Introduction
Start here if you’re new to GASWorkS, or if you learn best by following a worked example rather than looking up a single command. This category covers installing and getting oriented with the program, one full end-to-end demonstration model, and six shorter worked examples that each walk through a related group of GDI techniques — selecting and viewing features, adding background images, color-coding data, working with fittings and palettes, entering coordinates and using grips, and importing DXF/shapefile data.
Module/Application
- Installing & Getting Started with GASWorkS 11
- Use Case: install GASWorkS, license it, start the program for the first time, and get oriented with default units and the help system.
- Covers: installation, licensing, first launch, default unit setup, and where to find help.
- Demonstration: Building & Solving a Model
- Use Case: follow one complete worked example from a blank model through building, loading, solving, reviewing, and reporting results.
- Covers: the full model-building workflow end to end, in a single worked demonstration.
- Example: Selecting, Moving & Viewing Features
- Use Case: select specific feature types with the mouse, pan the model image, open/save/plot the GDI Display, and build a query.
- Covers: feature selection shortcuts, image panning, viewing/saving/plotting the GDI Image, and the Query Specifications screen.
- Example: Adding Background Images (BMP, DXF, SHP)
- Use Case: attach a BMP, DXF, or SHP file as a background image and get it positioned and scaled correctly.
- Covers: three full worked examples, one per file type, from attaching through scale verification.
- Example: Color-Coding & Display Limits
- Use Case: color-code features by query or value range, and set display limits so symbols and text don’t disappear or clutter the view.
- Covers: Color Code By Query, Color Code By Range, choosing an appropriate display limit, and Automatically Pan & Zoom.
- Example: Fittings, Panels & Palettes
- Use Case: attach a fitting to a pipe, and use the Data Panel and Tool Palette to work more efficiently.
- Covers: attaching fittings, the Data Panel, the Tool Palette, and the Mass Update routine.
- Example: GDI Coordinates, Commands & Grips
- Use Case: enter and set GDI coordinates, run and repeat GDI commands, and use grips to reposition features directly.
- Covers: coordinate entry and units, command execution and repeat, and grip-based editing.
- Example: Importing DXF & Working with Shapefiles
- Use Case: import a DXF file to build piping data, and work with shapefiles, including projecting a model to a planar coordinate system.
- Covers: Import A DXF File, working with SHP data, and Project A Model.
FAQ
-
Which model file format should I choose when creating a new model?
For GASWorkS 11 we recommend the “.gwz” format, which stores the entire model as a single file. The older “hdr” format from GASWorkS 10.2 and earlier is still supported, but it stores the model as a group of individual files.
-
Do I have to set the default data values before I start building?We general advise to do so, because every new node and pipe is populated from the current default data values, allowing to avoid setting new values for every imported pipe. Additionally, default data values can be saved, allowing for new models to automatically use the same configuration. As an alternative, you can also select ‘Use Last Record As Default’ on the Default Data tab, which populates a new feature from the last similar feature already in the model.
-
What are the different ways to enter a node’s location?You can type an X-Y coordinate pair (for example, 1000,1000), enter a relative distance and angle prefixed with “@” (for example, @500<180, measured clockwise from north), or draw the segment with the mouse. You can also reference an existing node by name using the "N" prefix — typing "N SUPPLY" uses that node's location.
-
What does a negative load value mean?A negative load indicates gas leaving the system — a demand. Positive values, by contrast, represent gas entering the system.
-
My model has negative pressures after I added the new tap. What happened?Negative (below-zero) pressures mean the system has effectively “run out of gas” — the added demand is greater than the network’s capacity. To address this issue, we generally recommend using the color-coding feature (by Pipe Pressure Drop) to find the pipes with the highest drop, and resizing to a larger pipe where possible.
-
Why do I need to solve the model again after making a change?Any change to the model invalidates the previously computed pressures and flows, so you will need to re-solve to get valid results after you change an input. The Solve icon tells you the state of the calculator at a glance: the scale shows balanced (blue) after a successful solution and unbalanced when a change means a new solution is needed.
-
Can I export the report data to a spreadsheet?Yes. You can save the report directly as a Comma Separated Values (.csv) file and open it in a spreadsheet, or copy the report contents to the Windows Clipboard and paste them into another application. You can also use the Set Columns routine to choose which columns display and print, and build query-based selection sets to filter and sort the records.