Starting ResSim

To begin modeling reservoirs, you must first start ResSim. Like most other Windows applications, you can launch ResSim by:

After a moment or two, ResSim's main window will open ("Figure: ResSim Main Window"). The short delay before ResSim displays its main window is because ResSim is a Java application and, as such, the Java Runtime Environment must be launched before ResSim can be loaded.

Once you have launched ResSim, you will need to open a watershed. You can open an existing watershed from any module in ResSim, but if you need to create a new watershed you must be in the Watershed Setup module. See "Watershed Setup" for details on creating a new watershed. Three methods of opening an existing watershed are available:

  • Use the Open Watershed browser
  • Select one of the five most recently used watersheds from the File menu
  • Reload the Last Watershed at startup.

Since ResSim can open only one watershed at a time, to work on two watersheds at the same time, launch a second instance of ResSim.

Note: It is NOT recommended that you open the same watershed in both instances of ResSim. Be aware that both instances of ResSim will write to the same console and DSS log files. As a result, the content of these logs may become quite unintelligible. 

Opening a Watershed

To access the Open Watershed browser:

  • Select Open Watershed from the File menu (of any module). The Open Watershed browser will appear ("Figure: Open Watershed Browser"). The file location will default to the root folder of the last ResSim model opened. UPDATED IN RESSIM 3.5

    Open Watershed Browser window
    Figure: Open Watershed Browser
  • Navigate (browse) to and select your watershed's .wksp file. The .wksp file is the ResSim "project" file. This file is located in your watershed's root or main folder and its filename is the name of your watershed with an extension of .wksp. The .wksp file identifies the watershed to ResSim.
  • Click the Open button. The Open Watershed browser will close and the watershed you selected will load and appear in ResSim's main window with the watershed's name shown in the Title Bar.

 If you intend to store several watersheds in the same folder, you can create a Shortcut to that folder so that you can navigate to it quickly in the Open Watershed browser. To create a shortcut:

  • From the Open Watershed browser, navigate to the folder containing your watershed(s), then press the Add button. A dialog will appear asking you to "enter an alias" for the current folder. After you give the shortcut (or watershed location) a name and press OK, your shortcut will appear in the Shortcuts panel at the right of the Open Watershed browser.

    Note: You can also create and edit Shortcuts in the Options editor’s Shortcuts tab—see The Options Editor-Shortcuts for details.

Opening a Recent Watershed

ResSim keeps track of the last five watersheds you have opened and lists them at the bottom of the File Menu. If the watershed you want to open is one of those five, you do not need to access the Open Watershed browser to open the file, you can simply select the watershed directly from the File Menu ("Figure: File Menu—Last Five Watersheds"). If you are unsure if the watershed you want is one of the five, hover on its name in the File Menu—the folder location of the watershed will appear in a tooltip box.

File Menu, Last Five Watersheds section displays 1 Example, 2 Hayes_Basin, 3 Hayes_Basin (grayed out), and two other watershed names.
Figure: File Menu—Last Five Watersheds

The number of recent watersheds that appear in the File menu can be changed by going to Tools>Options>General>Recent Watershed Menu Count

Setting to Reload Last Watershed at Startup

If you are going to be working on the same watershed for a while, you might like the option to Reload the last watershed you had open each time you startup ResSim. To enable this option:

  • Select Options from the Tools menu. The Options Editor will open ("Figure: Options Editor—Reload Last Watershed").
  • Select the General tab
  • Click in the checkbox next to Reload last Watershed at Startup.

  • After the checkmark appears in the checkbox, click OK to save your setting and close the Options editor.

Options Editor, General tab selected displays the settings options to Show Confirm on Exit, Reload last Watershed at Startup, and Tooltip Display Time (msec) set to 4000.
Figure: Options Editor—Reload Last Watershed