EnergyModelsX · Zetison · Nov 24, 2025 · Nov 21, 2025 · Nov 21, 2025 · Nov 21, 2025
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Release notes
 
+## Unversioned updates
+
+### Enhancements
+
+* Added the option `pre_plot_sub_components` to the `GUI`-constructor to skip preplotting hidden sub components of an area (the option is by default `true`). The components of an `Area` are then plotted on demand (on the `open` functionality). This greatly enhances performance for large cases.
+* Improved general performance.
+
 ## Version 0.5.17 (2025-11-19)
 
 ### Bugfix

diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name = "EnergyModelsGUI"
 uuid = "737a7361-d3b7-40e9-b1ac-59bee4c5ea2d"
-version = "0.5.17"
+version = "0.5.18"
 authors = ["Jon Vegard Venås <JonVegard.Venas@sintef.no>", "Magnus Askeland <Magnus.Askeland@sintef.no>", "Shweta Tiwari <Shweta.Tiwari@sintef.no>"]
 
 [deps]

diff --git a/docs/src/figures/EMI_geography.png b/docs/src/figures/EMI_geography.png
diff --git a/docs/src/figures/EMI_geography_Oslo.png b/docs/src/figures/EMI_geography_Oslo.png
diff --git a/examples/EMI_geography.jl b/examples/EMI_geography.jl
@@ -26,4 +26,5 @@ gui = GUI(
     coarse_coast_lines = false,
     scale_tot_opex = true,
     scale_tot_capex = false,
+    pre_plot_sub_components = false,
 )
diff --git a/examples/generate_examples.jl b/examples/generate_examples.jl
@@ -522,7 +522,6 @@ It will be repalced in the near future with a simplified example.
 """
 
 function generate_example_data_geo()
-    @debug "Generate case data"
     @info "Generate data coded dummy model for now (Investment Model)"
 
     # Retrieve the products

diff --git a/ext/EMGExt/EMGExt.jl b/ext/EMGExt/EMGExt.jl
@@ -4,14 +4,8 @@ using TimeStruct
 using EnergyModelsBase
 using EnergyModelsInvestments
 using EnergyModelsGeography
-
-# Use GLMakie to get the GridLayout type
-using GLMakie
-
 using EnergyModelsGUI
 
-using DataFrames
-
 const TS = TimeStruct
 const EMG = EnergyModelsGeography
 const EMB = EnergyModelsBase
@@ -38,7 +32,7 @@ EMG.get_transmissions(system::EMGUI.SystemGeo) = EMGUI.get_connections(system)
 Get all transmission modes of a `SystemGeo` `system`.
 """
 function get_modes(system::EMGUI.SystemGeo)
-    transmission_modes = Vector{TransmissionMode}()
+    transmission_modes = TransmissionMode[]
     for t ∈ get_transmissions(system)
         append!(transmission_modes, modes(t))
     end
@@ -70,15 +64,14 @@ Initialize a `SystemGeo` from a `Case`.
 """
 function EMGUI.SystemGeo(case::Case)
     areas = get_areas(case)
-    ref_element = areas[1]
     return EMGUI.SystemGeo(
         get_time_struct(case),
         get_products(case),
         get_elements_vec(case),
         areas,
         get_transmissions(case),
         EMGUI.NothingElement(),
-        ref_element,
+        areas[1],
     )
 end
 

diff --git a/src/datastructures.jl b/src/datastructures.jl
@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ energy system designs in Julia.
 - **`wall::Observable{Symbol}`** represents an aspect of the system's state, observed
   for changes and represented as a Symbol.
 - **`file::String`** is the filename or path associated with the `EnergySystemDesign`.
-- **`plots::Vector{Any}`** is a vector with all Makie object associated with this object.
-  The value does not have to be provided.
+- **`plots::Vector{Makie.AbstractPlot}`** is a vector with all Makie object associated with 
+  this object.
 - **`invest_data::ProcInvData`** stores processed investment data.
 """
 mutable struct EnergySystemDesign <: AbstractGUIObj
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ mutable struct EnergySystemDesign <: AbstractGUIObj
     wall::Observable{Symbol}
     file::String
     inv_data::ProcInvData
-    plots::Vector{Any}
+    plots::Vector{Makie.AbstractPlot}
 end
 function EnergySystemDesign(
     system::AbstractSystem,
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ Mutable type for providing a flexible data structure for connections between
   linked to.
 - **`connection::AbstractElement`** is the EMX connection structure.
 - **`colors::Vector{RGBA{Float32}}`** is the associated colors of the connection.
-- **`plots::Vector{Any}`** is a vector with all Makie object associated with this object.
+- **`plots::Vector{Makie.AbstractPlot}`** is a vector with all Makie object associated with 
+  this object.
 - **`invest_data::ProcInvData`** stores processed investment data.
 """
 mutable struct Connection <: AbstractGUIObj
@@ -207,7 +208,7 @@ mutable struct Connection <: AbstractGUIObj
     connection::AbstractElement
     colors::Vector{RGBA{Float32}}
     inv_data::ProcInvData
-    plots::Vector{Any}
+    plots::Vector{Makie.AbstractPlot}
 end
 function Connection(
     from::EnergySystemDesign,

diff --git a/src/setup_GUI.jl b/src/setup_GUI.jl
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ function GUI(
     tol::Float64 = 1e-8,
     enable_data_inspector::Bool = true,
     use_geomakie::Bool = true,
+    pre_plot_sub_components::Bool = true,
 )
     # Generate the system topology:
     @info raw"Setting up the topology design structure"
@@ -82,6 +83,11 @@ function GUI(
     @info raw"Setting up the GUI"
     design::EnergySystemDesign = root_design # variable to store current system (inkluding sub systems)
 
