Program Structure & Operation
BATHTUB is installed by running the 'Setup.exe' program on the distribution
disk. Microsoft Excel (used to generate output
tables & graphs) must be previously installed on the user's computer. The software has been
tested on the Windows 2000 &
XP operating systems running Excel 2000, 2002, or 2003. It
may not run on computers with other version of Windows and/or Excel.
After installation, the program is accessed from
the Windows 'Start' menu. The help screens can accessed independently of
the program by clicking on the 'HELP.CHM' file in the
program directory from Windows Explorer.
If Excel is installed on the computer & the program indicates that it cannot start Excel, try rebooting your computer. It is important not to close Excel while BATHTUB is running.
When the program starts up, a default case ('default.btb') is read from the installation directory. Other sample cases distributed with the program are stored in that directory. User files can be stored in any directory. A description of the current case is shown in the box at the center of the screen.
The model is executed by clicking the 'Run' botton or selecting 'Run Model' from menu. Tabular or graphic output can be viewed after the model has been successfully executed.
Procedures are selected by clicking on a menu item. They can also be selected by pressing the 'Alt' key and the underlined letter in a given menu item. The underlined letters will not appear until 'Alt' is pressed. For example 'Alt-C' accesses the 'Case' procedures.
The 'Status' indicator at the top center of the program menu shows current program activity. 'Ready' indicates that the previous procedure has been completed and the program is waiting for user instructions.
The main program screen looks like this:
Menu Categories
The menu bar provides access to procedures in the following categories:
| Case | Read & save input data files |
| Edit | Edit input values |
| Run | Run model |
| List | List output tables; several formats |
| Plot | Plot observed & predicted values |
| Options | Set warning message option |
| Help | Access documentation & help files |
| Quit | End program |
The available procedures are determined by the
User Mode (Standard or Advanced) selected via the menu (Options Usermode) or via
the list box on the main screen. The Advanced Mode provides access to
all procedures. The Standard Mode provided access to essential
procedures. Procedures that are not available appear in gray on the
menu.
Directing Program Output
Output tables can be routed to the Windows notepad editor, a screen text
box, or an Excel workbook. The output destination is selected using the
listbox on the main program screen. Regardless of the selected output
destination, Microsoft Excel is required to install & run the
program
.
Output must be directed to a workbook in order to store output graphs. Regardless of the output destination, however, graphs can be copied & pasted into other Windows applications.
The Excel output workbook is opened automatically by the program (BATHTUB_OUTPUT.XLS) and will appear on the Windows Taskbar.
The workbook may be renamed and saved by clicking the 'Save Output' button on the menu screen. The output workbook should not be closed or renamed by the user (via the Excel menu) during the session. To continue program operation after viewing an output worksheet, minimize the Excel window (click '-' in upper right corner, not 'x') or drag it away from the menu.
The workbook will accumulate output tables selected by the user on separate tabs. The 'List All' procedure will store all output tables in one step. The workbook will be cleared (all previous output deleted) when the user clicks the 'Clear Output' button, when input values for the current case are edited, or when new case is loaded. The workbook will be closed automatically at the end of the Bathtub session ('Quit').
TheRun Model procedure must be executed successfully before the other Run procedures ,List procedures, or Plot procedures can be accessed.
Help
Documentation and
Help screens can be accessed by pressing <F1>, selecting 'Help' on the main
menu, or by clicking 'Help' buttons that appear on various screens. Specific
help screens for menu items, edit screens, input boxes, and output listings can
be viewed by pressing <F1>. Some
input fields on the edit screens have their own help screens (select input
box & hit <F1>). Documentation & Help screens can also be viewed independently by clicking
on the 'BATHTUB.CHM' file in the program directory from Windows Explorer.
Error messages may appear during during model execution. Messages labeled as 'Warnings' indicate unusual case specifications, but do not prevent solution of the model. Warning messages can be turned on/off from the menu (Options Warning Messages). Execution stops if errors that prevent solution of the model are encountered. If this occurs, the input values should be edited until the error is eliminated and the model is run successfully. An "Errors" button will appear on the menu screen if any execution errors or warnings are encountered. A list of all error messages from the previous run can be viewed by clicking this button.