An HEC-WAT study's data and files are largely managed by HEC-WAT through the user interface. Files are automatically created and named by HEC-WAT or the plugins to store information.

Best Practice

Users should minimize the activity of editing or manipulating files in the study directory. 

HEC-WAT Study Directory Files and Sub-directories

When creating a new study, the user defines the location where the HEC-WAT files will be stored. The directory created by HEC-WAT contains many sub-directories and files. The following files and directories are native to HEC-WAT and will always be present. Other directories are built by project-specific plugins and are dependent upon the user's application. This section provides background on what is stored on the user's computer and provides general best practices on file management in support of HEC-WAT.


Table of example HEC-WAT files contained in the study directory.

File Name

Contents

<ProjectName>.sty

A text file created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. Contains the name and description of the study, creator of the study, map coordinate information, and references to the stream alignment and the schematic data. 

<ProjectName>.wksp

A text file created by HEC-ResSim when an HEC- WAT study is created. The file is specifically used by the HEC-ResSim model. Contains the name and description of the study, location of stream alignment file, and location of any map layers that have been added to the study.

<ProjectName>.projection

A projection file created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. Contains the projection information for an HEC-WAT study that was identified in the Map Coordinate Information dialog box.

<ProjectName>.log

A text file created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. This file contains logs produced during the creation and modification of a study.  

Default.ag

A text file created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. Contains information for a default analysis group.

stream.align

A text file created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. Contains the name, description, and other information that define a stream alignment (stream nodes, vertex points, stream element(s), etc.).

<AlternativeName>.walt  

A text file created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. Contains information on the default alternative, including the name, associated stream alignment, and other information.

 <AlternativeName>.sch

An XML file created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. Contains information on the schematic associated with an alternative. 


Table of example HEC-WAT sub-directories contained in the study directory.

File or Directory Name

Contents

layouts

Sub-folder created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. This folder contains the saved layouts for the WAT Desktop Pane. Layouts also contain information in regards to the divider locations; what has been expanded and selected in the various panes; and, other information.

maps

Sub-folder created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. Used to store map layers and GIS coverages associated with a study.

shared

Sub-folder created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. This folder contains the default HEC-WAT program order and any other files that might be shared for the study.

study

Sub-folder created by HEC-WAT when a study is created. This folder contains the information created from the Schematic tab. Contains database files (*.dbf, *.dbt, *.mdx) that contain the data when creating measures, impact areas, and common computation points.

runs

Sub-folder created when an HEC-WAT simulation (deterministic or FRA) is computed. This folder will store results for a simulation. The main file for a simulation is the simulation .dss file which is contained in this directory (or sub directories depending on the simulation type).

wat

Sub-folder created by HEC-WAT when either an alternative, analysis period, or simulation is created. Contains the sub-folders for alternatives, analysis periods, and simulations.

Additional sub-directories are built by the activated plugins in HEC-WAT. These plugin specific directories allow the plugins to store their own information in an area where HEC-WAT does not manage files. An example is the hms folder. Here the HEC-HMS plugin stores the HEC-HMS application in the WAT study directory; all files that HEC-HMS leverages should be stored in this directory.

Automatic Backup of Files

As elements are added to the study, such as a stream alignment, map layers, and data, the files and directories displayed in the tables above are created, along with automatic backup files. For example, a <ProjectName>.sty file and a <ProjectName>sty.bak file are created when the study is created. Every time the study is saved, the *.bak file is updated to the previous state. Automatic backup files are created for all study files, alternative files, analysis period files, simulation files, and results files. DSS (*.dss) files are not automatically backed up.

Since the *.bak file reflects the previous state of that file, the user can go back to the previous state by deleting the original file and removing the *.bak extension from the backup file. This process allows the information for that previous state to become the current state. The overall effect would be "undoing" all changes the user made before saving the HEC-WAT study. For example, if for some reason the stream.align file became corrupt, the user could retrieve the stream alignment from the stream.align.bak file. The user would need to close HEC-WAT, browse to the correct HEC-WAT study directory, delete the stream.align file, and rename the stream.align.bak file to stream.align. The user would then need to open HEC-WAT, open the correct the HEC-WAT study, and the stream alignment will be visible again.