STEP 1

Create a Data Object and Add a Series Slot, or any of the following types of Slots. All of these support DateTime values.

• Series Slot
• AggSeries Slot
• Table Slot
• Scalar Slot

AggSeries Slots and Table Slots support independent Numeric / DateTime configuration on each of the Slot Columns.

STEP 2

From the Open Object Dialog, double click on your new Series Slot to show the Open Series Slot dialog.

STEP 3

From the Open Series Slot's View menu, select "Configure..." to open the Series Slot Configuration dialog box ....

STEP 4

From the Series Slot Configuration dialog box, select the last item from the Unit Type option menu: "DateTime".

The "DateTime" Unit Type, and the eight supported DateTime Units are special in RiverWare. These selections cause the Slot's values to be displayed and edited as DateTimes rather than as numeric values.

Unlike switching to an ordinary Unit Type, switching to the "Date Time" unit type, and between the various DateTime "units" causes a change in the underlying Slot values. The user must confirm these changes with this popup dialog.

STEP 5

As a result of switching to the "DateTime" Unit Type, configuration properties associated with only numeric values are hidden (e.g. Min/Max values, Display Format, Convergence).

Notice the eight different "User Units" associated with the DateTime Unit Type. You can keep the default selection, "FullDateTime" ... Click OK.

STEP 6:

As a result of selecting a "DateTime" unit, a Partial DateTime Editor is added to the Open Slot dialog. (See the box containing the "Apply" button).

The entry and selection fields shown within the Partial DateTime Editor depend on which DateTime "User Unit" selection was made. For the FullDateTime selection, two alternative entry modes are available, selectable with the checkbox on the left.

• Timestep Spinner -- for DateTimes on Timestep Boundaries. (See this image).
• Unconstrained Date/Times -- for selection of any DateTime within the supported RiverWare date range. (See next image) ....

Try making different Cell Selections, hitting the "Apply" button and repeating these steps with different DateTime entry values.

Notice that the "Value" field at the top of the Open Slot dialog is disabled (not editable, and shown with a gray background). This field shows the actual internal numeric value associated with the selected cell's DateTime value. (For Slots configured for conventional numeric values, the Value field is editable).

Double-clicking on a cell assigns the cell's value to the Partial DateTime Editor.

When a range of cells is selected with the first and last cell having valid values, interpolated DateTimes can be assigned to the intervening cells. Try: Edit >> Interpolate (not illustrated here).

A couple images of Partial DateTime Editors in the Open Scalar Slot Dialog ... One ... Two

RPL doesn't directly support DateTime Slot values as DateTimes. All Slot values are handled as numeric values. But two new Predefined RPL Functions are used to convert the new Slot DateTime values (double-encoded partial date/times) to and from RPL DateTimes values. The following illustration demonstrates the use of the DateToNumber and NumberToDate Predefined functions: