The STEPS method is used to generate step changes on the U command(s).

The following parameters are read on the .xml file on the PS= tags

READ(U,900,ERR=10) UMIN,UMAX,NB,MODE,XSWITCH,IDELAI
900 FORMAT(2(F8.2,1X),I2,1X,I1,1X,F8.2,1X,I2)

where:
STEPS is a module that will modify the values of U between UMIN and UMAX,
UMIN is allocated to U from the first time step, via NB steps of the same value (NB > 0), and up to UMAX, (note: you can have UMIN < or > UMAX)
MODE defines how to go from one value to another:
MODE = 0: the values of U are held during XSWITCH seconds,
MODE = 1: the values of U are maintained until the measured variables Z are constant to the accuracy XSWITCH. In this case, the selected Z variables must be entered in I (incremental) mode.
IDELAI allows to delay the step (for example to check that it is in steady state, or to synchronize with other modules like USER1, LQG for example). It is given in number of time steps (integer I2 >= 0).

Remark: If Y variables are described on the .xml file for this module, their values will be written to the .lst file just before the step is generated. This makes it possible to check the status of certain hydraulic variables just before generations of steps.