Dividing the POP File into Several Blocks

For two different reasons, you may have to divide your POP file into different blocks:

• PARROT uses a buffer for storing compiled experimental data. If there is not enough memory in this buffer for storing all the experiments from the POP file, then the POP file can be divided into several blocks. When PARROT encounters the end of a POP file block, it saves the experimental data that has been compiled to PARROT workspace, clears out the memory buffer and then proceeds to read the next block in the POP file. This goes on until the experimental data from all the blocks have been saved to the PARROT workspace.
• If you want to put equilibria with different sets of components in one and the same POP file, then you must divide the file up into blocks. Each block should only contain equilibria that all have the same set of components.

To divide the equilibria in the POP file into different blocks, enter the FLUSH_BUFFER command between two equilibria. This command marks the beginning of new block. When the command is encountered during the compilation of the POP file, the compilation of the current block is terminated, the equilibria saved to the PARROT workspace file and a new block is initiated. That the buffer is reinitiated means that all functions and constants that were entered in the previous block must be entered again in new block in order to be used.

When editing your experimental data in the ED_EXP module, you can select which block to load and edit using READ_WORKSPACES <block number>. The block before the first instance of FLUSH_BUFFER is block number 1, the block after the first instance and before the second instance is block number 2, and so on.