What's New with HAMMER CONNECT Edition


 Product(s):HAMMER
 Version(s):10.00.00.49, 10.00.00.50, 10.00.00.55

Overview

The CONNECT Edition release of HAMMER introduces improvements and features to help you be more successful. Let's explore each of these in detail.

Note: this article only covers the enhancements new to version 10.00.00.49/50/55. For information on even more enhancements new to HAMMER CONNECT Edition, see:

What's new in HAMMER CONNECT Edition Update 1
What's new in HAMMER CONNECT Edition Update 1 (Build 10.01.01.04)

Video Overview

List of Topics

Compatibility

Interface

Layout & Data Input

Results

Usability Enhancements

Compatibility [Top of Page]

Supported Operating Systems

Compatible Platforms

HAMMER CONNECT Edition standalone version does not require any CAD or GIS software to work. However, it can be integrated with the following platforms:

See:

Wiki: Platform Compatibility

Interface [Top of Page]

Ribbon Interface

A new ribbon user interface has been added to the stand-alone products.

A button has been added to the welcome dialog to provide quick access to the ribbon interface Help documentation.


The application menus match the platform that the program is integrated with. Current versions of MicroStation V8i and ArcGIS do not use a ribbon user interface. Therefore this release of the Water products will not use the ribbon interface when integrated with MicroStation V8i or ArcGIS.

The following article provides an in-depth look at the new ribbon menu: Ribbon Interface for CONNECT Edition products

File and Help Menus

When the File tab is selected, the entire program dialog switches to display the File menu (ie. "backstage").


The Help menu and Database Utilities have been moved to the File menu.

Layout & Data Input [Top of Page]

Background Images

View and edit the path for background images

The Image Properties dialog now displays the image's filename and includes a Browse button to edit the field.

Improved background layer performance

Background layers are now loaded more efficiently so that less memory is consumed. This improvement is especially helpful when using multiple large files for background images.

World file support for background images

Some image formats support associated world files. When attaching a background image file that has an associated world file present, the image will now be spatially located automatically (i.e., georeferenced).

The following file formats support an associated world file.

The World file extension is based on the image's extension. One convention is to use the first and last letter of the image's extension and add a "w" (e.g., ".JPG" becomes ".JGW"). Another convention is to append the image's extension with a "w" (e.g., ".JPG" becomes ".JPGW").

When opening the file, the Image Properties dialog will automatically enter the coordinates from the World file in the editable (Drawing) fields.

Bentley file format support for background layers

The following Bentley CAD file formats are now supported as background layers:



Taps and Laterals

This release includes new tap and lateral elements. Lateral links are used to connect Customer Meter elements (e.g. houses and other demand locations) to elements in a model without the need to divide the downstream link elements into separate links in the model. This can significantly reduce computational effort since laterals are not included in hydraulic calculations. Laterals merely connect a customer meter to the hydraulic network for the purpose of assigning demand. If the Lateral is being used to connect directly to a link element, then a Tap node must be placed at the connection point. A Tap is a type of node that connects the Lateral to a pipe. It enables the user to add demands along a pipe without the need to break the pipe into multiple elements. There can be more than one lateral connection to a single trunk conduit.

These new elements are present in HAMMER, but substantive data will only be available for the initial conditions. In other words, the Customer element will not be viewable in the Transient Results Viewer as profiles or time history graphs. The transient solver only sees the resulting demands that get assigned to junctions, and treats them the same as regular junction demands.

For more information on the Customer element, taps and laterals, please see the What’s New with WaterGEMS and WaterCAD CONNECT Edition? TechNote

Results [Top of Page]

Customizable Reports

A new Custom Report tool has been added to the Report tab. This tool allows you to quickly assemble a customized report which can contain user input, results, graphs, etc. You can now define the template interactively instead of modifying an XML file manually. This includes information that is found in the Transient Results Viewer. To create a new custom report add a scenario using the New button. You can then right-click on the Scenario to add various graphs or tables or FlexTables:

Below is an example of a setup using a transient profile and a time history graph.

When you click the Generate Report button, you get a Print Preview window with the items you selected for the custom report. You can further customize the report by including titles and other notes.

The reports can be exported to the following formats

The Report Options dialog can be accessed by clicking the icon below the Custom Report icon. This dialog allows you to control how reports are displayed (eg. font, header, footer, margins).

See:

Record AVI video from time results

The AVI Screen capture enhancement allows you to record videos of scenario animations. You can select which portion of the screen will be recorded. The screen capture utility will capture and record all the frames of the animation within the bounds you specify and produce an AVI video file which is shareable outside of the water products. NOTE: At this time, animation recording is only available for the initial conditions, not the Transient Results Viewer.

An internal video player allows you to watch the video after it is done recording.

See: Help "Recording Scenario Animations"

Usability Enhancements [Top of Page]

Duplicate Prototypes

The Prototypes Manager now includes the option to duplicate prototypes.

Open on selection from within FlexTable

When you have a FlexTable open, such as the junction FlexTable, you can now select the rows in the table based on the current selection.

To use the feature:

  1. Select some elements.
  2. Open a FlexTable for one of the selected elements and click the drop-down arrow for the “Select in Drawing” button.
  3. Click the last item, “Select from Drawing”.

Double-click on dropdown list to toggle through values

When editing data in the property grid you can double-click the label to change the value.  This applies to Boolean fields (those that show true/false values); reference fields (such as "Zone"); and enumerated fields (such as "Status (Initial)").  When you double-click any of these field types it will cycle through the available values in the drop-down list. Commands like “Edit” for reference fields are excluded during the cycling.

CONNECT Integration

This release requires the latest version of CONNECTION client. If it isn't already on the computer, it will be downloaded and installed during the product's installation.

After the product installation completes, a CONNECTION client slideshow will display. This provides an introduction to the CONNECTION client, allows you to enter your login information, or create a new account if you don't already have one.

There is a new CONNECTED Project association dialog which allows the default behavior to be set. If you don't want the dialog to appear in the future, then select "Do not notify me again".

Information on using CONNECTED projects can be found at this link: Associate a CONNECTED Project with a Hydraulic Model.

View Changes

The view can be quickly set to Zoom Extents by double-clicking the middle button on your mouse. For some, this may be done with the scroll-wheel button.

Added support for DGN files in ModelBuilder

ModelBuilder now supports Bentley Drawing File formats (*.idgndb, *.imodel, *.dgn).

Improvements to handling of removed license feature levels

If your license feature level changes, the program will now open the Municipal License Administrator to allow you to select a new license size. This will allow you to quickly select a license size and continue your work without needing to open and close the program to activate the new license.

See Also [Top of Page]

Ribbon Interface for CONNECT Edition products

Product TechNotes and FAQs

OpenFlows Product TechNotes And FAQs

WaterGEMS and WaterCAD TechNotes and FAQs

Downloading OpenFlows | Hydraulics and Hydrology Software

Software installation order

Cumulative patch set information

Set up notifications for new versions and patch set releases

 Original Author:Scott Kampa