Output Source

An output source is nothing more than an association between InfoWater and the output (.out) file created from a simulation run. InfoWater refers to model runs as output sources, whether they be *active*.Standard or ScenarioX.Standard, every model run is affiliated to an external output file by its "output source" name.

From the icons at the top of the Run Manager, you have full control over the associations between an output source in InfoWater and your external output file.

Give Me An Example

If you have created and modeled four custom scenarios, the output for each scenario will be made available for report and graphing purposes under the Output Report Manager (under the All Output Sources box).  If you then wanted to add (load) another model run performed by someone else (perhaps multiple people working on the same project file), then you can click on the Load Output Source icon to assign an external output file to a your defined (internal) output source.  Once this is done, the newly imported output source can now be compared with other previously run "output source" models (via graphs and reports).

How do I...

• Load (Create) an Output Source?

• Remove an Output Source(s)?

• Rename an Output Source?

• Save an Output File?

More on Output Sources

Each output source is identified by a unique name and is associated with a single output file. The most recently completed analyses are given the following names:

When assigning an output file to an output source, the data type need to match.  In other words, a "standard" hydraulic run cannot be imported into a fireflow simulation.

When you switch to another scenario, output sources for standard simulations are immediately available as described above.  However, fireflow, SCADA, hydrant curve, or system head curve output sources must be manually loaded.

Note:  Hydrant curves and system head curve output sources store only the most recent curve generated for the active scenario.  For example, if you activate a scenario entitled “CUSTOM1” and generate hydrant curves for three nodes with IDs 17, 25, and 34 in that order, the hydrant curve output source for the current scenario only stores the hydrant curve for node 34.

Standard Simulations

As you run a standard simulation, the output source name for that simulation is *Active*.Standard.  The previous *Active* simulation is converted to a user-defined source and renamed based on the active scenario at the time that simulation was performed.

For example, if the previous standard simulation was based on your scenario named “CUSTOM1”, then the output source from the previous run is renamed CUSTOM1:Standard.

Once a scenario is run, the output source will always be tied to the default output file unless the you manually re-assign that relationship.

Loading Output Sources

To load (create) an output source, from the InfoWater Control center -> InfoWater button -> Tools menu, and select Run Manager.  At the Run Manager dialog box, select the Load Output Source icon.  From here, you will see the following dialog box:

There are two types of output sources that you can load (see below):

• Scenario - This option is only available if you have previously removed an existing output source via the Remove Output Source icon. By selecting this option, you can reinitialize a previously run model without having to re-run a scenario simulation.

• External Output File - This option is used to assign an existing .out file to your specified output source "name" at the top of the dialog box.  Once the link is established, you can now compare existing "output source" data with the newly imported external data.

Remove Output Source(s)

To remove an output source from the current InfoWater project, select either the Remove Output Source or the Remove All Output Sources icon.  The first will remove the currently selected output source as shown in the upper left hand corner of the Run Manager while the latter will remove all output sources.

Note:  Be advised that removing all output sources will not only remove all external output source linkages, but will also remove all internal scenario outputs.

Rename an Output Source

To rename an output source, from the Run Manager, select the Output Source Name and then click on the Edit Name icon to rename the output source.

Saving an Output File

To save an output file, you must first make active the scenario for which an output is desired. Once a scenario is active, go to the Run Manager and run the *active* model (standard, fireflow, etc.).  After the model has run, select the Save  icon to save the model run to a file name other than the default.

System head curve and hydrant curve output sources store only the most recently generated curve for the active scenario. If you wish to permanently store a curve for numerous nodes for the active scenario, you should manually save each hydrant/system curve output source before continuing.

Note:  Unless you have disabled the "Enabled Output Save As" feature from the InfoWater Control center -> InfoWater button -> Tools -> Project Preferences dialog box -> Operation Settings tab, all model runs will be automatically saved to their default names under their respective scenario database folders.