Getting started

Data input

Data may be input either directly in the form of fundamental data types of time series, array, scalar, or descriptor (text), or indirectly via Python-based functions.

Functions

Data input as a code-based script are evaluated as functions either once at the beginning of a model run, or on a per-time step basis, depending on whether the fundamental variable data type is fixed (array, scalar, or descriptor) or temporally variable (time series), respectively.

The Python-based scheme enables the user to import data, enter custom functions directly into the code, etc. The most important principles to understand when entering functions are described below, though a full description of the Python programming language is beyond the scope of this documentation.

Returning a value

Let's start with two very simple functions:

5

and

return 5

Both of these result in a value of 5 every time step (assuming this function is for a time series). The code evaluator needs to know which value the code should return. In general, this is achieved with the return statement. However, the evaluator will automatically add return if it is missing, so that if the value to be returned is on the last line, then no return statement is needed.

In many cases, including return is simply a matter of personal preference. But this is particularly useful if a return is nested in the last part of a conditional statement. To demonstrate, the following three versions of code input yield the exact same result when evaluated:

if date.month in [6,7,8]:
    x = 0.5
else:
    x = 1
x

if date.month in [6,7,8]:
    x = 0.5
else:
    x = 1
return x

if date.month in [6,7,8]:
    return 0.5
else:
    return 1

In the first case, because x is on the last line, return is not needed; x will be the value returned. In the second two cases, values are returned explicitly. As a side note, Python can be quite succinct at times, allowing the above to be written, for example, as:

0.5 if date.month in [6,7,8] else 1

The last few examples above should raise a question: where does date come from? WaterLP contains several convenient built-in variables, as described in the next section.