Name of the Model Specification File. Must be the first option. The filename may not contain embedded spaces. It is recommended that the filename be (single or double) quoted. The maximum length is 71 characters.

NORESCALE (default): the search is continued using the settings in the previous run. This option is overwritten when the $ESTIMATION uses different options from those in the previous run.

RESCALE: the search is to be restarted with initial estimates taken to be the final estimates from the previous run, with UCP reset to 0.1. This option may be used only if the search with the previous run terminated successfully and all the $ESTIMATION options other than MAXEVAL are the same as in the previous run.

Specifies the number of population ETA variables. This option is required when the $ERROR block describes a model that changes the value of F, and there is no $PK block. It is also required when variables A(n) are used in the $PK abbreviated code. Use NPOPETAS=0 for single-subject data.

May also use alias POPETAS.

This option should be used if and only if the MSF is being used to convey prior information to a succeeding problem in the control stream (see $PRIOR and TNPRI). No task records may appear in a problem specification containing a $MSFI record with this option.

When $MSFI is used in a problem specification, $THETA, $OMEGA and $SIGMA records should not be used. It is permissible, though uncommon, for the data file to differ from the original data file.

MSFTEST (default): test an MSF file for errors.

NOMSFTEST: turn off MSF checking, as sometimes the MSFI error check is too strict. This occurs mostly in classical NONMEM methods.

Read in MSF files from previous versions. With NONMEM 7.5.0, choices are:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

  $MSFI filename.msf VERSION=7.4.0
  $MSFI filename.msf VERSION=7.3.0
  $MSFI filename.msf VERSION=7.2.0
  $MSFI filename.msf VERSION=7.1.2
  $MSFI filename.msf VERSION=7.1.0
  $MSFI filename.msf VERSION=6.2
  $MSFI filename.msf VERSION=6.1

The MSF file format for NONMEM v7.5.0+ does not require a VERSION specification. They are to be used by NONMEM v7.5.0+.

The option is to allow new analysis to continue, or to an analysis on a new data set, based on the final parameters of a successful run (that generates the MSF file).