The Model Run Analysis tool provides dispatch information at two levels of detail. At the workspace level, the dispatch state of each object for each timestep of the model run is visible. At a more detailed level, the tool allows an object’s dispatch methods and known slot values at the end of each timestep to be viewed. Figure 2.1 shows a sample Model Run Analysis dialog.

The Model Run Analysis—Simulation dialog displays the workspace-level view of dispatch conditions. This dialog consists of a two-dimensional matrix with workspace objects on one axis and model run timesteps on the other axis. The left-most part of the matrix, separated by a blue vertical line, indicates prerun timesteps. Post-run timesteps (when configured) are shown separated by a red line. Each cell in the matrix shows the dispatch state of an object at the indicated timestep. Dispatches are registered automatically during model runs; dispatch information is displayed when available. Because they never dispatch, Data Objects and Snapshot Objects are not included in the list of Objects.

An Object has one of four possible dispatch states:

Following is a tour of the model run analysis dialog.

The object list can be sorted using a variety of methods, as follows.

The order in which Objects appear in the dialog may be rearranged from its original alphabetical order. The Sort pull down menu allows the user to sort the objects by:

The Up and Down arrows are used to move one or more selected objects up or down in the list. These buttons are only available for the Custom sort order. When using any of the other sort orders (Name, Type, Position) the Set Order button is displayed and active. This button sets the currently displayed order as the new Custom order, switches the sort menu to Custom, and enables the Up and Down arrows. A warning message dialog is presented to alert the user that the custom order will be overwritten. This functionality allows the user to first sort by one of the common approaches, save the order as custom, then make detailed changes using the Up and Down arrows. Any further changes to the Custom order are saved automatically.

The Scroll To button allows the user to enter a date or use the datetime spinner to select a date. Selecting Scroll moves the dialog to that date.

When water quality is enabled, the Water Quality checkbox is displayed on the main grid dialog and the WQ checkbox is shown on Dispatch Details dialogs. When enabled, the Water Quality dispatch information is shown instead of the water quantity dispatch information. See “Viewing Water Quality Dispatch Information” in Water Quality for details.

The Model Run Analysis tool can be shown with either time on the top or time down the side. In the View menu, the chosen option will have a check mark next to it.

Even for a simulation model, the user can select to show the Rules Grid from the View menu. This can be useful when switching between the simulation and rulebased simulation controllers. Showing the Rules Grid provides additional information on the priority of the rules that set slots. See “Main Analysis Dialog” for details.

In the View menu, the user can select Show Object Icons. When checked, the icon for each simulation object is shown in on the tool. This option is only available when shown in the Time on Top configuration. For the Time on Side configuration, object icons are never shown.

In the View menu, the user can select the Update After Every Timestep option. If this option is selected, the utility, when opened, will be updated after every timestep. For models with many objects or timesteps, this processing can be very time consuming and lead to adverse performance. For large models, it is advisable to turn this option off or keep the Model Run Analysis utility closed until the model has stopped running.

The fonts used in the Model Run Analysis dialog can be changed from the View, then Select Fonts menu. Once a non-default font is configured, it is preserved as the selected font. By selecting View, then Use Default Font and View, then Use Selected Font, the user can switch between the default and specified font.

Timesteps before the start timestep are displayed with a blue dotted line below and to the right of the timestep label. Also, there is a blue separator line between the initial and start timestep. Only certain objects (reaches, confluences, control points, and stream gages) dispatch during prerun timesteps,. Thus, most objects indicate they have not dispatched during the prerun period.

Timesteps after the finish timestep are displayed with a red dotted line below and to the right of the timestep label. Also, there is a red separator line after the finish timestep. Post-run dispatching is enabled on the run control parameters. See “Simulation Run Parameters” in User Interface for details.

A legend used in the Model Run Analysis can be displayed by selecting View, then Grid Cell Legend.

Selecting an Object or timestep cell displays its dispatch state in text form at the bottom of the Dispatch Information dialog. If the Object dispatched at that timestep, then the name of the method under which it dispatched is also displayed.

On the Model Run Analysis, right-click context menus are available to Show Dispatch Behavior Details, Show Special Results Details, Open Object, Disable Dispatching, Copy Time, and Global Scroll.

