HEC-DSS data is stored in blocks, or records, within a file each record is identified by a unique name called a pathname. Each time that data is stored or retrieved from the file, its pathname must be given. The pathname is the key to the data's location within a database. A pathname is analyzed by HEC-DSS to determine an index number. This index determines where the data set is stored within the database. This design ensures that very few disk accesses are made to retrieve or store data sets. One data set is not directly related to another, so updating other areas of the database when a new data set is stored is not required.

HEC-DSS references records (data sets) by a pathname. The pathname of a HEC-DSS record can be three hundred and ninety-one (391) characters or less, and is, by convention, separated into six parts. The parts can be sixty-four (64) characters or less and are delimited by slashes in the pathname. The pathname parts are designated A through F. The table below provides an example naming convention for regular-interval time series:

Viewing of HEC-DSS Pathnames

The Pathname Table displays all of the pathnames by their different parts. Users can toggle display options from the View menu. Available commands are Pathname List, Pathname Parts, Condensed Catalog, No Pathnames, and Unsorted List. The Pathname List command displays the pathnames in the Pathname Table, while No Pathnames displays nothing.

Sorting HEC-DSS Pathnames by Parts

Users can also filter the display by pathname parts. Sorting the HEC-DSS pathnames by parts is the command Search pathnames by part (default). However, another way to sort the pathnames is available from the View menu, choose Search pathnames by string. The details for this method are described in the HEC-DSSVue User's Manual.

To filter by pathname parts, from the Filter Lists decide which pathname parts are to be used to sort the pathname list; a Filter List for each individual pathname part exists. In the example in the figure the D Part Output has been selected to show all pathnames with that D Part.

Selecting Pathnames

Once the Pathname Table is sorted, users can select the pathnames to view or manipulate. To select a pathname, double-click on a pathname in the Pathname Table, the selected pathname appears in the Selected Pathname List (Figure F.6). The user can also click on a pathname in the Pathname Table, and then click the Select button.

To select multiple consecutive pathnames, in the Pathname Table, click on the first pathname in the consecutive series. Find the last pathname in the series and click on it while holding down the SHIFT key. The block of pathnames highlights. Click Select, and all the pathnames within that block are added to the Selected Pathname List.

Users can also select multiple pathnames by selecting them while holding down the CTRL key. Once all of the appropriate pathnames are selected, release the CTRL key and click Select. All the pathnames that have been selected are added to the Selected Pathname List.

Users can select all of the pathnames displayed in the Pathname Table. From the Edit menu, choose Select All. All of the pathnames now appear in the Selected Pathname List.

Clearing Selected Pathnames

To clear a pathname from the Selected Pathname List, select a pathname and click De-Select. The pathname is cleared from the Selected Pathname List. To clear all pathnames from the Selected Pathname List, click Clear Selections, and the Selected Pathname Box is empty. Groups of pathnames can also be cleared using the same concepts described in the previous section and selecting pathnames by using the SHIFT and CTRL keys. Once pathnames have been cleared from the Selected Pathname Box, the pathnames can be restored to the Selected Pathname Box by clicking Restore Selections.