Version 2 of the Rainfall Intensity software is now available! It corrects many of the "bugs" reported in the previous version.

Rainfall Intensity Home
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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

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Quality Control of Digitized Charts

The quality control screen is a convenient way to review your digitized ascii files for correctness before loading them to your "rainfall" database. Strip charts that have been digitized incorrectly should be redigitized or corrected prior to loading them to your "rainfall" database. You may also quality control the charts after they have been loaded into the "rainfall" database, but this is not recommended.

1. Click 'Quality Control of Digitized Charts' in the 'Digitize Charts' area of the main menu to view and edit the contents of a digitized ascii file stored in a folder on your hard drive.

The following pop-up window will open.

Choose whether to quality control the ascii files located on your hard drive or in your "rainfall" database. The quality control process is the same for either option. After making your selection, the following QC window will open.

Use the directory tree in the upper left part of the window to select the folder on your hard drive that holds the ascii file(s) that you would like to review. All ascii (*.dat) files in that folder will then appear in the 'Ascii Files' display on the left side of the window. (For convenience, a subset of files may be displayed by selecting a specific station and year range from the 'Selected Station' and 'Year Range' pull-down menus in the upper right part of the window.) Double click a file in the 'Ascii Files' display to select and open it.

Click the 'Digitization View' tab in the right center of the screen to view the chart plot line. Click the 'Time Depth View' tab to view a graph showing the depth of rainfall with time for that chart. To view the details of the ascii file click the 'File Details' tab. To edit the file make any necessary changes and then click 'Save Changes'. These changes will be saved to the ascii file on your hard drive. Note that if the start time and date are changed for any reason then the file name will be correspondingly changed (the file name is based on the date and time and is named automatically), and the original file must be manually deleted from the folder.

Proceed to the next section titled 'Load digitized ascii files to your "rainfall" database' or return to the main RAINDIGITIZER instructions page.