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TSTool / Command / ProcessTSProduct

Overview

The ProcessTSProduct command automates creation of time series data products. Products are described in time series product description (*.tsp) files, which are typically created by using the Save / Time Series Product choice in graph windows (a future enhancements may allow creation of text products from summary or table views). See the TSView Time Series Viewing Tools appendix for more information about time series products. For example, the following sequence of actions can be used to define and use time series product description files:

  1. Use TSTool and interactively select time series using the main window. The time series identifiers and/or aliases will be referenced in the time series product.
  2. Interactively view a graph (e.g., Results / Graph – Line) and edit its properties by right clicking on the graph and selecting the Properties choice (e.g., set titles and legend properties).
  3. Save the graph as a time series product from the graph window using the Save / Time Series Product choice. Typically the product is saved in a location close to the command file. An example time series product file is shown below.
  4. Add a ProcessTSProduct command to the original commands to allow the product to be created automatically. Select the time series product file created in the previous step.
  5. Save the commands in a file (e.g., named stations.TSTool) so that they can be run again. The command file and time series product definition files must be used consistently (e.g., the time series identifiers and directory paths must be consistent).
[Product]

ProductType = "Graph"

[SubProduct 1]

GraphType = "Line"
MainTitleString = "Streamflow (Monthly Total)"

[Data 1.1]

TSID = "08223000.DWR.Streamflow.Month~HydroBase"

[Data 1.2]

TSID = "08220500.DWR.Streamflow.Month~HydroBase"

Example Time Series Product File

If the product does not appear as intended, especially for complicated products, it may be necessary to edit the file and make the following corrections:

  • Specify Color or other properties so that they are explicitly set and not defaulted.
  • Verify that file paths in TSID properties are valid for the machine (may need to convert absolute paths to relative paths).

Time series identifiers in the product file are used as follows:

  • If the time series are in TSTool’s Results area, the time series will be used without rereading.
  • Otherwise, the TSID is used to read the time series and must therefore contain enough information to locate and read the time series, such as the ~InputType~InputName information on at the end of the TSID.

If the TSAlias property is found in the product file, then the time series corresponding to the alias must be processed by a command file and be available in TSTool’s Results area.

It is also possible to create a template time series product file and use the ExpandTemplateFile command to automate creation of large numbers of graphs, for example to create images for a website.

Command Editor

The command is available in the following TSTool menu:

  • Commands / Visualization Processing

The following dialog is used to edit the ProcessTSProduct command and illustrates the command syntax. The path to the time series product file can be absolute or relative to the working directory.

ProcessTSProduct command editor for Input parameters

ProcessTSProduct Command Editor for Input Parameters (see full-size image)

ProcessTSProduct command editor for Output parameters

ProcessTSProduct Command Editor for Output Parameters (see full-size image)

ProcessTSProduct command editor for Output Product parameters

ProcessTSProduct Command Editor for Output Product Parameters (see full-size image)

ProcessTSProduct command editor for Editing parameters

ProcessTSProduct Command Editor for Editing Parameters (see full-size image)

After using the above dialog to edit the command, the time series product can be processed from TSTool as follows:

  1. Interactively load and run the command file:
    1. Open the command file, in this case containing the above commands file.
    2. Process the commands using Run All Commands. The graph will be displayed for review.
  2. Load and run the command file in one step: Use the Run / Process TSProduct File menus to select and process the product file. The time series must be in the Results area or must be specified with enough information in the product file to read the time series.
  3. Run TSTool in batch mode by specifying an output file (and optionally changing the RunMode parameter to BatchOnly) using:
    tstool –commands commands.TSTool
    The working directory will be set to the directory for the commands file and output will be relative to that directory.
Parameter                            Description Default                                   
TSProductFile
required		 The time series product file to process. The path to the file can be absolute or relative to the working directory. Can be specified using processor ${Property}. If this file contains a # comment with @template, the file will be expanded to a temporary file and then used. Expansion is similar to the functionality of the ExpandTemplateFile command. None – must be specified.
RunMode
required		 Indicate the run mode to process the product, one of:
  • BatchOnly – indicates that the product should only be processed in batch mode.
  • GUIOnly – indicates that the product should only be processed when the TSTool GUI is used (useful when Preview is set to Preview).
  • GUIAndBatch – indicates that the product should be processed in batch and GUI mode.
 None – must be specified.
View
required		 Indicates whether the output should be previewed interactively, one of:
  • True– display the graph.
  • False – do not display the graph (specify the output file instead to automate image creation).
 None – must be specified.
OutputFile The absolute or relative path to an output file. Use this parameter with View=False to automate image processing. If the filename ends in “jpg”, a JPEG image file will be produced. If the filename ends in “png”, a PNG file will be produced (recommended). Can be specified using processor ${Property}. Graph file will not be created.
OutputProductFile The absolute or relative path to output product file. Use this parameter to create a fully-expanded time series product, for example to hand off the product configuration to other visualization software. Can be specified using processor ${Property}.
OutputProductFormat The format for the file specified with OutputProductFile:
  • JSON for JSON
  • Properties - the format matching a *.tsp file
.		 JSON
VisibleStart The starting date/time to zoom for the initial (and image file) graph. Can be specified using processor ${Property}. Full period is visible.
VisibleEnd The ending date/time to zoom for the initial (and image file) graph. Can be specified using processor ${Property}. Full period is visible.
DefaultSaveFile Used with experimental feature to enabling editing in the time series table that corresponds to a graph view. Specify the default DateValue filename to save edits. Can be specified using processor ${Property}. This feature is seldom used. Editing is disabled.

Examples

See the automated tests.

A sample command file to process a data product using time series from the State of Colorado’s HydroBase database is as follows:

# 08235350 - ALAMOSA RIVER ABOVE JASPER
08235350.USGS.Streamflow.Day~HydroBase
# 08236000 - ALAMOSA RIVER ABOVE TERRACE RESERVOIR
08236000.DWR.Streamflow.Day~HydroBase
# 7337 - SAGUACHE
7337.NOAA.Precip.Month~HydroBase
ProcessTSProduct(TSProductFile="Example_ProcessTSProduct.tsp")

Troubleshooting

See the main TSTool Troubleshooting documentation.

See Also