General Introduction
Preparing a Model Run
Executing a Model Run
Viewing Model Results

Short cuts

Input: weather

Input: site

Input: Topography

Input: soil management

Input: plant management

Input: Scene Control and Options

Input: Number of Topographic Positions

Output

General Introduction

     Ecosys is executed according to instructions issued by the user through a run script. This run script is prepared by entering information through the dialogue boxes in the Graphical User Interface (GUI), and in windows that are opened from the GUI. You can start a new run script by selecting File - New and then entering information directly into the dialog boxes in the GUI, or you can select File - Open to enter an existing run script from a directory in which files for an existing run are stored. This selection establishes a working directory in which the run will be developed. When finished, you can File - Save the run script to the working directory, or you can File - Save As the run script to a new directory along with all the files called from the run script. When all inputs on this screen have been provided and all input files editted, you can execute the model. Sample model runs can be selected from a Run Library and executed. Input files in these runs can be changed to create runs that more closely represent user-selected conditions.

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  Preparing a Model Run

     To create a new run script or change an existing one, enter information into the following dialogue boxes on this screen by following steps 1 through 3:

1. Number of Topographic Positions: Position of the grid cell in the NW corner of the landscape as defined by its column (W to E) and row (N to S) number, followed by the position of the grid cell in the SE corner of the landscape as defined by its column (W to E) and row (N to S) number.
2. Site and Topography Files: the names of the files containing site and topographic information (8 characters maximum). The contents of these files can be edited through their Edit buttons. You can get further information about what goes into any of these dialogue boxes by single-clicking in the box.
3. Script(s) and Cycle(s): Each model run consists of one or more scripts, each of which may consist of one or more Scenarios executed in one or more Cycles. A script includes a sequence of scenarios that can be repeated. For example planting, regenerating and harvesting a forest is a script with 3 scenarios that can be repeated over several harvest cycles.You can navigate among existing scripts by using the arrow on the left of the dialog box, and you can also Add or Delete scripts.
   
4. Scenario(s) and Cycle(s) of Selected Script: Each script in a model run consists of one or more scenarios (for example, a crop rotation or a multi-year weather sequence is a scenario). Each scenario is executed sequentially by the number of Cycles entered in the accompanying dialog box. You can navigate among existing scenarios by using the arrow on the left of the dialog box, and you can also Add or Delete Scenarios. 
5. Scenes of Selected Scenario: Each scenario consists of one or more scenes (for example, each phase of a crop rotation or each year of a multi-year weather sequence is a scene). A scene consists of four input files (Weather, Options, Soil management, and Plant management) and ten output files (Hourly Carbon, Hourly Water,Hourly Nitrogen, Hourly Phosphorus, Hourly Heat, Daily Carbon, Daily Water, Daily Nitrogen, Daily Phosphorus, and Daily Heat). You can navigate among existing scenes by using the arrow on the left of the dialog box, and you can also Add or Delete scenes. To add a new scene to the selected scenario, click the Add Scene button below and then fill in the input and output file names. To delete a scene from the currently selected scenario, click the Delete Scene button below after selecting the scene to be deleted. To edit an input or output file in an existing scene of the currently selected scenario, select the file and click Edit Selected Scene File. Information about the contents of each file appears in the Help Window below when the file is selected.

   Executing a Model Run

    When steps 1 and 2 have been completed for the model run, and steps 3, 4 and 5 have been completed for all scripts, scenes and scenarios in the model run, the run script must then be File - Saved into the working directory if this is the directory into which model output is to be written. Alternatively, the run script can be File - Saved and Copied into a New Directory if the model output needs to be written into another directory. Indicate the name and path of the directory in the dialog box that appears under Save to a New Working Directory and Add all listed files into it before clicking OK. A default name will be given to the runscript in the File Name dialog box which you can change if you want.

    Once the runscript has been saved, it can then be run. If the run script has been saved in the working directory, the select File - Run. If the run script has been saved in another directory, then File - Open the run script in the other directory, and File - Run. A small window will appear showing the progress of the run.

Viewing Model Results

    When the run is complete, results can be viewd by selecting Output from the top menu and choosing either 2D Graph or 3D Graph (not yet active) for within-year graphs of model output, Tables for yearly summaries of model output, Data Extraction for multi-year summaries of model output, or Animation for dynamic visualization (not yet active).
 
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