# Confusion in terminology dt & timing in agents.jl continuous time/EBM model

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/confusion-in-terminology-dt-timing-in-agents-jl-continuous-time-ebm-model/121748>\
**Category:** Modelling & Simulations\
**Tags:** agents, agentsjl, eventqueueabm\
**Created:** [October 25, 2024, 1:07pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/confusion-in-terminology-dt-timing-in-agents-jl-continuous-time-ebm-model/121748 "2024-10-25T13:07:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sahil\_Khan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sahil_khan/32/47573_2.png) [@Sahil\_Khan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Sahil_Khan)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 1:07pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/confusion-in-terminology-dt-timing-in-agents-jl-continuous-time-ebm-model/121748/1 "2024-10-25T13:07:43Z")

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Hello everyone,

Im working with EBM continuous time model. Im little confused between dt given in model initiation function and timing term while defining events for model. It will be really helpful if someone can describe them. 🙂

Thank you

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**Author:** ![Datseris](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/datseris/32/13406_2.png) [@Datseris](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Datseris)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/confusion-in-terminology-dt-timing-in-agents-jl-continuous-time-ebm-model/121748/2 "2024-10-25T13:48:34Z")

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I don’t understand where you are referring because `EventQueueABM` does not have a `dt` input argument or keyword:

> **[API · Agents.jl](https://juliadynamics.github.io/Agents.jl/stable/api/#Agents.EventQueueABM)**
>
> Documentation for Agents.jl.

The `timing` keyword is a component of an `AgentEvent` (something triggered during the EventQueueABM evolution) and what it does is described clearly in its documentation string:

> **[API · Agents.jl](https://juliadynamics.github.io/Agents.jl/stable/api/#Agents.AgentEvent)**
>
> Documentation for Agents.jl.

it is a function that gives you the time the event will trigger.

`dt` is an argument of the `run!` function for continuous time models, because you almost surely don’t want to collect data when every single event triggers as events are triggered from single agent actions (and this would generate way too many rows with practically no difference in contained information). Instead, you want to collect data every `dt` real time.

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**Author:** ![Sahil\_Khan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sahil_khan/32/47573_2.png) [@Sahil\_Khan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Sahil_Khan)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/confusion-in-terminology-dt-timing-in-agents-jl-continuous-time-ebm-model/121748/3 "2024-10-25T14:02:23Z")

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ok i think i understand the difference. The reason I asked just to know how its influencing the model. In my particle collision model I see for speed value is not affecting collision frequency. So if I have a speed value 10 or 0.0001 but lets say in timing keyword I have 0.1 i.e. after 0.1 time step next event will get triggered. I surprisingly see same number of collision which is weird as I would expect more collision with value 10 and almost no collision with 0.0001.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sahil\_Khan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sahil_khan/32/47573_2.png) [@Sahil\_Khan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Sahil_Khan)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 7:11am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/confusion-in-terminology-dt-timing-in-agents-jl-continuous-time-ebm-model/121748/4 "2024-10-30T07:11:34Z")

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model.dt when defining `move_agent!(agent, model, model.dt)` is the key. Works for me. 🙂