+    if expand_all && !pre_plot_sub_components
+        expand_all = false
+        @warn("Incompatible EMGUI settings: `expand_all` is set to true but 
+        `pre_plot_sub_components` is set to false. Setting `expand_all` to false.")
+    end
     # Set variables
     vars::Dict{Symbol,Any} = Dict(
         :title => Observable("top_level"),
@@ -111,6 +117,7 @@ function GUI(
         :colormap => colormap,
         :tol => tol,
         :use_geomakie => use_geomakie,
+        :pre_plot_sub_components => pre_plot_sub_components,
         :autolimits => Dict(
             :results_op => true,
             :results_sc => true,
@@ -137,7 +144,7 @@ function GUI(
     vars[:path_to_descriptive_names] = path_to_descriptive_names
     vars[:descriptive_names_dict] = descriptive_names_dict
 
-    vars[:plot_widths] = plot_widths
+    vars[:plot_widths] = Vec{2,Int64}(plot_widths)
     vars[:hide_topo_ax_decorations] = hide_topo_ax_decorations
     vars[:expand_all] = expand_all
 
@@ -155,24 +162,36 @@ function GUI(
     vars[:selected_systems] = []
 
     # Default text for the text area
-    vars[:default_text] = string(
-        "Tips:\n",
-        "Keyboard shortcuts:\n",
-        "\tctrl+left-click: Select multiple nodes.\n",
-        "\tright-click and drag: to pan\n",
-        "\tscroll wheel: zoom in or out\n",
-        "\tspace: Enter the selected system\n",
-        "\tctrl+s: Save\n",
-        "\tctrl+r: Reset view\n",
-        "\tctrl+w: Close window\n",
-        "\tEsc (or MouseButton4): Exit the current system and into the parent system\n",
-        "\tholding x while scrolling over plots will zoom in/out in the x-direction.\n",
-        "\tholding y while scrolling over plots will zoom in/out in the y-direction.\n\n",
-        "Left-clicking a component will put information about this component here.\n\n",
-        "Clicking a plot below enables you to pin this plot (hitting the `pin\n",
-        "current plot` button) for comparison with other plots.\n",
-        "Use the `Delete` button to unpin a selected plot.",
-    )
+    io = IOBuffer()
+    println(io, "Tips:")
+    println(io, "Keyboard shortcuts:")
+    println(io, "\tctrl+left-click: Select multiple nodes.")
+    println(io, "\tright-click and drag: to pan")
+    println(io, "\tscroll wheel: zoom in or out")
+    println(io, "\tspace: Enter the selected system")
+    println(io, "\tctrl+s: Save")
+    println(io, "\tctrl+r: Reset view")
+    println(io, "\tctrl+w: Close window")
+    println(
+        io,
+        "\tEsc (or MouseButton4): Exit the current system and into the parent system",
+    )
+    println(
+        io,
+        "\tholding x while scrolling over plots will zoom in/out in the x-direction.",
+    )
+    println(
+        io,
+        "\tholding y while scrolling over plots will zoom in/out in the y-direction.\n",
+    )
+    println(
+        io,
+        "Left-clicking a component will put information about this component here.\n",
+    )
+    println(io, "Clicking a plot below enables you to pin this plot (hitting the `pin")
+    println(io, "current plot` button) for comparison with other plots.")
+    print(io, "Use the `Delete` button to unpin a selected plot.")
+    vars[:default_text] = String(take!(io))
     vars[:info_text] = Observable(vars[:default_text])
     vars[:summary_text] = Observable("No model results")
     vars[:dragging] = Ref(false)
@@ -219,7 +238,9 @@ function GUI(
     notify(axes[:topo].finallimits)
 
     # make sure all graphics is adapted to the spawned figure sizes
-    notify(get_toggle(gui, :expand_all).active)
+    if get_var(gui, :expand_all)
+        notify(get_toggle(gui, :expand_all).active)
+    end
 
     # Enable inspector (such that hovering objects shows information)
     # Linewidth set to zero as this boundary is slightly laggy on movement
@@ -305,7 +326,6 @@ function create_makie_objects(vars::Dict, design::EnergySystemDesign)
 
             # Download the file if it doesn't exist in the temporary directory
             if !isfile(local_file_path)
-                @debug "Trying to download file $url to $local_file_path"
                 HTTP.download(url, local_file_path)
             end
 

diff --git a/src/setup_topology.jl b/src/setup_topology.jl
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ function EnergySystemDesign(
     end
 
     # Initialize components and connections
-    components::Vector{EnergySystemDesign} = EnergySystemDesign[]
-    connections::Vector{Connection} = Connection[]
+    components = EnergySystemDesign[]
+    connections = Connection[]
 
     # Create an observable for the coordinate xy that can be inherited as the coordinate
     # parent_xy
-    xy::Observable{Point2f} = Observable(Point2f(x, y))
+    xy = Observable(Point2f(x, y))
 
     # Create an iterator for the current system
     elements = get_children(system)
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ function EnergySystemDesign(
     # (constructed as an EnergySystemDesign) to `components`
     if !isnothing(elements)
         current_node::Int64 = 1
-        nodes_count::Int64 = length(get_children(system))
+        nodes_count = length(get_children(system))
 
         # Loop through all components of `system`
         for element ∈ elements