The GFPM requires a PC with a Pentium processor, at least 8 megabytes of RAM and a Windows 95 or Windows NT operating system. Running on a 233 megahertz Pentium processor with 32 megabytes of RAM, the WORLD model requires about 5 minutes to produce projections to the year 2010. Each regional model requires from 20 minutes to 50 minutes depending on the model size.
The GFPM uses the Price Endogenous Linear Programming System (PELPS) software (Zhang et al., 1993), a general economic modelling system. PELPS itself uses the LINDO linear programming solver (Schrage 1991) to find the solution to each year's global equilibrium. The GFPM is designed to run with LINDO version 6.0 or better. Data input and output are handled using Microsoft Excel workbooks (MS Office 1997 or better).
To summarize, the GFPM requires the following software:
· Windows NT or Windows 95 operating system;
· LINDO version 6.0 or better;
· Microsoft Excel (MS Office 1997 or better); and
· the input and output workbooks and DOS batch and executable files listed in Appendix C.
There are five basic stages to installing the GFPM:
1) Install Windows NT or Windows 95.
2) Install LINDO version 6.0 or later in the root directory of your C: drive.
3) Install Microsoft Excel (MS Office 1997 or better).
4) Before installing the GFPM files, make sure that LINDO is in the DOS path. This can be done by adding "SET PATH = C:\LINDO;" in the C:\autoexec.bat file. Reboot the computer after doing this. The command.com file should also be in the root directory of the C: drive.
5) Create three directories: C:\pelps, C:\pelps\gfpm, C:\pelps\pelps, then copy the proper files (see Appendix C) to these directories from the GFPM diskettes.
Although the GFPM has a large number of files, only a few need ever be viewed by the user and these are all located in C:\pelps\gfpm directory; the others are automatically generated and used by the model. Files must reside in the proper directories. The only files that the user will need in the course of ordinary model construction and analysis are the following:
1) The batch file C:\PELPS\GFPM\GFPM.BAT, which launches the model. The GFPM may be started either by double-clicking on this file in a window or by creating a shortcut to it. Explanation of model execution is in Section 4, "Running the GFPM".
2) Five master input files (which must be called:
C:\PELPS\GFPM\WORLD.XLS;
C:\PELPS\GFPM\AFRICA.XLS;
C:\PELPS\GFPM\AMERICA.XLS;
C:\PELPS\GFPM\ASIA.XLS; and
C:\PELPS\GFMP\EUROPE.XLS.
these contain all the data required to define the GFPM model. The user may modify these Excel input files for scenario analysis to change assumptions or basic data.
3) The input preparation file: C:\PELPS\GFPM\INPUT.XLS which contains a macro to convert the Excel files to text files (see Section 4, "Running the GFPM" for more detail on input files).
4) The master output file: C:\PELPS\GFPM\OUTPUT.XLS, which contains the model solution and macro commands to generate a series of output files containing tables and graphs of trends for prices, production, consumption, trade, and capacity (see Section 4, "Running the GFPM" for more detail on output files).
5) The file: C:\PELPS\GFPM\TREND.XLS, which is used with the WORLD model only. In addition to the GFPM solution for the WORLD model, this file also contains the historical statistics (1965-1994) and thus allows the user to compare past trends with model projections.
6) The summary file: C:\PELPS\GFPM\SUMMARY.XLS, which contains:
· Detailed tables of production, consumption, imports and exports, by country, formatted for import in Microsoft Word.
· Summary tables of consumption, production, imports, exports and net trade, by region.
· Summary charts of consumption, production and net trade, by region.