified via a domain specific and user-relevant form, gives users without knowledge of coloured Petri nets and the actual simulation tool the ability to use the pre-constructed simulators for specific analysis purposes. The paper also illustrates that integrating so-called batch scripts into a CGI script has some advantages. Batch scripts give the user the ability to run several simulations after having specified initial conditions for each simulation. Thus, we will be able to first specify input via a web page and then, based on that input, run several simulations. As a representative example we show how to implement the approach in the Design/CPN tool.