Scenario input sets allow you to easily keep model structure, while switching between groups of input data and parameters. These may be used to represent changeable physical attributes, such as climate, land use decisions or even proposed infrastructure characteristics. You can switch between different scenario input sets to compare the effects on a model. For example, you can have one scenario input set consisting of rainfall, inflow and evapotranspiration data for natural conditions, another for wet conditions and a third set for dry conditions.
You choose the scenario input set used for a run using the Scenario Input Set drop-down menu in the Configure dialog (Figure 1), accessed by clicking Configure on the simulation toolbar.
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Scenario input sets are created and managed using the Scenario Input Sets dialog, which is accessible via Edit » Scenario Input Sets...
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Figure 4. New Scenario Input Set
Input parameter entry
Parameters specific to a scenario input set are defined and managed using the parameter set editor in the Scenario Input Sets dialog (as shown in Figure 2). The panel on the right allows you to specify parameters, either manually, or by loading a text file.
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Nodes.Wheat Fields.Inactive Demand Models.Irrigator #0.Crops.Wheat Crop.Planting Decision.Plant Date.Use Expression=False
Nodes.Wheat Fields.Inactive Demand Models.Irrigator #0.Crops.Wheat Crop.Planting Decision.Plant Date.Day=20
Nodes.Wheat Fields.Inactive Demand Models.Irrigator #0.Crops.Wheat Crop.Planting Decision.Plant Date.Month=12
You can also use scenario input sets to change the active demand model at a water user node, for example:
Nodes.Water User 3.Demand Model=MyInactiveDemandModel
If you wish to change some parameters in an inactive demand model, and also make it the active model, then you need to specify the parameter changes first. An example is shown in Figure 2 for the inactive demand model Irrigator #0.
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Figure 5. Input parameter set using a file
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The built-in variable $ActiveInputSet allows you to use the active scenario input set as a variable in a function, for example if($ActiveInputSet = "Wet", 15, 10). The active scenario input set is selected through the Configure dialog (Figure 1). When working with a scenario that contains parent and children scenario input sets (eg, Figure 6), the following conventions apply:
- To identify a specific scenario input set, use its full path, eg. "Parent1.Child1" or "Parent2", or "Parent2.Child1.Grandchild.Great Grandchild."
- To identify a specific scenario input set and any of its children, use its full path followed by a full stop, eg. "Parent1.Child1." will be true for Parent1.Child1, Parent1.Child1.Grandchild1 and Parent1.Child1.Grandchild2.
- To identify a child scenario input set, regardless of its parents, use its name preceded by a full stop. For example ".Child1" will be true for Parent1.Child1 and Parent2.Child1
- The previous two conventions can be combined to identify a child scenario input set, regardless of its parents, and any of its children. For example, ".Grandchild1." will be true for Parent1.Child1.Grandchild1, Parent2.Child1.Grandchild1 and Parent2.Child1.Grandchild1.GreatGrandchild
Figure 6. Figure 3. Child Scenario Input Sets, Example for function referencing.