CWMS-Vue and HEC-DSSVue

CWMS-Vue Overview

CWMS-Vue is a graphical user interface designed for viewing, editing, and managing data stored in HEC-DSS files and CWMS databases. It allows users to plot, tabulate, edit, and apply over fifty mathematical functions to the data. In addition to these capabilities, CWMS-Vue offers several utility features, including entering datasets into databases, renaming datasets, copying datasets between database files, and deleting datasets.

CWMS-Vue Planned Activities

Award Maintenance Contract

Ongoing maintenance for CWMS-Vue includes routine bug fixes, usability enhancements, and performance improvements. To date, lazy loading has been successfully implemented in the Time Series, Ratings, and Measurements tabs. Future maintenance will focus on improving loading performance for additional tabs, including Locations, Location Levels, Location Groups, and Time Series Groups.

Host Webinars

Webinars will continue to introduce and explain new CWMS-Vue features as they are released. Topics will likely include:

• New or enhanced CDA capabilities
• Planned deprecation of legacy tools as part of the transition to a cloud-based platform
• Future plans for CWMS-Vue, including timelines, design mockups, and features of the upcoming CWMS-Vue Web Application

Update Documentation

With the release of the standalone version of CWMS-Vue, updates to the User's Manual and related documentation are ongoing. As new features are developed, the documentation will be revised to ensure users have access to accurate and up-to-date guidance.

Support Field Operations

The CWMS-Vue team will continue to provide field support as needed, including responding to questions on Discourse, reproducing bugs for resolution under the maintenance contract, and assisting new users and transferring technical knowledge.

Design and Develop Web Application Prototype

As CWMS databases transition to the enterprise cloud (CWBI), CWMS-Vue is also evolving from a PC-based application to a web-based platform. This shift will:

• Streamline version updates by eliminating manual installations and server configuration requirements
• Synchronize updates between the application and the national database
• Improve overall maintainability and accessibility

Currently, CWMS-Vue updates require coordination between desktop software, schema updates, and server-side components. Moving to a web application will simplify deployment across offices and improve consistency nationwide.

Since accessing the national CWMS database will require an internet connection, the benefits of maintaining a local, PC-based application are diminished. A web-based application will provide a more efficient and scalable solution for future use.

The web application will be developed in two main phases:

1. Data Management Features – includes Locations, Location Levels, Location Groups, and Time Series Groups.
2. Data Operations Features – includes Time Series, Ratings, and Measurements, which require advanced plotting, tabulating, and validation tools that will follow after Data Management is implemented.

Some features currently available in the desktop version may not initially be supported in the web application:

• Local DSS File Access: Many users interact with local HEC-DSS files through CWMS-Vue, often alongside CWMS database operations.
• Script Execution: CWMS-Vue users frequently run Jython scripts using DBAPI or CWMSjy to retrieve and manipulate time series data. While referred to as "CWMS-Vue scripts," these scripts typically rely on HEC-RTS functionality, not CWMS-Vue itself.

To continue supporting these capabilities:

• Scripts may be migrated to the HEC-RTS environment, or
• A dedicated CWMS scripting tool could be developed and integrated into the HEC-RTS build package.

These features must be addressed before the CWMS-Vue web application is fully adopted.

Incorporate CMA Functions into New Platform

Several critical features from the legacy CWMS Management Application (CMA) are not yet available in CWMS-Vue. These include:

• Assigning time series to projects (e.g., reservoirs, lock and dams)
• Setting and editing Location Kind
• Managing Basin Connectivity for enhanced data filtering based on watershed or stream

Some of these features may be temporarily added to CWMS-Vue, but the long-term plan is to incorporate them into the new web-based CWMS-Vue application.

HEC-DSS and HEC-DSSVue Overview

HEC-DSS and HEC-DSSVue are the core components for data storage and visualization within the CWMS software suite. HEC-DSS serves as the primary time-series database format, enabling seamless data sharing between models during CWMS computation runs. HEC-DSSVue is a user-friendly interface designed to simplify data management across multiple HEC applications. It is available both as a standalone program and as an integrated library within other software, such as HEC-ResSim.

HEC-DSS and HEC-DSSVue Planned Activities

Support Field Operations

Field staff use HEC-DSS through applications like HEC-HMS, HEC-DSSVue, and scripting with Jython or Python. Support activities include improving documentation, responding to written support requests, conducting debugging sessions, identifying and resolving issues, and providing workarounds when needed.

Maintain Shared Code

All HEC applications access HEC-DSS via shared code libraries that interface with HEC-DSS through a programming language. Shared code efforts include implementing new tests to prevent recurring issues. A major focus this fiscal year will be phasing out HEC-DSS version 6 in favor of version 7. This transition will reduce the amount of code requiring maintenance and continue the removal of Fortran-based code from the lower-level libraries.

HEC-DSSVue versions prior to 4.0 can open and convert HEC-DSS version 6 files to version 7. Starting with HEC-DSSVue version 4.0, the software will only support HEC-DSS version 7 files. This change simplifies the codebase by removing older Java and Fortran code, making the application more stable and easier to maintain.

Improve the Future of CWMS with HEC-DSS and Python

This activity includes documentation, workshops, support, and other technical transfer of the three HEC python libraries.

• CWMS Python
• HEC-DSS Python
• HEC Python

Plan for the Future of Data Storage

Various data storage methods will be evaluated as potential options for HEC-DSS version 8. Key criteria for selecting a future data storage solution include the capability to share data seamlessly across HEC software, especially considering possible software consolidations. This evaluation will be guided by the ongoing integration of HEC-DSSVue and HEC-SSP.