Import sections and cross profiles in text format

It is possible to import sections from text files containing tables with values separated by tabs, on several lines. This file can be at the formats described below, be a Mascaret geo file or be a HEC-RAS g* file .

In the case of a text file, all formats managed by SIC are available:

  • L or 1 = Section of type Width - Elevation
  • A or 2 = Section of type Abscissa - Elevation
  • C or 3 = Section of type Circular
  • D or 4 = Section of type Culvert
  • P or 5 = Section of type Power
  • R or 6 = Section of type Rectangular
  • T or 7 = Section of type Trapezium

If behind this letter or this number is added the letter s or S (attached, without space), this section will be considered as singular, to insert one or more device (weir, gate, etc.) in the Hydraulic mode.

Example :

section_234 $   145782.9 $ $ 0 $ A $  45.089584 $   9.902083  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ 22.0918
 -174.223              39.000
 -173.065              38.312
  173.065              38.312
  174.223              39.000
ld_Isola-Serafini $   146338.4 $ $ 0 $ As $  45.092918 $   9.900417  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -2.8141
  -57.613              38.000
  -55.546              36.403
   55.546              36.403
   57.613              38.000
section_236 $   147124.1 $ $ 0 $ A $  45.099583 $   9.897083  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -22.3343
 -125.365              32.880
 -124.500              32.486
  124.500              32.486
  125.365              32.880

To access the Import window sections of a reach, there are two possibilities:

  • Select a reach, make a right-click and choose "Import sections" in the context menu;
  • In the description window of a reach, click the "Import" button at the top of the window.

These tables can be quite varied in format (see below).

Before each Abscissa - Elevation table, a line allows to import the general data of the section, separated by the characters $ (dollar).
1. Section name
2. Abscissa (in m)
3. Minor-medium elevation overflow (for minor-medium bed section) or distance for the major bed (for a major bed section). Just leave space character if the section is just a minor bed section.
4. Section type : 1 for major bed section, 0 for minor bed section or minor-medium bed section if the minor-medium elevation overflow is filled. You can also just put a space character if the section is just a minor bed section
5. Format of the section with a letter of number code (L or 1, A or 2, C or 3, D or 4, P or 5, R or 6, T or 7). Additional letter s or S (attached, without space) if the section is singular (for a cross device such as weir, gate, etc) (Ls, As, Cs, etc)
6. Latitude in decimal degrees or in metric unit (option)
7. Longitude in decimal degrees or in metric unit (option)
8. Geolocation reference of the section (option, soon)

  • 1: of the middle point
  • 2: of the lowest point
  • 3: of the highest point
  • 4: of the left bank
  • 5: of the right bank
  • 6: for a given lateral abscissa

9. Lateral offset of the geolocation reference (option, soon)

in meters when previous option is set to 6 ("for a given lateral abscissa")

10. Angle of the section with respect to a reference (option, soon)

in degrees, with reference to the North direction for example. This reference can be changed in the Network properties, Geolocation settings tab. This can be Geographic North, Centerline, or Draw segment.

These geolocation data will appear in the Geolocation tab of description of sections

The abscissa and the overflow elevation are optional. In the absence of values (or just one or several space characters), the abscissa default will be 0 and the section will be considered as a minor bed section (without overflow minor-medium bed elevation). If the section format is not given the Abscissa - Elevation format will be supposed (therefore corresponding to the A or 2 code).

Format accepted for tables Abscissa - Elevation

Normal table

On one column:

Abs1 <tab> Cote1
Abs2 <tab> Cote2
Abs3 <tab> Cote3
Abs4 <tab> Cote4

On several columns:

Abs1 <tab> Cote1<tab>Abs2 <tab> Cote2
Abs3 <tab> Cote3<Tab>Abs4 <tab> Cote4

Transposed table

On a row:

Abs1 <tab> Abs2 <tab> Abs3 <tab> <Abs4>
Cote1 <tab> Cote 2 <tab> Cote 3 <tab> < Cote 4>

On several rows:

Abs1 <tab> Abs2
Cote1 <tab> Cote 2
Abs3 <tab> <Abs4>
Cote 3 <tab> < Cote 4>

Example of imported file

DX=00000250.0;
section_1  $         0.0  $ $ 0 $ A $   45.087082  $    9.034584  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ 22.0918
  -92.213              60.849
  -82.990              52.889
   82.990              52.889
   92.213              60.849
section_2  $       555.6  $ $ 0 $ A $   45.087917  $    9.039583  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -2.8141
 -131.488              60.778
 -122.729              53.538
  122.729              53.538
  131.488              60.778
section_3  $      1111.1  $ $ 0 $ A $   45.087082  $    9.044583  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -22.3343
  -92.213              60.707
  -82.990              52.747
   82.990              52.747
   92.213              60.707
DX=00000100.0;
ld_Pancarana  $      1666.7  $ $ 0 $ A $   45.086250  $    9.048750  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -2.1906
  -92.213              60.636
  -82.990              52.677
   82.990              52.677
   92.213              60.636
section_5  $      2452.3  $ $ 0 $ A $   45.082916  $    9.054584  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ 3.2219
  -70.381              60.566
  -60.195              51.416
   60.195              51.416
   70.381              60.566
DX=00000400.0;
section_6  $      3007.9  $ $ 0 $ A $   45.083748  $    9.058750  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -41.0541
  -43.210              60.495
  -43.210              50.193
   43.210              50.193
   43.210              60.495
section_7  $      3793.6  $ $ 0 $ A $   45.087082  $    9.064583  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -49.3008
  -92.122              60.424
  -82.602              52.077
   82.602              52.077
   92.122              60.424

For the format Width - Elevation (code L or 1) we also have access to 2 possibilities : normal or transposed, with the same idea as above but with Widths instead of Abscissas.

For the parametered formats the transposed mode does not exist. Data must be given under the following format:

C or 3 = Section of type Circular:

Radius
Bank Elevation <tab> Bed Elevation

D or 4 = Section of type Culvert:

Width<tab> Side slope
Bank Elevation <tab> Bed Elevation

P or 5 = Section of type Power:

Width<tab> Coeff Power
Bank Elevation <tab> Bed Elevation

R or 6 = Section of type Rectangular:

Width
Bank Elevation <tab> Bed Elevation

T or 7 = Section of type Trapezium:

Width<tab> Side slope
Bank Elevation <tab> Bed Elevation

Example with different formats:

section1  $         0.0  $ $ $ A $   45.047122  $   10.768145  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ 22.0918
  -99.547              25.486
  -84.567              16.489
   84.567              16.489
   99.547              25.486
section2  $       800.0  $ $ $ L $   45.039195  $   10.793122  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -2.8141
  149.536              15.432
  189.072              25.419
section3  $       875.0  $ $ $ C $   45.042937  $   10.806417  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -22.3343
  111.111
   25.409              15.603
section4  $      1185.0  $ $ $ D $   45.042849  $   10.822073  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -2.1906
  222.222               0.5
   25.379              15.661
section5  $      1525.0  $ $ $ P $   45.040071  $   10.833905  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ 3.2219
  127.411               0.536
   25.333              15.274
section6  $      2050.0  $ $ $ R $   45.046153  $   10.844424  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -41.0541
  171.086              
   25.226              17.043
section7  $      2725.0  $ $ $ T $   45.049515  $   10.848664  $ 2 $ 0.0 $ -49.3008
  176.586               0.536
   25.096              17.318

The interpolation space step DX can also be specified in the file. The format is:

DX=00000500.0;

If this file is created by the software Matlab, the write format is for example:

fprintf(fidout,'%s%010.1f%s\r\n','DX=',PasDX,';');

The first "DX=" line found will be attributed to the whole reach. The next ones, if any, will be attributed to the following sections until a new one is specified. The "DX= lines" must always be written before a section data line (cf example above).

Import command line

If large numbers of reaches must be created, it is possible to automate this import by calling the software from the command line with multiple profile files as parameters, either in the options of the command line, or in a edisic.mac file. For more information, see dedicated chapter.