Key concepts of the Catalogue Tool

The key concepts of the Catalogue Tool are outlined below. Click a title heading for further information.

The Catalogue Template

The templates utilised by the catalogue tool detail the standard datasets required to complete a project. Each new catalogue must be assigned a template. This will then provide the “blank spaces” for a modeller to fill in references to files utilised by the models within a project.

In addition, the template details a wide range of input and output data contained within the models. The catalogue tool can scan the referenced files to automatically extract much of these data to populate the catalogue. These data maybe be properties of input files or they may be parameters extracted from simulations performed within the project, e.g. mass balance figures. Users are also encouraged record the metadata for the project and model, e.g. project reference number, simulation time period and AEP.

Although the template structure is fixed, the way it will be manifested will differ in each project as will relate to the number of instances of each model type defined.

Hierarchy of catalogue structure

Catalogue is organised into four levels by Project=>Model(s)=>Scenario(s)=>Simulation(s). This conceptual structure is relatively common, and consistent to how many modellers organise the project.

The definition of these four levels within the context of Catalogue are as follows.

• Project – Project commission, e.g. Lower Trent Flood Mapping
• Model – Major hydraulic models, e.g. detailed 1D/2D, broad scale 1D
• Scenario – Slight variation of the hydraulic model, e.g. defended and undefended
• Simulation – Simulation run, e.g. design run for 1% event

Folder connections

To facilitate the transfer of project and model data, each file within the catalogue is stored relative to the defined “folder connections" (i.e. main folders). Thus, when files are moved to different locations, only folder connections need to be updated to maintain the integrity of data within catalogue.

Absolute file paths within the file will be invalid if moved, e.g. an ief file specified to write results to an absolute file path. You are still able to find the data (from the stored path), but you will not be able re-run the model. Therefore, using relative file path in your model configuration is recommended.

The "read only" aspect

Catalogue only reads information from your model and data, this means that:

• Changes to the catalogue will not change/update your simulation files
• Deleting your catalogue records will not delete your simulation files
• Selecting to ‘Lock’ the file only locks the data entry and does not prevent you from editing the file content

Data entry requirements

There are three requirement levels associated to each entry:

• Required (software) – Prefix with (*); if not filled in, the tool cannot work properly
• Required (specified in selected template) – Defined by template author to store key modelling information
• Optional (specified in selected template) – Providing additional information. The user decides whether they need to add data to these fields. Optional fields can be left blank with no consequences.

Within the packaged template there will be metadata fields set to either required or optional status. It is important to note that by default the optional fields will not be visible in the Simulation Details table (tab in right-hand panel). To display optional fields the 'Optional' tickbox needs to be ticked in the Catalogue toolbar (see below).

In addition, certain entries can be automatically filled in by the tool, and can also be manually overwritten:

• Entries with a locked padlock symbol will be automatically filled in by the tool
• Unlock the padlock symbol to enable manual overwrite of the value

Data scan

Data scan is a tool that automatically fills your input and output data entries for you by scanning simulation files. It starts the scan from the key simulation control file, and then the files referenced by the key control file. Therefore, for each simulation, the first thing you must do is link the key simulation file for each simulation per model type:

• 1D, 1D-TUFLOW – Flood Modeller 1D simulation file (ief)
• 2D, 1D-2D - Flood Modeller 2D simulation file (xml)
• TUFLOW - TUFLOW simulation control file (tcf)

You can run the tool any time and use it on single or multiple simulations.

Catalogue validation

The 'validate catalogue' tool checks whether required information is filled and whether all referenced files are present. Erroneous fields will be highlighted in

• Red background – Referenced file does not exist
• Amber background – Required (software) field not set by user
• Yellow background – Required (template) field not set by user

[Run Type] and [Simulation status] are required by software. Blank entries will be highlighted in amber background after validating catalogue.

[Start time] and [End time] are required by template. Blank entries will be highlighted in yellow background after validating catalogue.

If a file references no longer exists, it will be highlighted with a red background after validating the catalogue: