GMS:Preferences

The Edit | Preferences command brings up the Preferences dialog.

General

The Preference dialog showing the General tab

The General tab has all of the general options in GMS.

• Check for newer version on startup – When turned on, GMS will check aquaveo.com downloads page for the most recent release of GMS. If a new release is found, a prompt will appear asking if wanting to download the newer release.
• Confirm Deletions – Choose whether or not to be prompted to confirm the deletion whenever a set of selected objects is about to be deleted. This is meant to ensure that objects are not deleted accidentally.
• Ask for file editor program
• Invert mouse wheel zoom – Changes direction of the zoom with the mouse wheel
• Create GMS notes automatically – When on, certain actions will cause notes to be automatically generated.
• Icon size – Specifies the display size for icons.
  • "Auto" – The default icon display size.
  • "Small" – Causes the icons to be displayed at a smaller size; around 9 pixels wide.
  • "Large" – Causes the icons to be displayed at a larger size; around 27 pixels wide.

Sections:

• File compression – Use compression when saving XMDF files. The compression factor can be specified.
• Project Explorer – Allows modifying preferences related to the Project Explorer.
  • Change Module when Project Explorer selection changes – Changes the current module when an item is selected in the Project Explorer. This option is on by default.
  • Scroll Project Explorer when changing module – Ensures the visibility of the Project Explorer item objects in a module when the module is changed.
  • Synchronize active dataset and Z elevations for TINs, 2D Meshes, 2D Grids, and 2D Scatter Sets
  • Simulation right-click menu options – Select Edit... to open the Simulation Menu Preferences dialog. This allows for adjusting options that will appear when right-clicking a simulation in the Project Explorer. Not all options are compatible with every model.
    

    The Simulation Menu Preferences dialog.
• Contouring – Allows entering a filled contour tolerance.
• North arrow path – Specify the path to the folder containing the North Arrows.
• Model Run – Options for processes that can run in conjunction with the model run.
  • Run checks before adding to Run Queue – When turned on, the model check will run before the model is added to the run queue. If errors are found, a prompt will appear and the model will not be added to the Run Queue.
  • Prompt before unloading solution datasets – When turned on, a warning will appear if the solution datasets need to be removed from the project before the model can run, for example when running the same simulation again. When turned off, the solution datasets will be removed without any warning.

Buttons at the bottom:

• Help... – Opens xmswiki.com to this page (GMS:Preferences).
• Restore Factory Preferences – Reverts all settings to the factory defaults.
• OK – Accepts the settings as selected and entered. Closes the Preferences dialog.
• Cancel – Close the Preferences dialog without saving any changes to the settings.

2D Mesh

The 2D Mesh tab has the following options:

• Interpolate for default z on interior

Default z (ft)

• Assign default z-value
• Prompt for z-value
• Insert nodes into triangulated mesh
• Check for coincident nodes
• Retriangulate voids when deleting
• Thin triangle aspect ratio
• Min interior angel for merging triangles

For more information, see 2D Mesh Settings.

Boreholes

The Prefences dialog showing the Borehole tab.

• Auto-assign Horizons – Options for settings related to the Boreholes | Auto-assign Horizons… command gets used.
  • Rows per lift
  • Row overlapped between lifts
  • Sets retained between lifts
  • Measure slope from borehole tips
  • Average horizon slope
  • Horizon slope weight
  • Gap weight
• Auto-Fill cross sections
  • Prompt for vertex spacing – Option for GMS to open a dialog to prompt for the desired vertex spacing. It prompts for the desired spacing in the units set for the project.
  • Do not redistribute vertices – Option for GMS to not redistribute the vertices.
  • Use default spacing – GMS will redistribute vertices without prompting using a default ratio defined in the Default spacing/length ratio option.
    • Default spacing/length ratio – The default ratio used by GMS to calculate vertices placement when Use default spacing is selected.
  • Max. lense thickness ratio

Graphics

• Multisampling level – Bigger numbers result in smoother, antialiased graphics. 0 = no multisampling, 16 = maximum multisampling. If this option is changed, GMS must be restarted before the change will take effect.
• Use smooth fonts – anti-alias fonts

Obsolete Options

The following options are not in use in current versions of GMS, but apply to older versions.

• Ask which library to use if system does not support all functionality
• Autoselect the software library if system does support all functionality
• Always use system library like a dedicated GPU (may not support all features)
• Always use software library on the CPU (may be slower)

The Preferences dialog showing the Graphics tab

Images / CAD

• Draw Order

Allows determining the vertical location of objects when being drawn.

• Bitmap Scale Factor

When the copy command is selected, a bitmap image of the screen is placed on the clipboard. The scale factor can be used to increase or decrease the resolution of the bitmap. This scale factor also applies when saving the image as a bitmap.

• Confirm scale factor before copying

Select this for GMS to confirm the scale factor each time the Edit | Screen Capture… command is used.

• Draw points and symbols as points

CAD points and symbols will be drawn as points in the GMS Graphics Window. Note that these are sometimes very difficult to see.

• Draw points and symbols as shapes

CAD points and symbols will be drawn as shapes in the GMS Graphics Window.

• Specify CAD symbol size

The size of the CAD symbol shape display can be specified. May require clicking on Draw points and symbols as shapes button to activate (even if Draw points and symbols as shapes is already selected). Option not available when CAD points and symbols are drawn as points.

The Preferences dialog showing the Images / CAD tab

Map

• Snap feature objects to displayed nodes and vertices

Select for arcs to align (snap) to displayed nodes and vertices from other displayed coverages while the arcs are being drawn. When using the Create Arc tool, getting close to nodes or vertices from a displayed coverage causes a red box to appear. Place the arc node or vertex inside the red box, and it aligns the feature just created to the feature from the other coverage. If a coverage is not displayed, then the arc will not align to features from that coverage. If unselected, the red boxes will not appear for any nodes or vertices inside any coverage. Snapping will still occur with nodes and vertices of the same coverage, but not with those of other coverages.

• Automatically perform the Map→SEEP2D command after editing attributes.

Gives the option to automatically perform the Map→SEEP2D command.

The Preferences dialog showing the Map tab.

Model Executables

The Preferences dialog showing the Models options

The Models page allows specifying the location of model executables, as well as the option to use the Model Wrapper.

• Model Wrapper

GMS is a pre- and post-processor for Numerical Models. Most of these numerical models are run externally in the DOS environment. The default option is to use the Model Wrapper. The Model Wrapper "wraps" itself around the same DOS executables and gives more model feedback including graphs and tables. The Model Wrapper includes the option to tell GMS to automatically read in the results of the solution upon exiting the Model Wrapper. The box to select this options is in the bottom left of the Model Wrapper. This box will only be checked by default if the model converged. The option to use the Model Wrapper or the old DOS view is included in the Preferences dialog. Certain models, including Stochastic and inverse modeling, can only be run using the Model Wrapper.

Parallel versions of MODFLOW-2000, MODFLOW-2005, and SEAWAT are shipped with GMS to run simulations. Beginning with version 8, GMS ships parallel versions where the SAMG solver has been parallelized. Even when this option is on, when running Parallel PEST with MODFLOW the serial (non-parallel) version of MODFLOW will be used since the Parallel PEST will use all of the available cores on the computer with the serial version. Also see MODFLOW preferences for an option to turn on or off the parallel version.

MODFLOW

The Preferences dialog showing the MODFLOW tab.

The MODFLOW page has options related to the MODFLOW interface in GMS.

• Reverse mini-grid increment

The default functionality of the arrows next to the edit field on the mini-grid tool bar is for the up arrow to increase the layer number and for the down arrow to decrease the layer number. This option changes direction of the arrows so that down will increase the layer number and up will decrease the layer number.

• Compress MODFLOW h5 files

This option will force the h5 files saved with MODFLOW to be compressed. Generally this option should be turned on.

• Create h5 copy of head solution

Turning on this option can speed up reading the MODFLOW head solution especially when there are a large number of stress periods. When this option is on, GMS writes an HDF5 copy of the MODFLOW head solution upon reading it the first time. The following times GMS reads the head solution, it doesn't take as much time.

• Create cell summary text file

A text file is created when reading the MODFLOW head file that provides a summary of the the number of active, inactive, dry, and flooded cells at each output time of the simulation. The text file is added to the MODFLOW solution and can be opened from the Project Explorer.

• Save copy of MODFLOW simulation in native text format

This option sets the default for the Save native text copy option in the MODFLOW Global/Basic Package dialog. New models will be set to create an additional MODFLOW directory that contains native MODFLOW text files of the MODFLOW simulation. GMS will create the new directory when the GMS project is saved and will be named as follows myProject_MODFLOW_text. This option does not change the settings for the current MODFLOW model. Settings for the current model must be adjusted in the MODFLOW Global/Basic Package dialog. There are three additional preferences with this option: all arrays be written internally in the MODFLOW files (default option), all arrays are external from the MODFLOW files, or all arrays are external and are placed in a directory named arrays.

External arrays are placed in their own text files and are named as follows myProject_array_PACKAGE_VARIABLE_LAYERorSP. For example the ibound array for layer 1 would have the following name myProject_array_BAS_IBOUND_1.txt. The recharge array for stress period 3 would have the following name myProject_array_RCH_RECH_3.txt.

• Save copy of MODFLOW simulation in MODFLOW 6 format

This option sets the default for the Save MODFLOW 6 copy option in the MODFLOW Global/Basic Package dialog. New models will be set to create an additional MODFLOW directory that contains MODFLOW 6 files of the MODFLOW simulation. GMS will create the new directory when the GMS project is saved and will be named as follows myProject_MODFLOW_mf6. This option does not change the settings for the current MODFLOW model. Settings for the current model must be adjusted in the MODFLOW Global/Basic Package dialog.

• Use custom Run dialog when running MODFLOW

This option sets the default for the Use custom Run dialog option in the MODFLOW Global/Basic Package dialog. New models will be set for the Custom Run MODFLOW dialog to appear when running MODFLOW. This default will apply to all new models. This does not change the preferences for the current model, which must be changed in the MODFLOW Global/Basic Package dialog

• Warn when switching to USG-Transport that it is one way

Select for GMS to warn when switching to USG-Transport that the model cannot be changed back to other MODFLOW versions. This warning will appear when USG-Transport is selected in the MODFLOW Global/Basic Package dialog after OK is clicked to close the dialog. It's on by default.

• Default version of MODFLOW to run

Allows selecting the version of MODFLOW to be used as a default when GMS is started.

• Double precision

When this option is on, GMS will use the double precision version of MODFLOW to run simulations. By default this option is off and GMS uses the single precision version of MODFLOW.

• Parallel (not used by Parallel PEST)

When this option is on, GMS will use the parallel version of MODFLOW to run simulations. Beginning with version 8, GMS ships parallel versions of MODFLOW where the SAMG solver has been parallelized. Even when this option is on, Parallel PEST will use the serial (non-parallel) version of MODFLOW since the Parallel PEST will use all of the available cores on the computer.

Printing

Specifies scaling points, lines, and fonts while printing.

The Preferences dialog showing the Printing tab

Program Mode

The Preferences dialog showing the Program Mode tab.

GMS has the option of changing the "mode" or "skin" that GMS is running. The purpose of the mode is to simplify the items available in the interface.

Available Modes

• GMS

This is the default mode.

• GMS 2D

GMS 2D is for only using GMS to do seepage and slope stability. In GMS 2D mode, the only tools that are available are the 2D mesh and the Map. There are several changes to the GMS interface when in this mode, including:

1. Hiding of tools and modules not in use
2. SEEP2D model automatically initialized from conceptual model
3. SEEP2D boundary conditions automatically mapped from conceptual model (no need to run Map → SEEP2D)
4. Easily create all coverage types in one step
5. Feature object types automatically assigned based on coverage attributes
6. Allow only one conceptual model

When starting up in GMS 2D mode, a New Project dialog will appear. The following errors may also appear when opening some project files. These errors may state any of the following:

• Your project file contained more than one conceptual model. This version of GMS only supports one SEEP2D/UTEXAS conceptual model. The first encountered SEEP2D/UTEXAS conceptual model has been preserved and all other conceptual models have been removed from the project.
• Error. This requires the "MODFLOW" component. Your GMS license does not include this component. Contact your vendor if you would like to enable this feature.
• The project that you are reading does not have a SEEP2D/UTEXAS conceptual model. The project can not be loaded into this version of GMS.

• GMS Site

GMS Site is for only using tools for site characterization. As such the tools available in this mode are TINs, Boreholes, Solids, 2D Scatter, and Map. These tools can be used to construct solid models of stratigraphy.

• TPROGS

T-PROGS is used to perform transition probability geostatistics on borehole data.

Caveats

When GMS is running in a particular mode then only data associated with the available tools will be read into GMS. For example, attempting to read in a GMS project that contains a 3D Grid while in "GMS 2D" mode will produce an error message. The message will state that GMS is not enabled to read in 3D Grid data. The only data that will read into GMS in "GMS 2D" mode is data associated with the 2D Mesh and the Map.

Scatter sets

2D scatter

• Default dataset value

Sets default value for new points created in dataset.

• Confirm dataset value

Select for option to set value of each new point created in a dataset. When selected, a Scatter Point Dataset Value dialog will open each time a new point is created. It will automatically populate with the current value from the Default dataset value field but can be edited.

3D scatter

• Default dataset value

Sets default value for new points created in dataset.

• Default Z value

Sets default Z value for new points created in dataset.

• Confirm dataset value

Select for option to set value of each new point created in a dataset. When selected, a Scatter Point Dataset Value dialog will open each time a new point is created.

The Preferences dialog showing the Scatter Sets tab.

SEAWAT

Default version of SEAWAT to run

Parallel (only SAMG solver parallelized) – Option to run some parts of the SEAWAT process in parallel to speed up computation time.

The SEAWAT tab of the Preferences dialog.

TINs

The TINs tab has the following options:

• Vertex options
  • Retriangulate after deleting
    • Default z-value
  • Confirm z-value
  • Interpolate for default z on interior
  • Extrapolate for default z on exterior
  • Breakline options
    • Add supplementary points
    • Swap edges
• Minimum length ratio

For more detailed information, see TIN Settings.

Licensing

This tab shows information about the application license.

• Use Legacy Licensing – Turning on will revert to using older licenses.
• Information – Shows information about the license being used.

The Preferences dialog showing the Licensing tab

Related Topics

• Edit Menu