SLX: pyramid power

SLX is Wolverine Software's "next generation" simulation language. SLX stands for Simulation Language with Extensibility. SLX provides an inverted pyramid of layers which range from its C-like SLX kernel, at the bottom, through traditional simulation languages, e.g., GPSS/H, in the middle, to application-specific language dialects and extensions at the top. Building new layers atop old ones is facilitated by SLX's unique extensibility mechanisms. SLX also contains innovative features for coupling SLX to other languages and packages. This paper presents an overview of SLX. Earlier papers (Henriksen 1997, 1998) presented the development of a conveyor modeling package in SLX, and examples of how SLX has been coupled with other software, respectively.