Other Software
The programs listed on this page are included in the PDG package. Updates also may be available on the Downloads page; simply copy the updates to your PDG directory. Documentation is available for individual programs on the Documentation page, and additional information is available in The Craft of Economic Modeling. The older InterDyme manual remains useful and provides details on many of these programs, though it somewhat is outdated.
The Compare program is a general table making program that can be used to make tables from various source Inforum data bank formats. As the name suggests, it particularly is adapted to comparing results of several data banks, but it can also list the contents of a single data bank or the results of a single run of a model.
When being used to show a base case and several alternatives, it can show the alternatives as actual values, or as deviations from the base, or as percentage deviations from the base. The results are written to a file that can be printed, viewed as text, viewed in a spreadsheet program, or read by other software programs. The Inforum databank formats that Compare supports include normal G databanks ("workspace banks"), G compressed banks, G hashed banks, Interdyme Vam files, and LIFT/SLIMFORP Dirfor files. Up to 10 banks of different types can be compared using Compare.
Compare contains several features for working with the Interdyme system for building input-output models. For example, Compare can do matrix listings for an Interdyme model, showing intermediate and final demand flows that comprise the total output for each industry. Matrix listings can be done for either buyers or sellers, and in either flow or coefficient form. The dates for a table or a section of a table should be specified in a \dates command. If no \dates command is given, dates will be requested from the user at runtime. Using the \dates command the same table can have different dates in its various sections. Also, multi-period growth rates can be displayed.
When something doesn't work the way we want it to, we "fix" it. Fixes, as used here, are ways to make a model work the way we want it to, not necessarily the way that emerges from its equations. The power that fixes give over a model certainly can be-and often have been-abused.
Nonetheless, they have a legitimate role, for suppose we wish to consider the impacts of some event of which the equations never dreamed. Then a fix is the natural way to convey to the model that the equations are not to be entirely trusted or that we wish to take into account some additional information that was not available when the model was built. Fixer thus provides a convenient way to polish a forecast and to construct simulations. In addition to the Fixer document, see also The Craft of Economic Modeling, and the older InterDyme manual remains useful.
Fixes, as used here, are ways to make a model work the way we want it to, not necessarily the way that emerges from its equations. The power that fixes give over a model can certainly be, and often has been, abused. Nonetheless, they have a legitimate role. Suppose, for example, we wish to consider the impacts of some event which the equations never dreamed of, like a natural disaster or a massive overhaul of the health care system. Then a fix is the natural way to convey to the model that the equations are not to be entirely trusted. MacFixer provides a way to alter a forecast, to conduct policy analysis, or to perform other simulations.
Build pulls together equations estimated with G7 to form a model. It does so by writing a C++ program that then is compiled by a C++ compiler and linked with two object files to produce an executable program that is ready to run. Basic information can be found in on the Macroeconomic Software page, and documentation is available in The Craft of Economic Modeling, and on the Documentation page.
IdBuild pulls together equations estimated with G7 to form part of an interindustry-macro model. It does so by writing C++ code that then is compiled by a C++ compiler and linked with InterDyme object files to produce an executable program that is ready to run. Basic information can be found in on the Interindustry-Macro Software page, and documentation is available in The Craft of Economic Modeling.
Banker is a G data bank maker. It creates G data banks without going through G7. It particularly is suited for making large G data banks, known as hashed banks. A hashed bank is not bounded by the limits on the number of series associated with a normal workspace-type G-bank. In other words,with Banker, a hashed-bank can literally include millions of series. Banker makes both hashed (.hbk, .hin) and compressed (.cbk, .cin) G banks. However, users strongly are encouraged to produce hashed bank, as it now is the standard data bank created and maintained at Inforum.
Press
There are two compression programs: CPress and HPress. CPress is the orginal Press program, while HPress compresses G workspace banks directly into a hashed bank. Hashed banks now are the standard data banks that Inforum creates and maintains. The compression routines for hashed and compressed banks essentially are the same, but with hashed banks we have added a far superior method of indexing the data series.
HSplice
HSplice is the program used for updating hashed banks. Hashed banks are now the standard data banks that Inforum creates and maintains. The compression routines for hashed and compressed banks are essentially the same, however, with the hashed banks we have added a far superior method of indexing the data series.
123toG
The 123toG program is used to convert series from a Lotus WK1 spreadsheet, in an appropriate format, into a G databank or an ASCII file of G7 "data" statements. This routine largely has been replaced by the G7 routines for reading Excel spreadsheets.
VamToG
The VamtoG program ("Vam file to G") is a program for converting selected series from an InterDyme Vam file into a G databank. This program is convenient since the databank is written directly, with no intermediate add file necessary. These operations can be performed by G7.
Vam2Vam
Vam2vam is a utility program, run at the DOS prompt, to copy selected matrices and vectors from one vam file to another. These operations can be performed by G7.
ViewMat
ViewMat is a simple graphical program for viewing and comparing visually large matrices. The size of the matrix it can display is, in principle, limited only by the physical memory of the computer. In the distributed version, some limits may apply because of the way the data is read. Moreover, it can display up to five matrices in parallel columns.
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