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Quickplot

Name:
Quickplot - A utility to automatically plot unit values for sites from ADAPS, one site at a time

Information:

quick_plot is a simple utility for retrieving data from ADAPS and plotting the data via gnuplot. The idea for quick_plot is to allow a way to quickly retrieve and graphically review unit value data for a short period of time. Currently this can be done with NWISWeb or Hydra. However NWISWeb only stores 30 days of data and may not have non-real time sites configured. Hydra is very slow and cumberson with a group of stations.

Using quick_plot, you can create a file of sites and DDs which quick_plot can then quickly step through and plot. If you find data problems using the quick_plot graphs, you can then go into Hydra and fix spikes, etc for the affected sites.

Using quick_plot:

quick_plot allows you to enter station numbers in three ways

1. from the keyboard
2. from a file of site numbers and DDs created specifically for quick_plot
   

   This a simple text file and can be created with any text editor. Alternatively, a small utility, "make_plotfile" will create the input file for you by prompting you for station numbers and DDs. The created file is named "plotfile" which is the file that quick_plot will look for when started. If quick_plot cannot find your "plotfile" you will be given the opportunity to run make_plotfile and create one from within quick_plot.

3. from an existing ADAPS group. The program will list your available groups and prompt you the the one you use.

You will be prompted for the period you would like each plot to display, entered either as a start date in the form YYYYMMDD or a number of days back from today (1-100).

You will be prompted for how long you would like each plot to be displayed. If you enter a number of seconds each plot will be displayed for that period of time and then automatically move on to the next plot. If you enter "-1" for the period, a will be required to move between plots.

You will also be prompted for whether you want to view computed or edited data.

quick_plot is meant for displaying short periods of unit value data, but will display all the data from the begin date you enter up to today. There is very little error-checking so, if you ask for a station with no data it will quit. When you reach the last station in the list it will quit. You can also quit between plots by typing in "99".

Script Language:
ksh

Requirements:

"gunplot" must be loaded on your NWIS machine (this is available from the USGS and will take your System Administrator 5 minutes or less to load) see http://wwwqvarsa.er.usgs.gov/unix/solaris/gnuplot.html

Original Author(s): Lucky Sultz, Montana District

Note the original author is noted on this page for the purposes of giving credit only. Please address questions/comments to OSW (GS-W OSW Scripts@usgs.gov).

Known Problems/Limitations/Need Improvements:

• The date/time axis extends off the bottom of the graph a little, making it difficult to read the time.
• It does not work well with discharge data.

Scripts:

quick_plot.Readme.txt

quick_plot.ksh

make_plotfile

This program works well in the ADAPS "Local Applications" menu. If you install it there, the recommended line in the entry.levels file is:

LUSR quick_plot.ksh     Quick_plot recent stage plotter             http://water.usgs.gov/usgs/osw/adaps/quickplot.html

and the recommended line in menu.lapp is:

(LA) SUB-MENU : ADAPS Local Application
quick_plot.ksh     Quick_plot recent stage plotter