Data: Unzip the file below to C:\Class\DSS\Graphics Capabilities

Graphics Capabilities.zip


Introduction

As its name implies, one of the major functions of HEC-DSSVue is data visualization.  A powerful method for data visualization is plotting.  A great deal of user control over how a plot is configured is available in HEC-DSSVue.  This workshop will introduce you to many of the plot customization features.

Problem Description

A HEC-DSS database file named sample.dss was extracted from the zip file when you downloaded and extracted the Graphics Capabilities.zip file. If you extracted the file into the suggested directory the file will be C:\Class\DSS\Graphics Capabilities\sample.dss.

Using this file, you will select several records, plot them, manipulate the plot, save a template, create another plot, apply the template, and adjust the default characteristics that affect plots.

Task 1. Creating a Plot

      1. Start HEC-DSSVue.

      2. Open the sample.dss file described above.

      3. Select Pathname Parts from the View menu.

      4. Filter the pathname list for records containing data for Jan 2002 by selecting the 01Jan2022 in the D part filter dropdown list. 

      5. Filter the pathname list further or sort the pathnames by the B or C part by clicking the header of the desired column to find the following three records and add them to the selection list by either double-clicking the records or by highlighting all of them and pressing the Select button.

    1. //DEWEY-LAKE/ELEV/01JAN2002/1HOUR/OBS/
    2. //DEWEY-LAKE/FLOW/01JAN2002/1HOUR/OBS/
    3. //DEWEY-LAKE/PRECIP-INC/01JAN2002/1HOUR/OBS/

Question 1. What happened to the records you selected?

They populated the bottom part of the program window.


6. Plot them by selecting the Plot button on the tool bar. 

    1. If it is not obvious which one is the plot icon, hover your cursor over each button and a tool tip will appear naming each tool.

7. Open the View menu to make sure that Use Line Styles is not selected (off) on the plot (there should not be a checkmark in front of the Use Line Styles entry in the menu)


Question 2. How many viewports are on the plot?

3

Question 3. What color is the elevation curve?

Blue

Question 4. What color is the flow curve?

Red

Task 2. Configuring the Plot Layout

  1. Reconfigure the plot layout.
    1. Select Configure Plot Layout from the plot's Edit menu.
    2. Make adjustments so that the precipitation curve is plotted in the top viewport by highlighting the precipitation viewport in the Selected Data Sets and clicking the up arrow.
    3. Move the elevation and flow curves to the bottom viewport by highlighting the Left Y Axis holding the flow curve and moving it to the elevation curve's viewport in the same way. 
    4. The elevation and flow should be plotted in the same viewport, with elevation on the left.

Question 5. How did you accomplish this task?  List the steps…

  1. Select Configure Plot Layout from the plot's Edit menu
  2. Select Viewport (3,1)
  3. Click up-arrow twice
  4. Right-click Viewport (1,1), select Add Axis to generate Right Y Axis
  5. Select DEWEY-LAKE OBS FLOW
  6. Click up-arrow once
  7. Click OK button

There’s more than one correct answer

Question 6. Is there a problem with the bottom viewport? If so, describe it.

Yes, the tic/grid intervals on the Flow axis are strange.

      2. Invert the axis of the precip curve by right clicking the axis with the pointer, selecting Edit Properties, and selecting the Reverse (Invert) Axis box.

      3. Adjust the size of the viewports such that the top viewport is about ½ the size of the bottom one by selecting Edit and Configure Plot Layout. 

    1. Change the size of each viewport by selecting Set Plot Viewport Weights from the Edit menu of the Configure Plot dialog.  The weights you enter are in percentages of the total area of the plot.


Question 7. What weights did you pick for your viewports?                    

25 for upper and 75 for lower

There is no correct answer

      4. Adjust the Y-axis of the elevation curve to range from 645 to 647 and the Y-axis of the flow curve to range from 0 to 2000 by right clicking the axis and selecting Properties then adjust the min and max values.

    1. Open the Axis Properties editor by right-clicking on the axis and selecting Edit Properties.

      5. Add fill to the precip curve by right clicking on the precip curve in the viewport and selecting Edit Properties from the context menu.

    1. Modify the plot properties of the other curves by changing their line characteristics (color, style, weight, symbol, etc).

Question 8. Which option for "fill:" made the most sense on the precip curve?  Why?

"Above", because it fills from zero to the precip value.

   

      6. Save a template of this plot to be applied later to another plot using Save Template from your plot's File menu


Question 9. What name did you give your template? What folder did you save it in? 

Name: WorkshopTemplate.template

Folder: Documents

There is no correct answer.


      7. Close your plot.

      8. Re-plot the selected records.

      9. Apply your template to the new plot by selecting Apply Template from your plot's File menu, then selecting the template you saved in step 12.


Question 10. Does your plot look like you expected? If not, how is it different?

Hopefully, yes.

Task 3. Edit Default Plot Properties

  1. Add an icon and your office symbol to one side of the default legend so that any plot you produce will contain the icon and text
  2. Use the Plot Properties editor to customize your Legend
  3. Select Default Plot Properties from your plot's Edit menu
  4. Select the Legend tab
    1. Choose either the Right or Left block tab
    2. Select the Draw Legend Block checkbox
    3. Then add your icon.
      1. Valid icon file types include .jpg, .gif, .bmp, and .png.
  5. NOTE: When you change the default plot properties, they only apply to new plots, not plots that are already open.  To see your legend changes you will need to close your plot and re-plot it.

Some small graphics files were extracted from the zip file when you downloaded and extracted the Graphics Capabilities.zip file. You can use these as legend icons.  Use Windows Explorer to browse to them and take a look.

Question 11. On which side of the legend did you place your icon?

On the right.

There is no correct answer.

      4. Create a new plot with at least 4 flow records displayed utilizing the steps previously outlined.

      5. Check the plot's View menu to make sure that Use Line Styles is "on".


Question 12. What color(s) are the flow curves?

Green, red, blue, and yellow.

Question 13. Do they have symbols?

No

      6. Change how that the first 4 flow curves will be plotted by default. Be creative.  You can adjust the colors, line style, weight, fill, and symbols.

    1. Edit the Default Line Styles.
    2. Save your changes by selecting Save from the File menu of the Default Line Styles editor
    3. Test your changes by closing the plot and re-plotting your flows

Question 14. What line properties did you change?

   Draw Points

      Style

      Line Color

      Fill Color

      Draw Symbols on Data Points

      Skip

      Offset

Hint – There is no correct answer.

      7. Create a plot for Dewey Lake. This plot should contain the following pathnames:

  • //DEWEY-LAKE-POOL/ELEV/22Jan2022-03Feb2022/1HOUR/T0N0B0/
  • //DEWEY-LAKE-CONSERVATION/ELEV-ZONE/22Jan2022-03Feb2022/1HOUR/T0N0B0/
  • //DEWEY-LAKE-POOL/FLOW-IN/22Jan2022-03Feb2022/1HOUR/T0N0B0/
  • //DEWEY-LAKE-POOL/FLOW-OUT/22Jan2022-03Feb2022/1HOUR/T0N0B0/
  • //DEWEY-LAKE/FLOW/22Jan2022-03Feb2022/1HOUR/OBS/

      8. Add a marker line where the observed data runs out.

      9. Add a callout to the observed flow curve.

      10. Using the skills you have developed, further configure the plot to your preference.