The Model Run Analysis dialog may be used to disable or enable dispatching for individual Objects. Disabling dispatching prevents the object from dispatching at any timestep, regardless of what slots are known. The Object’s Beginning of Run behavior, however, may never be disabled. This functionality is useful to debug models. To disable dispatching for an Object, select its name and select Object, then Disable Dispatching from the Model Run Analysis dialog menu bar. The Object name is shaded with red diagonal lines to indicate that it will no longer dispatch. Also, the object icon on the workspace and on other dialogs is dimmed. See “Enabling and Disabling Dispatching” in User Interface for details. To reenable dispatching, select the name of the Object for which dispatching has been disabled and select the Object, then Enable Dispatching.

From the Model Run Analysis tool, you can see additional information for any object at any timestep. The information available depends on the model’s controller and other selections.

The Dispatch Behavior Details dialogs allow the entries in the dispatch table and the known slots at the end of each timestep to be viewed for each object. To open a Dispatch Behavior Details dialog, select and open a cell in the Model Run Analysis dialog that represents the desired object and timestep.

The Dispatch Behavior Details dialog has two views. The default view depends on the dispatch state of the selected object/time. Figure 2.2 shows a sample of each view.

If the Object has no dispatch conditions, or the model has not yet been run, a blank dialog is shown.

If the Object did not dispatch during the selected timestep, the Dispatch Behavior Details dialog appears showing the Slots tab. Each of the displayed slots is a required known and/or a required unknown for one of the Object’s dispatch methods. The checkmarks indicate which slots were known at the end of the selected timestep.

To view the entries in the dispatch table (possible dispatch methods) for this object, select the Dispatch Methods tab. The Dispatch Methods view shows all of the methods in the Object’s dispatch table, each marked with a symbol indicating whether the method dispatched. Selecting the tree view to the left of a dispatch method name opens a list of its dispatch conditions. Slots in the list with a checkbox to their left are required knowns for the method to dispatch. Slots with no checkbox are required unknowns. Checkmarks indicate which slots were known at the end of the timestep.

If the object did dispatch during the selected timestep, the Dispatch Behavior Details dialog opens in the Dispatch Methods view. The method which dispatched at the selected timestep is marked with the dispatched symbol and is opened to show its dispatch conditions.

The Dispatch Behavior Details dialog contains a date selector which moves the detail view forward and backward in time. This is useful to determine how the set of known slots changes from timestep to timestep.

The Dispatch Behavior Details dialog can also be docked in the Model Run Analysis dialog. From the Model Run Analysis dialog, select Details. This adds the Dispatch Behavior Details dialog to the same window as the Model Run Analysis dialog. Figure 2.3 illustrates.

When docked, the dialogs can be separated using the Detach button. When in standalone mode, the Dispatch Behavior Details dialog can be docked from its File, then Dock in Model Run Analysis menu.

The Rule Effects Details dialog displays the names of all rules and whether each rule succeeded at the selected timestep. See “Rule Effects Details Dialog” for details.

The Special Results Details dialogs provide access to results for certain algorithms and computations. Currently the implemented special results are for USACE Methods. See “Model Run Analysis—Special Results Details Dialog” in USACE‑SWD Modeling Techniques for details.

A modified version of the Model Run Analysis—Simulation dialog, which is available when the Simulation controller is active, is available when the Rulebased Simulation controller is active. The Rulebased Simulation version of the Model Run Analysis—Simulation dialog is called the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog. It provides important information regarding slot priorities, determination of dispatch methods, and propagation of the effects of rules across a model. It is a diagnostic tool to be used in conjunction with the regular diagnostics to debug rules and verify that a run has solved as expected.

For each object at each timestep, the cells provide information about the dispatch state of the object. The five possible dispatch states and their icons are as follows:

The first four dispatch states are identical to those in the Model Run Analysis—Simulation dialog. The last dispatch state is specific to the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog. It provides information about the priorities of the governing slots for a dispatched object. The priorities and possible R flags of the governing slots are a good way to verify the solution of a Rulebased Simulation run. See “Simulation” for details.

Recall that Reservoir objects have two governing slots, selected from the list of potential governing slots. Reservoirs may solve downstream due to Inflow and Storage or Inflow and Elevation, upstream due to Outflow (or Energy or Release) and Storage or Outflow (or Energy or Release) and Elevation, or it may solve for its ending Storage and Pool Elevation due to Inflow and Outflow (or Energy or Release). The intersection of the required knowns of the dispatch method and the potential governing slots of the object determine the governing slots. The governing slots shown in the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog show us the direction of the solution.

When an object or timestep cell is selected, a box at the lower-left corner of the Model Run Analysis dialog displays its dispatch state in text form. If the selected object dispatched at the selected timestep, the box shows the name of the method with which it dispatched and the names and priorities of the governing slots.

The arrows next to the priorities in the cells represent the direction of water flow through the slot. Outflow is a downstream link to other objects in the model; it is marked by a down arrow. Inflow is an upstream link to other objects in the model; it is marked by an up arrow. The absence of an arrow next to some of the governing slots indicates that they are not topologically relevant. These are slots like Storage and Pool Elevation which are neither linked upstream nor downstream.

The directional arrows may be turned on or off by selecting or clearing the Show Slot Link Directions checkbox under the dialog View menu. In the same menu, you can enable or disable the automatic updating that occurs every timestep by selecting or clearing the Update After Every Timestep checkbox. Turning off the updating may save some time if you are running a long model with the Model Run Analysis dialog open.

The Dispatch Behavior Details dialog is similar to the one in the Model Run Analysis—Simulation dialog, but contains additional information. In both the Dispatch Methods view and the Slots view, the priorities and flag status of slots is displayed as well as their known/unknown status. The slot priorities and flags, along with knowledge about how objects select a dispatch method, allow the user to understand why each object solved the way it did.

In using the Dispatch Behavior Details dialog to determine why an object solved using a particular dispatch method, it is important to recognize that the display only shows the post-dispatch information. This is different from the information before the dispatch. After the dispatch, all slots which are solved for have the priority equal to the controller priority at the time of the dispatch.

If, however, the dispatch of an object fails due to a priority conflict, the Dispatch Behavior Details dialog will still show the original priorities and R flags of the slots. This can be helpful in debugging an aborted run. Figure 2.5 illustrates.

An important difference between the diagnostics messages and the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog is their handling of transient information. Diagnostics messages are generated continuously throughout the run, while the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog updates its information at the end of each timestep. Diagnostics messages provide a trace of the run execution, including all intermediate states within a timestep. The Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog, however, provides a snapshot of the most recent execution details from the perspective of the end of the timestep. Any intermediate states of dispatching, slot values, and priorities which existed before the solution was finalized for the timestep are unavailable.

In addition to displaying dispatch information and slot priorities, the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog allows you to trace the effects of rules across a model. When a rule sets a value which triggers a dispatch, the dispatch may calculate a new value which will propagate to another object. This object will then redispatch, possibly setting a value which will propagate to yet another object. In this fashion, the effect of a rule may propagate well beyond the object on which it sets a value. Ultimately, it is the highest-priority, successfully executed rules that determine the model solution. The priority of these rules is reflected in the governing slots for each object’s last dispatch. The priority of the governing slots identifies the governing rules.

In the lower-right corner of the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog, an area called Frame Cells With Effects: allows the user to show which rules govern the solution. For example, changing the Option menu from None to Equal To (==) and entering 1, puts a box around all object and timestep pairs that are governed by this priority.

The Effects frame also has a checkbox for enabling “R” Effects Only. As the name indicates, selecting this checkbox will only mark the cells of the proper priorities, which were also set directly by a rule.

The same ability to mark cells which meet priority criteria is also available in the Rule Effects Details dialog. This dialog also displays the names of all rules and whether each rule succeeded at the selected cell’s object and time. Finally, this dialog allows you to color-code governing rules for a strong graphical way of tracking their effects across a model. A sample is shown on the following page.

The same commands in the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog’s Effects box are in the bottom of the Rule Effects dialog. Making a selection in this dialog automatically has effect in the other dialog. Governing rules may be selected by name rather than priority number by selecting their name in the top of the dialog. The check marks to the left of each rule indicate whether or not the rule fired successfully on the timestep reported in the middle of the dialog. Selecting each timestep’s cell in the Model Run Analysis—Rulebased Simulation dialog lets you see the successful rule firings for that timestep.

To assign colors to governing rules, select a rule in the Rule Effects dialog and select Color, then Edit. This brings up a color selector for assigning a color to portions of any cells in which this is a governing rule.

Rule Colors can be enabled or disabled by selecting View, then Show Rule Color.