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

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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

Required Databases

For the RAIN software to function properly, two databases are required: "rainfall" and "rainfall_stats". These databases must contain the specific tables and fields described in this section. In addition, each of the databases must be set as a 'System DSN' in order for the software to be able to "see" (connect to) the database. Setting a System DSN is described in the Set each database as a System DSN section.

A sample of each database may be downloaded from the web links below.

No changes are required for the "rainfall_stats" database, therefore it may be downloaded to your hard drive and used as is.

The "rainfall" database may be downloaded and used as a sample template. Your rainfall data should be loaded to a database that contains the same tables and fields as the sample "rainfall" database in order for the RAIN software to function properly.

Download a sample "rainfall" database (MS Access) (1.57 MB Zipped....Nov 3, 2003)

Download a sample "rainfall_stats" database (MS Access) (43 KB Zipped....Jan 23, 2003)

Note: The RAIN software programs are designed to be used with stand-alone desktop databases (MS Access, SQL Server Personal Edition, and others, for example) and client-server databases (Oracle, SQL Server, Ingres, and others). Most any major commercial database may be used. Nevertheless, for your "rainfall" database, it is strongly recommended that you use a robust platform such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Informix, or others that are designed to process very large numbers of data records. A Microsoft Access database is used in these instructions simply to demonstrate the operation of the RAIN software. It it is recognized that performance will be reduced dramatically if a Microsoft Access database containing multiple stations with large datasets is used with the RAIN software.

Details about the necessary format, tables, and fields for the databases may be found at the following links:

Create a "rainfall" database

Create a "rainfall_stats" database

Go to the main User's Manual page.