# Simulation Settings

There are three files that control the settings for a simulation run:

* [**object.cnt**](https://swatplus.gitbook.io/io-docs/introduction-1/simulation-settings/object.cnt) specifies the land area and the total area (including ponds and reservoirs) of the watershed and the counts of all spatial objects in a simulation,
* [**time.sim**](https://swatplus.gitbook.io/io-docs/introduction-1/simulation-settings/time.sim) controls the simulation time period and time step, and
* [**print.prt**](https://swatplus.gitbook.io/io-docs/introduction-1/simulation-settings/print.prt) controls which output files will be printed for a simulation.

An additional, optional file, [**object.prt**](https://swatplus.gitbook.io/io-docs/introduction-1/simulation-settings/object.prt), allows the user to print selected output for individual spatial objects.