diff --git a/examples/plain/copasi.d.ts b/examples/plain/copasi.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3539e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/plain/copasi.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+import type exp from "constants";
+
+export interface SimResult {
+    num_variables: number;
+    recorded_steps: number;
+    titles: string[];
+    columns: string[];
+}
+
+export interface SpeciesInfo {
+    compartment: string;
+    concentration: number;
+    id: string;
+    name: string;
+    initial_concentration: number;
+    initial_particle_number: number;
+    particle_number: number;
+    type: string;
+}
+
+export interface CompartmentInfo {
+    id: string;
+    name: string;
+    size: number;
+    type: string;
+}
+export interface LocalParamterInfo {
+    name: string;
+    value: number;
+}
+
+export interface ReactionInfo {
+    id: string;
+    name: string;
+    reversible: boolean;
+    scheme: string;
+    local_paramters: LocalParamterInfo[];
+}
+
+export interface ModelName
+{
+    name: string;
+    notes: string;
+}
+
+export interface GlobalParamterInfo {   
+    name: string;
+    value: number;
+    initial_value: number;
+    id: string;
+    type: string;
+}
+
+export interface ModelInfo {
+    species: SpeciesInfo[];
+    compartments: CompartmentInfo[];
+    reactions: ReactionInfo[];
+    global_parameters: GlobalParamterInfo[];
+    model : ModelName;
+    time: number;
+    status: string;
+    messages: string;
+}
+
+export default class COPASI {
+    constructor(module: any);
+    reset(): void;
+    readonly version: string;
+    _vectorToArray(v: any): any[];
+    loadExample(path: string) : ModelInfo;
+    loadModel(modelCode: string): ModelInfo;
+    simulate() : object;
+    simulate2D() : number[][];
+    simulateEx(startTime : number, endTime : number, numPoints : number) : SimResult;
+    simulateEx2D(startTime : number, endTime : number, numPoints : number) : number[][];
+    simulateYaml(yamlProcessingOptions : string|object) : SimResult;
+    simulateYaml2D(yamlProcessingOptions : string|object) : SimResult;
+    readonly floatingSpeciesConcentrations : number[];
+    readonly ratesOfChange : number[];
+    readonly floatingSpeciesNames : string[];
+    readonly floatingSpeciesIds : string[];
+    readonly boundarySpeciesConcentrations : number[];
+    readonly boundarySpeciesNames : string[];
+    readonly boundarySpeciesIds : string[];
+    readonly reactionNames : string[];
+    readonly reactionIds : string[];
+    readonly reactionRates : number[];
+    readonly compartmentNames : string[];
+    readonly compartmentIds : string[];
+    readonly compartmentSizes : number[];
+    readonly globalParameterNames : string[];
+    readonly globalParameterIds : string[];
+    readonly globalParameterValues : number[];
+    readonly localParameterNames : string[];
+    readonly localParameterValues : number[];
+}
+
+export {COPASI};
+export default COPASI;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/copasijs.cpp b/src/copasijs.cpp
index 6874571..3a3b69b 100755
--- a/src/copasijs.cpp
+++ b/src/copasijs.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ using namespace nlohmann;
 // define a struct for information from model, containing ptr to CDataObject, SBML id string, and common name
 struct CModelElement
 {
-    const CDataObject *pObj;
+    CDataObject *pObj;
     std::string sbmlId;
     CRegisteredCommonName cnInitial;
     CRegisteredCommonName cn;
@@ -310,8 +310,75 @@ double getValue(const std::string &nameOrId)
     return std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();
 }
 
+bool setModelElement(std::map<std::string, CModelElement>& map, std::map<std::string, std::string>& idMap, const std::string& name, double value, CModel* model)
+{
+    auto it = map.find(name);
+    if (it == map.end())
+    {
+        auto idIt = idMap.find(name);
+        if (idIt != idMap.end())
+            it = map.find(idIt->second);
+    }
+    if (it != map.end())
+    {
+        CMetab* pMetab = dynamic_cast<CMetab*>(it->second.pObj);
+        if (pMetab)
+        {
+            model->updateInitialValues(pMetab->getInitialConcentrationReference(), false);
+
+            double oldValue = model->getMathContainer().getMathObject(pMetab->getInitialConcentrationReference())->getValue();
+
+            pMetab->setConcentration(value);
+            pMetab->setInitialConcentration(value);
+            model->updateInitialValues(pMetab->getInitialConcentrationReference(), false);
+
+            double newValue = model->getMathContainer().getMathObject(pMetab->getInitialConcentrationReference())->getValue();
+
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        CModelEntity* pEntity = dynamic_cast<CModelEntity*>(it->second.pObj);
+        if (pEntity)
+        {
+            pEntity->setValue(value);
+            pEntity->setInitialValue(value);
+            std::set<const CDataObject*> changes = {pEntity->getInitialValueReference(), pEntity->getValueReference()};
+
+            model->updateInitialValues(changes, true);
+            return true;
+        }
+        
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 void setValue(const std::string& nameOrId, double value)
 {
+    if (!pDataModel)
+        return;
+
+    auto* model = pDataModel->getModel();
+    if (!model)
+        return;
+
+    // look through floating species by name first, falling back
+    // for id if not found
+    if (setModelElement(mFloatingSpecies, mFloatingSpeciesIdMap, nameOrId, value, model))
+        return;
+
+    // boundary species 
+    if (setModelElement(mBoundarySpecies, mBoundarySpeciesIdMap, nameOrId, value, model))
+        return;
+    
+    // now compartments
+    if (setModelElement(mCompartments, mCompartmentsIdMap, nameOrId, value, model))
+        return;
+    
+    // and global parameters
+    if (setModelElement(mGlobalParameters, mGlobalParametersIdMap, nameOrId, value, model))
+        return;
+
 
