Several plotting features are available from the Options menu on all of the graphical plots. These options include: zoom in; zoom out; selecting which plans, profiles, reaches and variables to plot; and control over labels, lines, symbols, scaling, grid options, zoom window location, font sizes, and land marks. In addition to using the options menu at the top of each graphic window, if a user presses the right mouse button while the cursor is over a graphic, the options menu will appear right at the cursor location. In general, the options are about the same on all of the graphics.

Zoom In. This option allows the user to zoom in on a portion of the graphic. This is accomplished by selecting Zoom In from the Options menu, then specifying the area to zoom in on with the mouse. Defining the zoom area is accomplished by placing the mouse pointer at a corner of the desired zoom area. Then press down on the left mouse button and drag the mouse to define a box containing the desired zoom area. Finally, release the left mouse button and the viewing area will display the zoomed-in graphic. A small window showing the entire graphic will be placed in one of the corners of the graphic. This window is called the Zoom Window. The Zoom Window shows the entire graphic with a box around the zoomed in area. The user can move the zoom box or resize it in order to change the viewing area.

Zoom Previous. This option will re-display the graphic back to the size that it was one operation previous (i.e. if I zoomed in three times, then select Zoom Previous, the window would go back to the size it was after the second zoom in). HEC-RAS will remember the last 10 window sizes of the graphic and allow the user to use the Zoom Previous to go back through them.

Zoom Out. This option doubles the size of the currently zoomed in graphic.

Zoom In/Out Shortcut. User can now use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Place the mouse pointer over the location where you want to zoom in and push the mouse wheel foreword. To zoom out, pull the mouse wheel back.

Full Plot. This option re-displays the graphic back into its original size before you zoomed in. Using the Full Plot option is accomplished by selecting Full Plot from the Options menu.

Pan. This option allows the user to move the graphic around while in a zoomed in mode. After zooming in, to move the graphic around, select Pan from the Options menu. Press and hold the left mouse button down over the graphic, then move the graphic in the desired direction. A shortcut to selecting the Pan option is to hold down the Shift Key to put the pointer into the Pan mode. Simply release the Shift Key to turn off the Pan mode.

Measuring Tool. On any of the HEC-RAS graphics, even the river system schematic, the user can turn on a measuring tool and draw a multi point line (Called a polyline), and HEC-RAS will report back the length of the line, the area of the polygon formed by connecting the first and last point drawn, the dx length, the dy length, and the slope (dx/dy). To use this option simply hold down the Control Key while over the graphic, then draw the multi point line by pressing the left mouse button at each location you want to have a point. To end the line, simple release the Control key after the last point is drawn.

Animate. This option was developed for unsteady flow output analysis, but can also be used for steady flow output. This option works with the cross section, profile, and X, Y, Z perspective plots. When this option is selected, a window will appear that allows the user to control the animation of any currently opened graphics. The user has the option to too "play" a graphic, which means to step through the time sequence of computed profiles. In a steady flow analysis, it can be used to switch between the profiles conveniently.

Plans. This option allows the user to select from the available Plans for plotting. The default plan is the currently opened plan. The user can select additional plans to view for comparison of results graphically.

Profiles. This option allows the user to select which profiles they would like to have displayed on the graphic. This option does not apply to the rating curve, it automatically plots all of the profiles.

Reaches. This option allows the user to select which river reaches they would like to have displayed. This option only applies to the profile plot.

Variables. This option allows the user to select whatever variables are available for plotting. The number and type of variables depends on what type of graphic is being displayed. The following is a list of variables that can be found on the profile plot: water surface, energy, critical water surface, observed water surfaces, Left main channel bank elevation, right main channel bank elevation, reach labels, ice cover, left and right levees, pilot channels, sediment elevations, and left and right lateral structures. The cross section plot is has the following eight variables: water surface, filled in water surface, energy, critical depth, observed water surface, ice cover, Manning's n values, and pilot channels.

Labels. This option allows the user to change the labels for the plot caption, as well as the labels used for the axis. The user can select any or all of the following items to be added to the caption: project title, plan title, run date, run time, geometry title, flow title, river and reach names, cross section descriptions, cross section river stationing, cross section node names, and any user defined additional text.

Lines and Symbols. This option allows the user to change the line types, line colors, line widths, symbol types, symbol sizes, and symbol colors, fill patterns, and the line labels. When the user selects this option, a window will appear as shown in Figure 8-4.

Figure 8 4 Line and Symbol Options Window

When the Line and Symbol Options window comes up, it will list only the information from the current plot. When this window is in the "Current Plot Line Styles" mode, the user can only change the information for the current plot. If the user wants to change the default line and symbol options for all of the plots, they must select Default Line Styles at the top of the window. When this option is selected, the user will be able to change the label, line, and symbol options for every variable that is plotted in the program. To use this option, the user finds the variable that they want to change from the list on the left side of the window. Select that variable by clicking the left mouse button while over top of the variable. Once a variable is selected, the options that are set for that variable will be highlighted with a red box around each option. The user can change whatever option they want, as well as changing the label for that variable. If a variable does not have a default label, you cannot enter one for that variable. Once the user has made all of the changes that they want to all of the desired variables, they should press the OK button. The changes will be saved permanently, and any plot that is displayed within HEC-RAS will reflect the user-entered changes.

Scaling. This option allows the user to define the scaling used for the plot. Users are allowed to set the minimum, maximum, and labeling increment for the X and Y axis. Scaling can be set temporarily, or scaling can be set to be persistent (scaling stays constant for all cross sections). Persistent scaling is only available for the cross section and rating curve plots.

Grid. This option allows the user to overlay a grid on top of the graphic. Users have the option to have both major and minor tics displayed, as well as a border around the plot.

Zoom Window Location. This option allows the user to control which corner of the plot that the zoom window will be placed, and the size of the window.

Font Sizes. This option allows the user to control the size of all of the text displayed on the graphic.

Land Marks. This option is specific to profile plots. With this option the user can turn on additional labels that will be displayed as land marks below the invert of the channel. Three types of land marks can be displayed: cross section river stations; node names; or cross section descriptions. In addition to these three variables, once one of the three are displayed, the user can select to edit the land mark labels. This will allow the user to put a label at a specific location on a plot.