What files are needed to open a model in an OpenFlows product?


Product(s): WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, Hammer, SewerCAD, SewerGEMS, StormCAD, CivilStorm, PondPack, Culvertmaster, Flowmaster
Version(s): 08.11.XX.XX and higher

 

Which files comprise a model?

When moving models to a new location, or when sending them to another user / client / Bentley Support, it is important to know which files must be included.

In most OpenFlows products/versions, multiple files are created as the model is saved and computed. In order to open and compute a model in the standalone versions of the products, at least the two main model files are needed. These are the starter file (see below for the file extension) and the database file, which is a SQLite file in later releases and .MDB files in older versions, as well as programs like PondPack, CulvertMaster, and FlowMaster. Backup files are created as well. These will often have file extensions ending in the letter "k," such as .BAK. In addition, output files are created. Standard output files have a file extension of .OUT. Report files will be .RPC.

Other results files associated with the OpenFlows products are: .bin, .gut, .eqt, .hyg (hydrology output), .cul, .swm (SWMM data file). There is one set per scenario.

If you are running your program integrated with AutoCAD, ArcGIS, or MicroStation, other files types are necessary as well. For AutoCAD, you will have .DWG file with the same name as your model starter file. For
ArcGIS Pro you have an intermediate geodatabase (.GDB) and an .APRX file, for ArcMap you have an intermediate geodatabase (.MDB) and an .MXD file. For MicroStation, you will have a drawing file (.DGN).

For the standalone additions of the products, the following are the two files needed to run and compute a given model:

NOTE: see the Save to Package section below for a quick way to compress all the necessary files into one zip file. This feature is not currently available for PondPack, CulvertMaster or FlowMaster.

Note: even older versions of the storm/sewer products prior to the V8i SELECTseries 3 release had different start files. SewerGEMS used .SWG files, CivilStorm used .CSD files, SewerCAD used .SWC files, and StormCAD used .STC files.)

The database files (.SQLITE or .MDB) are the most important file because it contains all modeling data, and includes everything needed to perform a calculation. This file is an open access database format file and can be viewed and
edited. The starter files contain data such as annotation and color-coding definitions.

The .DWH file is used by the Stand-Alone mode only, and contains information on the appearance of the drawing (to speed up the process of displaying the drawing pane). This is a binary format file. It can be safely deleted (for example as part of troubleshooting) as it will be regenerated upon re-opening the model.

Save to Package

In recent versions (10.01.XX.XX and higher), the Save to Package feature can be used as a quick way to compress all necessary files into a single ZIP file. This will make it simple for cases where you need to supply model files to a colleague, to a reviewer, or to technical support. By default, the models files (.wtg and .wtg.sqlite files), dwh, dwh.profiles are included in the package file, but you can also opt to include log, result, backup, background files as well. You can access this by going to File > Save as Package.

Note: this feature is not currently available for PondPack, CulvertMaster or FlowMaster.

 

Restoring a Backup of your model


If your file becomes corrupted or you accidentally delete it, you can go back to the previous version by simply removing the .bak suffix from the file name and using that file (after deleting the corrupted file if necessary). You can usually delete the results files because they are regenerated by re-computing your model.

See also: How to restore a backup copy of model files