 }
 
@@ -628,7 +695,7 @@ ordered_json buildModelInfo()
                 continue;
 
             CModelElement lp = {
-                obj[0],
+                const_cast<CDataObject*>(obj[0]),
                 "",
                 cns[0],
                 cns[0],
@@ -930,7 +997,7 @@ std::string simulateJSON(ordered_json& yaml)
         if (!task.initialize(CCopasiTask::OUTPUT_UI, pDataModel, NULL))
             return strdup("Error initializing task");
 
-        if (!task.process(false))
+        if (!task.process(true))
             return strdup("Error processing task");
 
         if (!task.restore())
diff --git a/test/copasijs_test.cpp b/test/copasijs_test.cpp
index 449178b..7207c6e 100644
--- a/test/copasijs_test.cpp
+++ b/test/copasijs_test.cpp
@@ -100,6 +100,104 @@ TEST_CASE("Load Model", "[copasijs]")
 
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("Load SBML Model", "[copasijs][sbml]")
+{
+    Instance instance;
+    std::string model = loadFromFile(getTestFile("../example_files/oscli.xml"));
+    REQUIRE(!model.empty());
+    REQUIRE(model != "Error loading model");
+
+    auto selectionList = getSelectionList();
+    REQUIRE_THAT(selectionList, Catch::Matchers::Equals(std::vector<std::string>{"Time", "S1", "S2"}));
+    auto selectionValues = getSelectionValues();
+    REQUIRE(selectionValues.size() == 3);
+    REQUIRE_THAT(selectionValues, Catch::Matchers::Approx(std::vector<double>{0, 0, 1}));
+
+    // lets have a look at the time course settings
+    auto timeCourseSettings = getTimeCourseSettings();
+    CAPTURE(timeCourseSettings);
+
+    // now simulate using onestep
+    double time = 0;
+    double stepSize = 1;
+    double numSteps = 11;
+    std::vector<double> timePoints;
+    std::vector<double> xPoints;
+    std::vector<double> yPoints;
+    while (time < numSteps) {
+        oneStep(time, stepSize);
+        timePoints.push_back(time);
+        auto values = getSelectionValues();
+        xPoints.push_back(values[1]);
+        yPoints.push_back(values[2]);
+        time += stepSize;
+    }
+    REQUIRE(timePoints.size() == 11);
+    REQUIRE_THAT(timePoints, Catch::Matchers::Approx(std::vector<double>{0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}));
+
+    reset();
+
+    // ensure that time is again 0
+    selectionValues = getSelectionValues();
+    REQUIRE(selectionValues.size() == 3);
+    REQUIRE_THAT(selectionValues, Catch::Matchers::Approx(std::vector<double>{0, 0, 1}));
+
+    // now run a simulation to look that the json format is in the expected format
+    auto data = simulateEx(0, 10, 11);
+    CAPTURE(data);
+    auto json = nlohmann::json::parse(data);
+    REQUIRE(json["titles"][0] == "Time");
+    REQUIRE(json["columns"][0].size() == json["recorded_steps"].get<int>());
+
+    reset();
+    // now use setValue / getValue to change the value of S1
+    double value = getValue("S1");
+    CAPTURE(value);
+    REQUIRE(value == 0);
+    setValue("S1", 1);
+    value = getValue("S1");
+    CAPTURE(value);
+    REQUIRE(value == 1);
+
+    // now the global parameter J0_v0 that initially is 8
+    value = getValue("J0_v0");
+    CAPTURE(value);
+    REQUIRE(value == 8);
+    setValue("J0_v0", 10);
+    value = getValue("J0_v0");
+    CAPTURE(value);
+    REQUIRE(value == 10);
+    
+    // and compartment that is initially 1
+    value = getValue("compartment");
+    CAPTURE(value);
+    REQUIRE(value == 1);
+    setValue("compartment", 2);
+    value = getValue("compartment");
+    CAPTURE(value);
+    REQUIRE(value == 2);
+
+    reset();
+    setValue("S1", 1);
+
+    data = simulateEx(0, 10, 11);
+    CAPTURE(data);
+    json = nlohmann::json::parse(data);
+    REQUIRE(json["titles"][0] == "Time");
+    REQUIRE(json["titles"][1] == "S1");
+    REQUIRE(json["columns"][0].size() == json["recorded_steps"].get<int>());
+    REQUIRE(json["columns"][1][0] == 1);
+
+    // reset again and check that the value is back to 0
+    reset();
+    data = simulateEx(0, 10, 11);
+    CAPTURE(data);
+    json = nlohmann::json::parse(data);
+    REQUIRE(json["titles"][1] == "S1");
+    REQUIRE(json["columns"][1][0] == 0);
+
+}
+
 
 TEST_CASE("Load COVID Model", "[copasijs][slow]") 
 {