Import and Export EPANET

Import and Export EPANET 2.x provides a reliable bridge for InfoWater Pro to access a hydraulic model built with another software program. 

Export EPANET

To export a model to EPANET, go to the Model Explorer, click Command Center, navigate to the Exchange group, and double-click Export EPANET tool. The EPANET Export dialog box appears.

• Click Export to specify the location where you want to save your EPANET file and specify a name for the new file.

• Click Export to conclude the Export process. InfoWater Pro will automatically export an .INP EPANET file.

• Navigate to the location on your hard drive or your Network where your EPANET file resides and verify the contents by importing into your EPANET program.

Note: During the EPANET export process it is normal to see a warning because certain InfoWater PRO elements such as Vacuum Breaker Valves and Float Valves are not supported by EPANET.

Import EPANET

To import an EPANET 2.x file, go to the Model Explorer, click Command Center tab, navigate to the Exchange group, and double-click Import EPANET.

Note: If you have a .NET EPANET file, you will first need to convert it to an .INP file. To do this, launch the EPANET 2.x program and Open your .NET project. Then go to File > Export and choose the Network option and Save it to the desired .INP file name. This will create the .INP file for use by InfoWater Pro.

• Specify the EPANET input file. Click Import  to choose the location of your EPANET file that you want to import into your InfoWater Pro project.

• Select the data that you want to import into InfoWater Pro, by default all the data fields are selected.

• From Specific Data Sections, choose the Graphics or the Map related data that you want to import into InfoWater Pro. By default Options, Time, Report, Node Coordinates, and Link Vertices are selected for new project import, while for importing or merging EPANET v2.x files to an existing InfoWater Pro project Node Coordinates and Link Vertices are selected. It is a standard practice to import the Node Coordinates and the Link vertices since InfoWater Pro will need this data to accurately show your model on the map. If Options, Time, Report, and Label Text are checked then the Options, Time, Report, and Label Text definitions used in the EPANET project will override existing definitions. Especially if you are merging EPANET file to an existing project these options (i.e., Options, Time, Report, and Label Text) need to be unchecked otherwise the EPANET project definitions will override the existing project definitions.

• Auto Pipe Length is used to specify to InfoWater Pro the process of calculating the InfoWater Pro pipe lengths. If Project definition is chosen then InfoWater Pro will use the current project settings to determine if pipe lengths are to be calculated. If not it will calculate the lengths based on the project coordinates. If the Yes option is chosen then InfoWater PRO will over-write the Pipe lengths with the calculated pipe lengths based on the InfoWater Pro coordinates. Choosing No will not allow InfoWater Pro to overwrite the lengths with the calculated lengths, and by default No is selected.

• ID Options  is a powerful tool to import EPANET files into InfoWater Pro or merge EPANET 2.x files to an existing InfoWater Pro project through its ID Control features. Since projects can be merged, the ID Options function determine how to handle duplicate IDs. The imported EPANET IDs can Override the Existing IDs, the imported ID can be ignored if there is an ID duplication or the incoming IDs can be modified according to a predefined prefix and/or suffix listing.

• In the Data Import ID Options dialog box, an optional prefix and/or suffix can be added to element IDs (Junction, Tanks, Reservoirs, Pumps, Valves, and Pipes) and operational data IDs (Patterns, Curves, and Rules). The prefix and suffix are up to 2 characters long and they can be used in conjunction with each other (i.e., both prefix and suffix can be used at the same time).

• In addition, ID Options provides a powerful tool to override, ignore or modify element and operational data IDs upon ID duplication (i.e., same IDs for EPANET data file and existing data base). When you selected Override EPANET data will override existing data filed values, when Ignore is selected EPANET data will be ignored or bypassed, and when Modified ID is selected EPANET data will assume a slightly modified ID.

• All elements/operational data IDs listed in the Exclusion List will not be imported. To add element ID to the Exclusion List double click the field corresponding to the type of element you want to add to the list. For example, the following dialog box will appear for junctions and you can type up to 25 junction IDs to be included in the exclusion list. Once you have typed the IDs, click OK. 

• For operational data IDs (Patterns, Curves, and Rules) you can selected the IDs that need to be added to the exclusion list from available data IDs. Once you have selected IDs, click OK.

• When you have specified all the options, click OK, and this will take you back to the EPANET 2.x Data Import dialog box.

• Finally when you have specified all the parameters for the Import process, click Import to begin the Import process.