BaseOps User's Guide, Chapter 4: Introduction to Cases

A BaseOps case is a collection of all information associated with a Noisemap noise analysis. A case includes...

• all data used as input to the noise models: runways, flight tracks, weather information, etc.

• presentation information: customized reports, physical units, coordinate systems

• map style information: colors, fonts, background map layers, etc.

Cases are stored in files that have the extension .baseops. BaseOps is a tool for editing these case files. As you work with its various user interface components (the list pane, the case options dialog box, etc.), you edit the case that is currently open. This is analogous to using Microsoft Word to edit a .doc document file.

This chapter discusses the basics of creating and editing cases. Later chapters discuss the various elements of a case in detail.

Creating a New Case

To create a new case, follow these steps.

1. Choose New from the File menu. The standard Windows dialog box for selecting a file name is displayed. Familiarity with the use of this dialog box is assumed.

2. Navigate to the directory where you want your case file to be created. Type the name of the file that will contain the new case. Then press Save.

3. A new, empty case appears in the BaseOps window.

Opening an Existing Case

To open an existing case, follow these steps.

1. Choose Open from the File menu. The standard Windows dialog box for opening files is displayed. Familiarity with the use of this dialog box is assumed.

2. Navigate to the directory where your case file is located, then open the file. Case files typically have the extension .baseops.

3. The case appears in the BaseOps window.

Note:

Saving a Case

BaseOps has no explicit save command. Cases are automatically saved at key moments (when BaseOps is shut down, when a new case is opened, etc.). In addition, BaseOps periodically saves your case as you work, so that even if your computer should crash, you will lose, at most, a couple of minutes of work.

Renaming a Case

To rename a case file, following these steps.

1. Choose Save As from the File menu. The standard Windows dialog box for selecting a file name is displayed. Familiarity with the use of this dialog box is assumed.

2. Navigate to the directory where you want your renamed case file to be located. Type the new name of the case file. Then press Save.

Alternatively, you can use Windows Explorer or My Computer to move and/or rename the .baseops case file.

Editing Case Data

Case data consists of all information used as input into the NMap and RNM noise models: runways, flight tracks, weather information, etc. Case data is viewed and edited using the three panes (the list, text, and map panes) of the BaseOps main window. For more information, see A Brief Tour of BaseOps; Working with the List Pane; and Working with the Map Pane.

Editing Case Options

Case options control how BaseOps presents information to you. Examples of case options include the units used for entering distances and the color of flight tracks when they are drawn on a map.

Use the Case Options dialog box to view and edit case options. To display the Case Options dialog box, you can:

• Choose Edit Case Options from the Case menu

• Press the Edit Case Options button on the toolbar

• Press Ctrl + O

The left portion of the dialog box displays a list of option categories. One category in this list is always selected. The right portion of the dialog box displays controls that allow you to change the options in the selected category.

The Case Options dialog box is a Multiple Page dialog box. See Multiple Page Dialog Boxes for more information.

Editing an Object's Options

Many of the objects (runways, flight tracks, flight profiles, etc.) that make up a BaseOps case have options that you can edit. To edit the selected object's options, you can:

• Choose Edit ObjectName Options from the Case menu, where ObjectName is the name of the selected object

• Press the Edit Object Options button on the toolbar

• Press Ctrl + N

The Object Options dialog box is displayed.

The left portion of the dialog box displays a list of option categories. One category in this list is always selected. The right portion of the dialog box displays controls that allow you to change the options in the selected category.

The Object Options dialog box is a Multiple Page dialog box. See Multiple Page Dialog Boxes for more information.

Setting the Case Coordinate System

The case coordinate system is used by BaseOps to specify geographic locations. This is the coordinate system used to enter the location of objects such as runways and navigational aids, and to display locations in reports and on the status bar.

Use the Coordinate System page of the Case Options dialog box to set the case coordinate system.

Select the coordinate system. You have two options.

• Specify geographic locations for this case using...east and north of the site reference point - Locations are specified in either feet or meters east and north of the site reference point. See Reference Point for information on the site reference point.

• Specify geographic locations for this case using the following coordinate system - Select the coordinate system. See Coordinate System Control for more information.

Tip:

Setting the Case's Physical Units

The case's physical units are used by BaseOps to specify distances, temperatures, etc. These are the units used to enter object properties such as runway widths, and to display values in reports and on the status bar.

Use the Units page of the Case Options dialog box to set the case units.

For each measurement category, select the desired units. The following categories are available.

• Long Distance - Used to specify distances and lengths that can potentially have a magnitude of several miles, such as flight track segment lengths and radii, flight profile tracks distances, DME arc radii, and distances measured using the map measurement tool.

• Short Distance - Used to specify shorter distances that would typically be expressed using feet or meters, such as heights and altitudes, runway widths, takeoff and landing displacements, and grid point spacings.

  Sound absorption coefficients are specified in units of dB/1000 Short Distance Units.

• Elapsed Time - Used to specify the duration of time periods, such as flight profile runup times.

• Area - Used to specify the area of regions, such as military operating areas.

• Temperature
  Atmospheric Pressure - Used to specify the case weather conditions. See Setting Weather Conditions.

Tip:

Using Undo and Redo

BaseOps has an undo feature that allows you to reverse any changes you have made to a BaseOps case. This feature is similar to the undo feature found in most word processors --- each time you choose undo, the BaseOps case is restored to the state it was in before the most recent edit.

To undo an edit, you can:

• Choose Undo from the Edit menu

• Press the Undo toolbar button

• Press Ctrl + Z

To redo a previously undone edit, you can:

• Choose Redo from the Edit menu

• Press the Redo toolbar button

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Z

Note: