Datasheet

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Data Retrieval, Processing and Final Storage in the Nile Basin Database
PC208W Datalogger Support Software
There is no need to archive the output file containing the station performance information. After assessment of the
station performance indicators (which will lead to a decision to either take or not take an action) this information can
be printed out for records and the respective file deleted thereafter.
5.3.2.6 Renaming Meteorological Output Files
Once the 5-minute rainfall, hourly and daily meteorological data time series data have been extracted and stored in
the output files, a consideration should be given to suitably rename them. This may be important in particular when a
large number of raw data files (containing measurements from more than one station, as may be the case in Uganda)
is downloaded from storage module to PC and processed at the same time; this operation will unavoidably result
in a large number of output files of the type “metrnXX.txt”, “methrXX.txt” and “metdayXX.txt” without a possibility
to really know to which particular meteorological station these output files refer to, as it is not visible from their
names.
To suitably rename the meteorological output files so as to enable the user to figure out both the type of data and
the station the data have come from, by merely reading the output file name, the following simple procedure can be
used:
immediately after processing the particular raw input file and thus creating an output file of the type “metrnXX.•
txt”, “methrXX.txt” and “metdayXX.txt”, activate Windows Explorer and then open and view the respective
output file (for example, open the file “metday31.txt”).
take note of the Station Datalogger ID while viewing the file, and from this ID identify the station datalogger •
the viewed data are coming from (as an example, let’s assume it was established that the extracted data in
the output file “metday31.txt” are referring to daily meteorological data observed at the Meteorological Station
Kadenge established at the Kenyan part of the Nile Basin).
Close the respective file (“metday31.txt” in our case).•
Highlight the same file again in the Windows Explorer, click the right mouse button and select “Rename” •
option in the menu that will show up on the screen.
Move cursor to the beginning of the file name and type in a three letter prefix which will uniquely define the •
station, without changing/deleting any part of the old output file name (in our example, add say KAD prefix at
the beginning of the file “metday31.txt” so that the renamed file reads: “KAD_metday31.txt”.
Click the left mouse button anywhere in the Windows Explorer area to complete the operation and repeat the •
whole above sequence for all other output files.
From a renamed output file the user can now easily identify all the necessary information as follows: (a) what is the
station the data have come from (from three-letter prefix, “KAD” in our example signifying the Kadenge Met station);
(b) what type of station is in question (from the next group of three characters, “met” in our example signifying the
meteorological station); (c) what type of data are stored in the file (from the next group of three or two characters,
“day” in our example so the file contains daily meteorological time series data); and (d) what is the name of the raw
data file the output data have been extracted from (from the last two characters containing a serial number, in our
example “31” denoting that the output file has been extracted from the raw data input file “data031.dat”).