There are two alternatives for importing predetermined forestry operation information to the simulation: text files in the SMU file format used in the MELA planning software (see Operation conversion), and XML documents in the format specified here.
In the case the planner has decided that a certain forestry operation will be simulated for a certain simulation unit, only that operation will be simulated for that unit and the forestry operation model chains used in the simulation normally will be bypassed.
This data file is accompanied by an operation mapping document (Operation mapping) which will tie the operation names used in this document to model chains used in the simulation that will actually implement the desired forced operations.
An example of the document contents is given below, for a comprehensive description of all the possible content options see the schema document. Data continuation and abbreviated content expressed as …:
The root level tag contains a reference to the schema document which is used to validate the content of the XML document:
<forced_operations xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.simo-project.org/simo
../schemas/forced_operation.xsd">
Forced operations are defined for each simulation unit by specifying the id (id) and data level (level) of the object. A set of operations (operations) may be defined. Each operation has a specific target in the data level hierarchy, here the object level is used. Each operation (name) in SIMO belongs to a forestry operation group (group):
…
<simulation_unit>
<id>6</id>
<level>comp_unit</level>
<operations>
<operation>
<target>
<level>comp_unit</level>
</target>
<name>low_thinning</name>
<group>thinning</group>
<date>2016-01-01</date>
<parameters/>
</operation>
</operations>
</simulation_unit>
…
</forced_operations>