Aquaveo & Water Resources Engineering News

In your groundwater model in GMS, do you need to export only a specific dataset value? GMS provides a way for you to export different dataset values and save them as text files that you can continue to edit outside of GMS. This post will cover exporting values using the View Values command.

To export data using the View Values command, select a dataset in the Project Explorer then right-click and select the View Values command. This will open the Edit Dataset Values dialog. This dialog shows an array of data values for the selected dataset. From the Edit Dataset Values dialog, you can export the data values in a couple ways.

The first option is to click the Export button in the dialog. This will open the Dataset Filename dialog. Here you can give the exported file a name and save out the data as a tabular text formatted file. This exported file can be opened with a text editor or spreadsheet program. All values in the dataset will be exported with this value.

The second option is to select the data in the data array, then copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) the values into another document such as Excel or Google Docs. This method gives you the option to be selective about which data values to include. This method also allows you to save out the data in other file formats.

It is important to note that if you change the formatting in the text file, in excel, or google sheets and try to import the file back into GMS it may not import correctly. The format used in the Edit Dataset Values dialog is the format that GMS will be expecting when importing the data back into the project.

Try out exporting dataset values using the View Values command in GMS today!

SMS has many kinds of datasets, geometries, and simulations that could be added to your Project Explorer. These are useful features with essential roles in building a valuable project in SMS. But sometimes the Project Explorer gets very full and becomes difficult to navigate. This is when it can be useful to organize the Project Explorer to make things easier for you and those you work with. Today, we have some tips on how you might keep things organized so you can accomplish what you need to.

1. You might find it useful to name each new project element with a name that helps describe it. Descriptive names can help you find your project elements more quickly when you need to tweak something here or there. For example, you might have a materials coverage where the default Manning’s n is 0.015 and another one where you’ve changed it to 0.045. Labeling the materials coverage “n-0.015” and “n-0.045” could help you remember the difference between the coverages.
2. You can add folders to organize items in the Project Explorer. For instance, you could group coverages according to which simulation you intend on using them for. Or maybe you have already imported a couple of rasters that you only need for one element of your project. You could put them together in a folder and collapse the folder in the Project Explorer. This will keep them out of sight while you don’t need them and could help you find them faster once you do need them. Note that solution data is automatically organized in folders in coordination with each simulation in the project.
3. You can add notes to most elements of your project. To add a note, use the Properties… right-click command on an item in the Project Explorer and go to the Notes tab. There, you can leave notes for your colleagues (or yourself) about the item’s intended use or provide additional information that is not readily apparent. This is particularly helpful with simulations when you can add a note giving a summary of the key features of that simulation. Notes could also be used to indicate datasets you compared to get a new dataset. These can help everyone keep track of what function each thing serves in a given project.
4. As you go through the project, it is recommended to delete what you’re not using. Not only does this organize the Project Explorer, it also frees up space in SMS. This can help you avoid slow processing time that can come from too many simulations. In general, we recommend you not have more than seven simulations in a project. It is also recommended to remove large rasters, shapefiles, or images after you are done using them. If you want to keep certain elements that you’re not using right now, you may want to minimize them or put them in a folder when not in use.

Using these tips, you will keep your projects organized and accessible. Make use of the organization tools for the Project Explorer in SMS today!.

One of the new features added to SMS 13.2 is the Toolbox. The addition of the Toolbox allows multiple tools to be collected into one location. Many of these tools previously existed in other locations in SMS such as the Dataset Toolbox. In addition to these tools new tools have been developed for the Toolbox.

You can access the Toolbox using the Toolbox macro button located on the macro toolbar. Clicking the macro will open the Toolbox dialog containing a list of available tools.

The tools have been organized into folders in the Tools tab. Examples of folders include: Coverages, Datasets, Rasters, and Unstructured Grids.

• Coverage tools are used to manipulate coverages and feature objects.
• Datasets tools are many of the tools that have previously existed in the Dataset Toolbox and are used to manipulate datasets.
• Rasters and Lidar tools are used to adjust and clean up raster and lidar data.
• Unstructured Grid tools can manipulate and adjust unstructured grids (UGrids).

In addition, there will be folders for manipulating data related to specific numeric models. For example, there is a folder with tools that work with ADCIRC data.

The Toolbox also contains a History tab. This tab keeps a record of all the tool runs used with your projects. As a result, it allows you to run the same tool again using the same settings. For example, you might use the Compare Dataset tool to compare the solution sets from two different simulations, then discover that there was an issue in one of the simulations. After you fixed the simulation and ran it again, you could use the history feature of the toolbox to run the Compare Dataset tool using the same settings as before.

The History tab also shows if a tool executed successfully or not. Furthermore, it lets you make notes on the different tool runs, allowing you to clarify why a tool run failed or what you were hoping to accomplish with a particular tool. This can facilitate collaborating with colleagues when working on the same project.

Additional tools will be added to the Toolbox in future versions of SMS. Try out the Toolbox in SMS 13.2 beta today!

Have you tried including multiple MODFLOW 6 simulations in your GMS project? Having multiple MODFLOW 6 simulations allows you to run simulations for the same area. This can help with calibration, making comparisons, and troubleshooting a model. This post will cover how to keep things organized when using multiple simulations in a single project file.

After you have created a second MODFLOW 6 simulation, it is recommended that you give the simulation a name that will help you remember the purpose of that simulation. For example if you have a base simulation that you are using to create a stable starting run, it could be named something like “Base_Sim”. If you then create a second simulation that has a longer run time, naming it something like “Base_Longer_Run” might be helpful.

Furthermore, you can use the Notes feature available in the simulation properties dialog to add notes about what makes each of the simulation unique. This can be particularly helpful when sharing the project with coworkers.

In some cases you may have multiple UGrids. For example, you may want to use one UGrid that is less refined for a simulation for a base simulation and a more refined UGrid to test with a duplicate simulation. When doing this, be certain to correctly name the UGrids so that they are easy to tell apart. Also, make certain the UGrid is linked to the correct MODFLOW 6 simulation. It is usually best to create a separate simulation for each UGrid.

Often when using multiple simulations, you will want to have specific map coverages applied to specific simulations. When doing this, you can organize your coverages in the Map module using folders. Using folders can help keep straight which coverages belong with which simulation. And can also help in keeping the Project Explorer from becoming cluttered.

In the Project Explorer, collapse any folder that you are not currently using. This will help keep the Project Explorer free of any unnecessary clutter. This is particularly helpful when you have solution data from different simulation runs. GMS will automatically place simulation solution files in their own folder in the Project Explorer under the UGrid connected to that simulation, as well as as links under the simulation. Additional folders can be added to organize solution data.

Also, when working with multiple simulations, it can be helpful to lock simulations that are not currently being worked on to reduce chances of accidentally making changes to the wrong simulation.

It should also be noted that having too many simulations in a project can cause GMS to run slowly. It is typically recommended to have fewer than seven simulations in a project.

Having multiple MODFLOW 6 simulations in your project expands your groundwater modeling options. Try out using multiple MODFLOW 6 simulations on your project in GMS today!