Task 2 – Add Data with "Select TIN(s) Based on Specified Criteria."

Applying filters to large DSS files can help users locate specific pathnames and time windows more quickly.

Task 2 will demonstrate the "Select TIN(s) Based on Specified Criteria" filters that are available within the DSS Data Reader.

Create a New Map Window.

Create a New Map Window.

Right-Click on the "Pearl-Part B" Session.

From the "Sessions and Maps" option, select "Add Map Window."

Enter the name "Specified Criteria" for the new Map Window in the dialog that pops up and press OK.

Add Data with "Select TIN(s) Based on Specified Criteria."

Open the DSS Data Reader by expanding the "DSS Data" Map Window Node in the HEC-MetVue Explorer Window.

Right-Click on the TIN node and click on "Select DSS paths…"

Ensure that the following DSS file is selected:

...\HEC-MetVue_DssDataReader\HEC-MetVue_DssDataReader_Start\Data\DSS\precip.2021.08.dss

Toggle on the "Select TIN(s) Based on Specified Criteria" option and use this option to add the same TINs as in Task 1.  

Notice that the "Available TINs" dialog box was removed and only the "Selected TINs" dialog box remains. The "Select TIN(s) Based on Specific Criteria" method requires that the Selected TINs be filtered based on criteria.

Ensure that the "Pearl River" B-Part and "LMRFC-QPE" F-Part is selected within the Path Filter.

Expand the "Time Filters..." option and select "Filter by Date Range."

Leave the default time filter settings as-is for now and set the Start Date to 29Aug2021 0000 and the End Date to 31Aug2021 2400 (the same time window that was manually selected in Task 1). 

Notice how the desired 72 pathnames are now listed in the "Selected TINs" list based on the specified criteria.

Press OK to close the selection editor and view the LMRFC-QPE precipitation data in the Pearl River basin from 29 to 31 August 2021.

Zoom in closer to the Pearl River watershed if necessary by right-clicking within the Map Window and selecting "Encompass Data → TIN."

Question: Which method do you think would be more efficient to use when selecting a long range of data from a very large DSS file?

Explore Data with the Animation Toolbar.

Using the animation toolbar allows the user to dynamically change the time window and re-create an aggregate TIN for the map panel on the fly for whichever time window is selected. The toolbar also allows the user to move forward or backward in time at the specified timestep and will re-aggregate the TIN data as the time window is shifted. This feature is useful for adjusting time windows on-the-fly or for stepping through time series data at a specific increment.

Altering the animation time window settings will update the contents of the map window, but will not alter the selection within the TIN file reader. Re-opening the TIN file reader and selecting "Ok" will reset the map window back to the originally selected time period.

The animation toolbar is located at the bottom of every map window, but is hidden by default. 

In order to view and dock the animation toolbar, position the mouse cursor near the bottom left of the map window.

The animation toolbar will appear.

Check the selection box on the left side of the toolbar to dock the toolbar and prevent it from disappearing.

Once the animation toolbar is docked, HEC-MetVue will buffer the gridded data and the animation controls will become available.

Note that the default timestep is 1Hour and that the default time window is set to the first hour of the time period we had selected.

Select the Play button () on the toolbar to animate the incremental precipitation event over the watershed.

Note that the default settings will animate the incremental precipitation on an hourly timestep at a speed of 24 frames per second. The date range indicates the exact time period displayed as the animation plays.

Adjust the animation controls to slow down playback to 1 frame per second and animate the 4-hour cumulative precipitation by dragging the blue bar on the right further to the right until the date range spans a 4-hour time period (for example: 29Aug2021 0000 - 29Aug2021 0400). 

Select the Play button () on the toolbar to animate the precipitation event over the watershed in 4-hour cumulative increments at an hourly timestep.

Note that you can also advance manually throughout the animation by selecting the blue slider bar with the mouse and sliding the bar throughout the event.

Continue testing additional animation setting combinations to view the precipitation event.

Prior Task(s):

Task 1 - Add Data with "Select Specific TIN(s)"

Current Task:

Task 2 - Add Data with "Select TIN(s) Based on Specified Criteria

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