A program order defines a sequence of plugins that compute in a given order within an HEC-WAT simulation. Once a simulation is created with a program order, the user links the programs in the program order to define how data flows through the plugins. Since the plugins are computed sequentially, the order of the plugins in the program order is important. For example, if HEC-ResSim needs inputs from HEC-HMS, the HEC-HMS plugin must appear before the HEC-ResSim plugin in the program order. Any plugin in the program order can leverage output created by any other plugin higher in the program order - i.e. data can skip programs. For instance, if HEC-RAS also needs input data from HEC-HMS, the HEC-RAS plugin can be below HEC-ResSim and retrieve input directly from HEC-HMS.  

The user can create multiple program orders within a given HEC-WAT study. HEC-WAT has a default program order named Default, which consists of HEC-HMS, HEC-ResSim, HEC-RAS and HEC-FIA. This sequence is very typical, but not always necessary depending on the purpose of the project. For instance, if a project intends to create hazard frequency curves, but not damage frequency curves, the user would likely create a program order with HEC-FIA removed.

A program order can contain the same plugin multiple times. This can be useful to allow iteration on a problem; this is rare, but the Columbia River Treaty study uses this feature to perform their operations with multiple iterations of HEC-ResSim alternatives. The repetition of plugins in the program order can also achieve horizontal connections. For instance, if reservoirs break up the geographic domain of the project, some modelers model each downstream section with a separate HEC-RAS plan, and connect an HEC-FIA model to each HEC-RAS model. This can result in multiple geographically distinct HEC-RAS and HEC-FIA models that are connected to one another as water flows through the system. 

Managing Program Orders 

Management of the program orders is completed via the Program Order dialog box.

The Program Order dialog box displaying the HEC-WAT Default program order.

The HEC-WAT main window provides access to the Program Order dialog through the Edit menu and through the WAT Tools toolbar. The Alternative and Simulation Manager dialog box also provides access to the dialog via the Edit menu and the toolbar. Click the program order button Program Order icon to open the Program Order dialog box. 

HEC-WAT main window and Alternative and Simulation Manager dialog box displaying the Program Order toolbar button.

Alternatively, users can create a new program order from the Create New Simulation or Simulation Editor dialog boxes. Next to the Program Order list, click New to open the the ProgramOrderDB dialog. For more information regarding creating or editing a deterministic simulation, please review the Create a New Deterministic Simulation and Edit a Deterministic Simulation, respectfully. For more information regarding creating and editing a Flood Risk Analysis simulation, please review the Create a New Flood Risk Analysis Simulation and Edit a Flood Risk Analysis Simulation, respectfully.

Example of creating a new program order from the Create New Simulation dialog box by clicking the New program order button.

Create a Program Order

To create a program order:

  1. From the Program Order dialog box, from the Program menu, click New.
    Program Order dialog box, Program menu commands.
  2. The New Program Order dialog box opens.
    New Program Order dialog box.
  3. Enter a name for the program order in the Name box (e.g., RAS&FIA_Only). Description and Icon are optional.
  4. Click Select Programs to open the Selection Editor. Select the software applications that are required for the program order from the Available list.
    Selection Editor dialog box to select the order for the programs from the available list.
  5. Click Add, and the name of the selected software applications will move to the Selected list. The order that items are added in this step will define the compute sequence; if adjustments are desired, programs can be reordered in the New Program Order dialog after selection. To have a program appear in the program order more than once, it must be added to the program order in this step as many times as desired.
  6. Once all the software applications have been selected, click OK to close the Selection Editor.
  7. The New Program Order dialog box now displays the names of the selected software applications.
  8. Click OK to close the New Program Order dialog box.
  9. The Program Order dialog box Name list now contains the name of the new program order and the table displays the sequence for the selected software applications. The created program order (e.g., RAS&FIA_Only) can now be selected by simulations. 

Delete a Program Order

Caution!

Deleting or editing a program order that is part of an existing simulation can create unintended consequences. Modify simulations to use other program orders prior to deletion of a program order. 

To delete a program order:

  1. Select the program order to be deleted from the Name list in the Program Order dialog box.
  2. From the Program menu, click Delete. A Confirm Deletion window opens requesting confirmation.
  3. To confirm click Yes, the Confirm Deletion window will close and the selected program order is deleted.

Edit a Program Order

The ability to edit a program order is limited to inserting a program above or below an existing entry in the program order or removing an existing program from the program order.

To edit a program order:

  1. From the HEC-WAT main window toolbar, or from the Alternative and Simulation Manager toolbar, click the Program Order Editor Program Order icon icon to open the Program Order dialog box.
  2. From the Program Order dialog box, select the program order to be edited from the Name list.
    Program Order dialog box, Name and Program selection example.
  3. Alternatively, use the navigation buttons to select the desired program order. To navigate forward in the list, click the First Record or Previous Record, respectfully. To navigate backward in the list, click the Next Record or Last Record, respectfully.

    Insert a Program into the Program Order

  4. To insert another program above or below a specific program, from the table in the Program Order dialog box, select the software application in the program order of interest (e.g., RAS).
  5. From the Edit menu, select Insert Before or Insert After. 
    Program Order dialog box, Edit menu commands.
  6. The Select Program dialog box opens.
    Select Program dialog box, displays an example of a selected program.
  7. Select the software application that is to be added to the program order from the Name list (e.g., FIA).
  8. Click OK, and the Select Program dialog box closes and the selected software application will be added to the Program Order dialog box above (or below) the selected software application.

    Remove a Program from the Program Order

  9. To remove a specific program, from the table in the ProgramOrderEditMenu dialog box, select the software application in the program order (e.g., RAS).
  10. From the Edit menu, click Remove.
  11. A Confirm Removal window opens to confirm removal of the selected program from the program order. Click Yes to confirm the removal and close the Confirm Removal window.
  12. The selected software application is no longer displayed in the program order table.

    Save Program Order Modifications

  13. Click Apply to save changes made to the program order.
  14. A Confirm Save window opens to confirm the changes.
    Confirm Save message dialog box. States that changing the program order once it has been set can affect existing simulation setup.
  15. Click Yes to confirm the modifications to the program order. The Confirm Save window closes, and the changes are saved to the selected program order.