How To Use The Resource Library

What is the Resource Library? 

The Resource Library is the application within the Optilogic platform where you can find files that will help facilitate, accelerate, and customize your model building and running. These include Cosmic Frog template models, Python scripts, Reference Data and more.

What files are contained in the Resource Library?

1. One can access the Resource Library by clicking on the icon with 3 books on the left-hand side of the Optilogic platform. 
2. Files with the purple outline and the tools icon are files that extend the platform’s usage whether that be via Cosmic Frog for Excel Apps, Python Utilities, or 3rd party data connectors.
3. Files with a light-green outline and dark blue frog icon are Cosmic Frog related resources. These are mostly Cosmic Frog template models, which can be used to understand what inputs are needed to model certain business problems and what tools are available to examine outputs. The Cosmic Frog resources also include several other items like videos on specific Cosmic Frog features, 3rd party connectors to Cosmic Frog model databases (e.g. from / to Alteryx), and a Python scripting library to update and transform data within a Cosmic Frog model. 
4. Files with a blue outline and blue beaker icon are Python scripts that use MIP (Mixed Integer Programming) optimization algorithms or simulation algorithms.
5. Files with a yellow outline and yellow cog icon contain Reference Data. These files contain demographic, location, and cost data which can be used to more quickly complete model data and fill in data gaps. 

There are several ways to search, sort and filter the list of resources:

1. In the Search box one can free type to filter the list down to any resources that contain the search text. 
2. Clicking on the Tags icon (horizontal bars of decreasing size) will bring up a list of Tags. One or multiple tags can be selected to filter down to those resources that have been tagged with these. This way you can quickly find all resources related to a specific technology, business problem or topic, like for example “Network Optimization”, “CapEx Planning” or “Bioinformatics”. 
3. One can use the Sort By drop-down to change the sort order. The options include alphabetical ascending, alphabetical descending, by file type, newest to oldest, and oldest to newest. 
4. One can filter by category by clicking on the Cosmic Frog, Atlas Tools and Apps, Reference Data, and O.R. Examples buttons. Once a category is selected, it can be unselected by clicking on it again. Multiple categories can be selected at the same time. If none of the specific categories are selected, then it defaults to showing all files.
5. If you have selected the Cosmic Frog category, we will render in a sub-category filter which will allow you to narrow down the Cosmic Frog templates by engine type making it easier to find the template that matches your use case.

When a file in the list is selected by clicking on it, a Preview is shown on the right-hand side of the screen. This preview contains a short description of the resource, may contain a Video Introduction explaining for example the business problem or Cosmic Frog features covered in the resource, lists any Related (= included) Files, and lists any Tags that are associated with the resource so users can quickly understand what materials are covered by this resource.

How can I use the Resource Library?

 

1. If there is a resource in the library that you would like to explore further, you can click on the resource to select it
2. Clicking on the resource will open the pane on the right-hand side which will provide you with detailed information related to the resource, this will include a Title, Updated Date, Long Description, Tags, Files and/ or Database which will be copied to your account, and action buttons.
3. If you want to copy a resource and immediately be taken into the resource, simply click on the ‘Copy and Open’ action. This will slingshot you into the correct area of the platform e.g., Cosmic Frog, Lightning Editor, etc. based upon the resource that you copied over.
   1. Once clicked, this will open a modal that will actively show tell you the status of the copying and will notify you once it’s ready to navigate you away from the Resource Library.
4. If you want to copy the item and still browse the Resource Library for more content, simply click the ‘Copy to Account’ button. This will download the content to your account while allowing you to still browse the Resource Library.
   1. This copies the resource and all related files to your ‘Resource Library’ folder on the Optilogic Explorer. While the resource is being copied a notification at the right top in the Optilogic platform will pop up under the bell icon. Once it is done copying, you can click on the “Open Files” link in this notification to directly open the model or file. 
5. With some content, such as the Cosmic Frog for Excel apps or Reference Data, we will provide you with the option to download the content to your local machine.
6. If you would like to share a link to a specific resource, simply click the ‘Copy Share Link’ button, this will copy a unique URL to your computers clipboard which you can then paste and share with others.
7. By default, when you copy content over from the Resource Library, your new content will be found in a top-level folder called ‘Resource Library’.
   1. If the Explorer area is not open yet, you can open it by clicking on the > button at the left top of the platform to see where the files have been copied to. From here you can expand the Explorer tree to see the subfolders of the resource and all files contained in it. You can also open the copied files from here by clicking on the file. For a Cosmic Frog model, it will open in Cosmic Frog directly and switch to the Cosmic Frog application. If the file is a Python file, a file that contains text (e.g. a .pdf or .txt file) or data (e.g. a .csv or .xls file) the file will be opened in the Lightning Editor. Python files will also be available to work with from within Atlas after copying them to My Files. 

How can I add Cosmic Frog database files to the Resource Library? 

