The basic steps for constructing a model consist of:

• Building the model framework in Documenter
• Writing a view to read source data into the model using SAMM
• Evaluating the model in SAMM

For beginners to TOOL and multidimensial arrays the process outlined above can be challenging, as it can be hard to visualize how the multidimensional arrays are being constructed and manipulated as objects are created, reorder and mapped into different shapes during the construction of the model's framework as no data is being passed through the model at this point.

However there is an interactive technique that you can use to read data through Documenter for prototyping/testing purposes. This technique is similar to writing an import view, however the tool code is written directly in the procedure box of your Documenter diagram. All of the rules that apply to writing a view are applied here except for the following exceptions and limitations:

• You are not required to index you objects in Documenter as there is only one instance of the object available.
• Only the objects that are available to the active calculator are available to the procedure, unlike the informants which are available to any calculator.
• You can not pass data from calculator to calculator. Data is only available for the active calculator.