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Rainfall Intensity Home

USER'S MANUAL

REQUIRED DATABASES

Create a "rainfall" database

Create a "rainfall_stats" database

Set each database as a System DSN to allow connection to the RAIN software

RAINSTART

Open the RAIN software

Log On to RAIN software programs

RAINDIGITIZER

Getting Started - Things to Do Before You Begin Digitizing

Log On

Link to your "rainfall" database

Digitize a strip chart and save as an x,y ascii file on your hard drive

QC the digitized strip charts

Load digitized ascii file(s) to your "rainfall" database

Convert digitized ascii file(s) to meaningful rainfall data (time-depth series) and store in your "rainfall" database

RAINPLOT

Select a dataset (select data to analyze)

Quality control the selected data (view raw rainfall data)

Analyze the selected data using predictive statistical curve fits (includes IDF analysis)

Create a report (automated reports showing various results)

Show monthly and seasonal summaries

Display data on map using RAINMAP

Edit hydrologic default settings (customize program settings such as "months that comprise a water year" and others)

RAINSHARE

Log On

Edit, add, or delete data in your "rainfall" database

Export or import your "rainfall" database

User's Manual

This on-line User's Manual provides instructions in the use of the rainfall-intensity software developed as part of the Regional Rainfall Intensity Activity, a Regional Water Data Banks Project of the Multilateral Water Resources Working Group, Middle East Peace Process. This user's manual consists of five sections, corresponding to the five major elements that make up the RAIN software: 1) Required Databases, 2) RAINSTART, 3) RAINDIGITIZER, 4) RAINPLOT, and 5) RAINSHARE.

User's Manual contents:

The Required Databases section describes:

• the databases that are required when using the RAIN software
• how to create or download a "rainfall" database
• how to create or download a "rainfall_stats" database
• how to create or download a "rainmap_stats" database
• how to set each database as a System DSN so that the RAIN software can be connected to it

The RAINSTART section describes how to:

• open the main menu of the RAIN software
• add or edit users of the RAIN software
• access each of the main programs (RAINDIGITIZER, RAINPLOT, and RAINSHARE)
• log on to each of the main programs that require a user name and password

The RAINDIGITIZER section describes how to:

• log on to RAINDIGITIZER
• link to your "rainfall" database
• view the structure (tables and fields) of the connected database
• edit, add, or delete records in the connected database
• digitize a rainfall-intensity strip chart and save as an x,y ascii file on your hard drive
• load digitized file(s) to your "rainfall" database
• use an "alpha" correction factor to account for rainfall recorder pen skew, if necessary
• convert the digitized (raw x,y ascii) files to meaningful time-depth values and store these in your "rainfall" database
• edit information needed to digitize charts (customize RAINDIGITIZER program settings)

The RAINPLOT section describes how to:

• connect to your chosen "rainfall" database
• select data to analyze (retrieve maximum rainfall intensities and other data from a selected database)
• perform a wide range of statistical analyses on the retrieved data
• fit the selected data to theoretical probability distributions
• test the theoretical distributions for optimal fit
• plot various statistical results, including IDF curves
• generate automated rainfall-intensity reports and print the results
• generate rainfall data summaries
• display data results on a map (USER'S MANUAL - RAINMAP)

The RAINSHARE section describes how to:

• log on to RAINSHARE
• connect to and edit data inside your chosen "rainfall" database
• automatically export part or all of a "rainfall" database by generating *.xml files that correspond to the exported data
• automatically import *.xml files that will regenerate part or all of a "rainfall" database.

If you are unfamiliar with the software it is recommended that you begin with the brief section titled 'Getting Started'. This will familiarize you with the software and explain how to get started.