Introduction

DSI has developed a new generation grid-building tool called Grid+. This tool replaces our long-running CVLGrid. We have used the latest software platforms to create this new grid tool, which provides a more user-friendly GUI and a host of enhanced features. Grid+ makes the grid-building process faster and simpler for even the most challenging waterbodies. It features enhancements such as online background maps, improved orthogonalization routines, and the ability to download online bathymetry data.

Grid+ is fully integrated with EEMS, so it can be launched from EFDC+ Explorer GUI.

Several significant features of Grid+ are listed below.

• Improved GUI

• Object-oriented selection

• Lat/Long coordinate system

• Online background map

• Generate grid from splines

• Orthogonalize grid

• Download online bathymetry data

• Integrated with EEMS

• Display multiple grid properties

• Shortcut keys use

Summary of Capabilities

The following list provides a summary of the major features of Grid+. It is recognized that there are other capabilities and improvements that can be made to Grid+ to increase the ease of use and effectiveness of the software. It is anticipated that new features and improvements will be made as resources are available.

• Optimized for use with EFDC+, and EFDC
• Import existing EFDC Model Grids and export grids to EFDC Model format
• Load and edit an EFDC grid without changing the I,J mapping, thereby allowing boundary conditions to be maintained
• Display polygon data files in the workspace
• Define and edit polylines in the workspace
• Create, view, and edit layers
• Create and edit splines which are the basis for creating curvilinear grids
• Generate grids based on the defined splines
• Once a grid is generated, the user is able to:
  • Improve orthogonality, globally or locally
  • Refine or coarsen, globally or locally
  • Redistribute grid nodes
  • Move grid nodes
  • Add a single cell to the grid
  • Add multiple cells to the grid
  • Delete cells
  • Extract grid nodes (create a subgrid from an existing grid)
  • Reverse indices
  • Assign grid node's elevation
  • Generate grid node's elevation from cross-sections
  • Export grid node's elevation to scatter data points file (*.xyz)
  • Export grid to different data types such as shapefile, Google Earth KML
• Connect multiple grids
• The user can view
  • Orthogonal deviation
  • Cell aspect ration
  • Cell area
  • IJ coordinates
  • Cell size (Dx, Dy)
• Vary cell colors
• Label corners
• Show N, S, E, W of cells
• Measure distances
• Load geo-referenced background images
• Change legends, labels, and titles
• Export metafile data
• Convert grid coordinate systems (Geographic and UTM zone)

Operating System and Hardware Compatibility

The various operating systems we have tested and regularly use to run EEMS are described here. 

It should be noted that this information relates to the latest EEMS version.