HEC-DSS can store and retrieve virtually any file by storing files as binary objects. For Windows, when such a file is retrieved from HEC-DSS, the function "rundll32" can be executed to cause the default Windows function to be run on that file, based on the file's extension, just as if the user had double clicked on it in Windows Explorer.

For example, if the extension is .pdf, Adobe Reader would be run, displaying the file. If .xls or .xlsx, Microsoft Excel would start with that file loaded (assuming Excel was installed.) If it were .mp3, Windows Media Player would start playing the file. You can drag and drop files in HEC-DSSVue, then plot or tabulate the datasets to utilize this also.


Storing files in HEC-DSS is available in both versions 6 and 7. Storing and retrieving images (e.g., .jpg) is discussed in the next chapter.
The pathname conventions for File data are:

Parts A, B and F – not specified
Part C: The file name
Part D: The word "FILE"
Part E: The file's extension (without the "." Separator)


To store a disk file into HEC-DSS, use the class HecDssFileStore. The primary method calls for HecDssFileStore are:

public int write(File file)

public int write(File file, DSSPathname pathname)

public int exportToFile(File file)

public void runProcess()

public static void runProcess(String dssFileAndPath) 
JAVA


The format for the argument for static runProcess(String dssFileAndPath) is dssFilename:pathname, e.g.,
"C:/temp/sample7.dss:///Wildlife.wmv/FILE/wmv//"
That method opens the DSS file, reads the record then run rundll32 with that file as the argument, using the extension to define what program to execute.