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Getting Started

Applet or Application?

The WIDE model can be operated in two forms:

1) a java applet, and
2) a java application.
1) The java applet can be operated from any computer with a web browser that supports the the latest java runtime environment (greater than version 1.4.1) (JRE) and a web connection. This requires no installation of the applet as it is handled by the browser. The user should be aware that currently there are operational limitations to the applet. The main limitation is the inability to save and export data. This requires an approved certificate to sign the applet and enable these features. This limitation may be removed in the future.

2) The java application is in the form of a ".jar" file (Java ARchive). This will operate on all operating systems provided they have the latest JRE installed and operating correctly. The latest JRE can be obtained from the java site (Apple OSX users, you can obtain the latest java runtime environment from here).

Components of the Applet

The image below displays the top half of WIDE applet embedded in a browser. In this case, the upper three panes in this window are related to the browser and have no direct control to the operation of the applet (note that other browser may have a different set up). Below the browser' s menu bar, tool bar and personal toolbar, is the web contents area containing the applet. The applet contains it's own menu system ("File", "Edit", and "Window") and a tabbed pane area (description of menus herein will refer to the applet's menus unless otherwise stated).

browser head

The lower half of the WIDE applet list the grid information and aquifer properties. To the left of this information is the calculate button. This button is used to execute the model.

browser tail
 

Components of the Application

The WIDE application is a double-clickable executable (".jar") file. It is similar in appearence to the WIDE applet, however the Operating System is the host environment (not an internet browser). The Application is functionally equivalent to the applet with the additional ability to save files to your disk.

Starting a new model

When loading the applet or application for the first time, it starts with an empty model. To start a new model select the following menu option: [File | New]. If a previous model was saved from the Application, select [File | Open] to load it.

Setting the grid and aquifer parameters

The grid (area covered by model) and aquifer parameters are entered via the "Properties" dialog box. The user is required to select the appropriate solution for their case model (the confined solution is selected by default). This can be accessed by the [Edit | Grid/Aquifer Properties...] menu option. [Note: These solutions are dimensionless. Therefore the user is required to be consistent throughout the exercise].

Add pumping wells and observation bores

A well and observation bore can be added via the [Edit | Wells/Observation Bores...]. From here, the user can add/edit/delete pumping wells and observation bores.

Alternatively, when the grid is displayed, the user can right-click on the grid (ctrl-click for Mac users) to access a popup menu containing the add/delete options (Note: the edit/delete option is only available if the popup menu was selected on an existing well/bore).

Calculate the model

Select the "Start" button on the bottom left of the model to generate drawdown data estimated by WIDE based on the supplied data.

View the results

After the calculation has completed, the "Drawdown" tab option will become available for selection. Select this tab to view output. Output is provided in the following formats:
(1) General: This provides a summary for the location of all pumping wells and observation bores.
(2) Nodes: calculated drawdown at each grid node location. The drawdown is shown from each time step (user specified).
(3) Time Series: drawdown graph over the entire model time period for each specified observation bores.
(4) Contour: A contour plot of drawdown over the model area for the user specified time step.
(5) Surface: A surface plot of drawdown over the model area for the user specified time step.

Exporting data [application version only]

On the "Nodes" and "Time Series" tabs, you may export the data. Select the "Export Data..." or "Export Post..." button to generate a text file on your disk. If you wish to transfer this data to other applications (such as spreadsheets or graphing/contouring packages), it may be convienient to provide a file name with a ".csv" extension. This will better reflect the type of data contained with the file.

Saving the model [application version only]

To save your entered data, select File | Save As... This will create a new file.

[Note: The default path for the Open and Save dialogs is determined by your $HOME environment variable. Refer to your Operating System manual for information on how to set this variable (this variable is usually set to "~/" on MacOSX and Unix and "My Documents" directory for Win2K users)].

Setting Preferences

There are a number of preference options that can be set for the application (see Edit | Preferences... ). The options that can be set are:

Terms in W(u): Specifies the number of terms to include in the infinite series of the Well Function.
Recovery limit [L]: Set the cutoff limit to terminate the effects recovery. You will need to increase this value if you add recharge wells to the model.
Display Significant Figures: Set the number of significant figures for the display result (only affects the General Tab).
Background: Toggle the default background colour between black and white. [Note: changing this value after the graphs and contour plots have been generated may disrupt the display of the graphs].

Graphics Controls

There are a number of hidden controls to facilitate various views of the graphical output.

Contour

Surface