The main window of HEC-RTS is organized into four primary modules - Acquisition, Visualization, Modeling, and Setup - each accessible through its own tab. Every module offers a unique set of menus, tools, and a dedicated map window tailored to its specific functions. Key components are shown in the figure below.

Key Components

Below are the key components of the main window:

  • Title Bar - Displays the name of the active watershed.
  • Menu Bar - Includes both general and module-specific menu options.
  • Main Toolbar - Offers shortcut icons for commonly used menu commands.
  • Module Tabs - Provides access to the four core modules; clicking a tab activates the respective module.
  • Watershed Pane - Shows commands and items relevant to the selected module.
  • Map Window Toolbar - Contains tools for navigating the map window and managing time series icons.
  • Map Window - Displays a georeferenced map view of the watershed area.
  • Message Pane - Shows a scrolling list of system messages and updates.
  • Status Bar - Displays map coordinates when the Select tool hovers over a location in the map window.

Menu Bar Overview

The File, View, Maps, Scripts, Tools, Window, and Help menus provide commands that are accessible across all four modules. In addition to these shared commands, some menus include module-specific options that are only visible when a particular module is active. Below is an overview of the commands and options that are common to all modules.

File Menu

  • Open Watershed - Open an existing watershed using a file browser.
  • Recent Watersheds - Display a list of recently opened watersheds for quick access.
  • Save Watershed - Save the current watershed.
  • Save Watershed As - Create a copy of the current watershed under a new name or location.
  • Close Watershed - Close the current watershed while keeping the HEC-RTS application open. 
  • Login - Connect to a server using your credentials.
  • Logout - Disconnect from the server.
  • Exit - Close both the active watershed and the HEC-RTS application.

View Menu

  • Zoom to All - Zoom the map to show the full extents.
  • Displayed Units - Change the nits displayed on the map (English or SI).
  • Displayed Time Zone - Adjust the time zone shown.
  • Toolbars - Turn shortcut toolbars on or off.
  • Messages - Show or hide the Messages window.
  • Status - Show or hide the Status Bar.
  • Module Tabs - Show or hide the Module tabs.
  • Save Layout - Save the current layout as a template.
  • Restore Layout - Load a saved layout template.
  • Layout Manager - Open the Layout Manager.

Maps Menu

  • Map Layers - Add, remove, or toggle layers, modify symbology, etc.
  • Default Map Properties - Adjust map extents and default layers.
  • Add Internet Map - Load a background map from online sources (e.g., Google Street Map).
  • Display Map Coordinates - Toggle between Internet and Watershed map coordinates.
  • Save Map Image - Save the map as a .wmf, .jpg, or .png file.
  • Print Map - Print a copy of the map.

Scripts Menu

  • Editor - Open the Script Editor to create or edit scripts.
  • Schedule Script Job - Schedule a script to run at regular intervals.
  • Script Job Status - View the status of scheduled scripts.
  • Run - Execute an existing script.

Tools Menu

  • CWMS-Vue - Launch the CWMS-Vue application.
  • Ensemble Viewer - Opens the Ensemble Viewer. (User's Manual available here)
  • Applications - Launch various tools, such as Data Status Summary, CWMS-Vue, or HEC-DSSVue.
  • Options - Set HEC-RTS options (e.g., model directories, plug-in locations). 
  • Console Output - View the console.log file.
  • Logs - View logs for the modeling programs.
  • Memory Monitor - Check memory usage.
  • Download Files - Download files from CWMS server.
  • Upload Files - Upload files on the CWMS server.
  • View File - View files on the CWMS server.
  • Edit File - Edit files on the CWMS server.

Window Menu

  • Duplicate Window - Open a duplicate copy of the current map window.
  • Detach Window - Open the current map window in a separate, detached window.
  • New Map Window - Open a new map window./
  • Map Window Settings - Change settings for map window (grid, background color, zoom, etc.).
  • Sync Map Windows - Set the zoom level of all open map windows to match the selected window.
  • Tile - Tile all open map windows within the Map Panel.
  • Cascade - Stack all open map windows within the Map Panel.
  • Window Selector - Select a map window from the open windows list.
  • Next Window - Display the next map window in the list of open maps.
  • Previous Window - Display the previous map window in the list of open maps.

Help Menu

  • User's Manual - Access the HEC-RTS User's Manual on Confluence.
  • About - Display the current version of the HEC-RTS software.

Main Toolbar Overview

The main toolbar offers quick access to frequently used options from the menu bar and includes the following six toolbars:

Standard Toolbar 

This toolbar allows you to create a new watershed, open an existing watershed, close the current watershed, save the watershed, and print the contents displayed in the map window.

Standard Toolbar

Map Toolbar

This toolbar enables you to open a new map window, synchronize the zoom level across all open map windows to match the selected window, tile all open map windows in the Map Panel, and stack all open map windows within the Map Panel.

Map Toolbar

Modules Toolbar

This toolbar allows you to select the individual module tabs: Acquisition, Visualization, Modeling, and Setup.

Modules Toolbar 

Modeling Toolbar

This toolbar provides access the following standalone applications: Ensemble Forecast Processor, HEC-HMS, HEC-ResSim, HEC-FIA, the Scripting Program dialog, HEC-MetVue, and HEC-RAS.

Tools Toolbar

This toolbar allows you to open CWMS-Vue.

Tools Toolbar

Animation Toolbar

This toolbar provides access to the Animate dialog in the Visualization module if a grid set has been created.

Animation Toolbar