The Scenario Manager is a new tool that allows for editing only a small portion of a RiverWare model to test various scenarios without affecting the integrity of a baseline model. A brief overview of the Scenario Manger is provided in this document. The user is encouraged to consult the Scenario Manager documentation in the RiverWare help for a more details.

The Scenario Manager provides the capability to create a baseline model that cannot be altered by other users. The creator of the baseline model can specify a set of slots for which values may be changed by a different user to test various scenarios. Models can be viewed and run using these various scenario values without corrupting the values in the baseline model. The Scenario Manager provides a convenient interface to load, edit, and save values for these slots, run the model using these different slot values, and compare the baseline values with the scenario values. The key components of the Scenario Manger are desecribed below:

A baseline model must be generated before any scenarios can be created. The baseline model is generated by saving an existing model, with or without a ruleset, as a baseline model. Once a model has been saved as a baseline model, model topology, methods, rulesets, and non-scenario slots become uneditable.

The creator of the baseline model specifically sets which slots can be manipulated by other users to generate new scenarios. This list cannot be edited other than changing input values by scenario users. New scenarios to test permutations of the model can only use the slots specified in the scenario slot list, and all input values must fall within the minimum or maximum constraints (if any) set on the slot.

Once the baseline model with scenario slot list has been created, other users can create, edit, and run scenarios of the baseline model. The scenario users first create a scenario by providing alternative data for slots in the scenario slot list and saving the scenario. The scenario can then be run using the new data.

The Scenario Manager allows for comparisons between slots in the baseline scenario run and various scenario runs or between slots in the various scenario runs. Comparisons are managed through the Snapshot Manager and the Output Manager.