You may want to add a new resource to the Resource Library if you think other users may be interested in the contents, for example to showcase a certain business problem modelled in Cosmic Frog, or to add Reference Data that can be helpful for others too, or to share the automation of a common model building/analysis step. On other occasions you may want to replace a resource in the library with an updated version. If you want to add or replace a resource in the library, you can do so by clicking on the Contribute button (found in the top-left corner of the Resource Library), and then follow the steps as explained in the next sections. 

After clicking the Contribute button the following submission form will be shown:

1. If at any given time you want to abort adding to the Resource Library you can click on the X icon to go back to the list of existing resources in the library. 
2. First you can choose if you are adding a Cosmic Frog Database or a Python Module to the Resource Library from the drop-down. In this example we are adding a Cosmic Frog Database; the next section describes how Python Modules can be added. 
3. The list found here will automatically be populated with all Cosmic Frog databases from your account. Choose the one you want to contribute to the library.
4. Once you have selected the Cosmic Frog Database you wish to contribute, click the next button to continue filling out the form.

 

1. If at any given time you want to abort adding to the Resource Library you can click on the X icon to go back to the list of existing resources in the library. 
2. Next, select if you are submitting a new resource or are replacing an existing one. 
3. If submitting a new resource, provide the name that you want to be used in the Resource Library. By default, it will use the name of the database. If you have selected Replace Existing in the previous step, then this will be a drop-down of all Cosmic Frog databases that currently exist in the Resource Library. Choose the one that you want to replace from this drop-down list. 
4. If there is a YouTube video to go with the resource, provide the link here. 
5. Optionally, you can provide one or multiple Tags to be listed with your resource so users can quickly see what is covered in the resource. Clicking in the field will bring up the list of existing tags, which you can then choose from. You can also create your own Tags by free typing in the field. Hitting the Enter key will add the text to the field as a tag. 
6. Next, you need to provide a Short Description that contains the summary of the purpose or goal of the resource being contributed. A minimum of 10 and maximum of 170 characters are allowed in this field. 
7. A Long Description of the resource is required too. This should be an in-depth description of the purpose, goals and results the resource will achieve. A minimum of 10 and maximum of 1500 characters are allowed in this field. 

1. Describe why the resource is helpful in the Submission Details field, which is also a required field. The information provided here will be used during the review process of the resource. 
2. Under Submission Options, check the Purge Output Data box if you want all output data in the Cosmic Frog database to be deleted before it is made available in the Resource Library. Note that this includes removal of pre-configured dashboards and maps that use any output data. 
3. Before submission the user contributing the new resource needs to assert that the database contains no sensitive information or data, is fully tested and is production ready by checking these 3 checkboxes. 
4. Once all the selections are made and at least the required fields (indicated with *) have been filled out, you can click on the Submit For Review button to submit the resource. It will then go through an internal review at Optilogic before it goes live in the Resource Library. Once it is live in the Resource Library, it will be mentioned in the What’s New section of the Home application in the Optilogic platform.

How can I add Python Modules to the Resource Library? 

The steps to contribute a Python Module to the Resource Library are very similar to those described above for adding a Cosmic Frog database: 

1. If at any given time you want to abort adding to the Resource Library you can click on the X icon found in the top-right to go back to the list of existing resources in the library. 
2. First you can choose if you are adding a Cosmic Frog database or a Python Module to the Resource Library from the drop-down. In this example we are adding a Python Module. 
3. The Select the Python Module to Contribute drop-down will automatically be populated with all Python Modules already in the Resource Library and those in your My Files section; the ones in your My Files section will appear at the bottom of the drop-down list. Choose the one you want to contribute to the library. 
4. Optionally, you can provide one or multiple Tags to be listed with your resource so users can quickly see what is covered in the resource. Clicking in the field will bring up the list of existing tags, which you can then choose from. You can also create your own Tags by free typing in the field. Hitting the Enter key will add the text to the field as a tag. A “User Contribution” tag is automatically generated when adding a Python Module. 
5. Next, you need to provide a Short Description that contains the summary of the purpose or goal of the resource being contributed. A minimum of 10 and maximum of 170 characters are allowed in this field. 
6. A Long Description of the resource is required too. This should be an in-depth description of the purpose, goals and results the resource will achieve. A minimum of 10 and maximum of 1500 characters are allowed in this field. 
7. Describe why the resource is helpful in the Submission Details field, which is also a required field. The information provided here will be used during the review process of the resource. 
8. Before submission the user contributing the new resource needs to assert that the Python module includes error handling, does not include sensitive information or data, and contains readable code. If these are all true, the “Module adheres to submission guidelines” box can be checked. 
9. Once all the selections are made and at least the required fields (indicated with *) have been filled out, you can click on the Submit For Review button to submit the resource. It will then go through an internal review at Optilogic before it goes live in the Resource Library. Once it is live in the Resource Library, it will be mentioned in the What’s New section of the Home application in the Optilogic platform.