This paper reports on full tokamak discharge simulations in the TCV tokamak using the DINA code, of which a new open modular architecture version is presented. These new simulations include the effect of intense electron cyclotron heating, dissipated off-axis. The change in the plasma conductivity produces a time-varying plasma current profile, which in turn causes the plasma shape to relax in the almost constant vacuum quadrupole field. These simulations allow us to check on the diffusion of poloidal magnetic flux, as well as the modelling of the electron cyclotron heating. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.