Running HOB Tools

The HOB Tools graphical user interface starts at a size of 948 x 754 pixels, and is a multiple document interface (i.e., more than one document or tool can be open at a given time). The main menu follows the typical pull-down menu system located at the top of the program (Fig. 1). Any open tools can be accessed via the "Window” menu (Fig. 1), which is helpful if the one open tool needed is buried under several others.

Figure 1. The HOB Tools user interface with the main menu system boxed in red. Three tools are open as shown in the "Window” sub-menu. The "Compute Daily Mean Temperatures" tool has focus (checked). Note that this tool goes off the screen in this example, so HOB Tools automatically adds a vertical scroll bar on the right side of the program. This allows for all functions to be readily accessible even on lower screen resolutions. HOB Tools will run on low screen resolutions, but resolutions of 1024 x 768 or greater are recommended.

Input and Output Datasets
HOB Tools reads and produces data in tab-delimited ASCII format, except for the data downloaded from the U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN), Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN), or Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA) websites which are read in their native formats. If necessary, input data can be properly formatted by using Microsoft Excel or a similar spreadsheet program that supports saving files as tab-delimited (e.g., save the file as "Text (tab-delimited)” in Microsoft Excel). HOB Tools requests row and, at times, column numbers, which provide the program with the exact location of data in the input file (e.g., Fig. 2). This allows for some flexibility in the structure of the input files and permits them to contain important header information. Other tool-specific formatting requirements are given in the help topic associated with each tool usually under the heading "Input Data Format". For example, the input data format for a particular tool may be Year / Month / Day / Data, where each “/” represents a tab. Therefore, the year should be column 1, month in column 2, day in column 3, and data starting in column 4.

Figure 2. Row and column numbers are counted from top to bottom and left to right, respectively. HOB Tools requests the "Historical Start Row” and "Data Columns” under "Historical Input” (left). The numerical values for these have been entered based on the organization of the historical data file (right), which contains header information in row 1, a blank line for row 2, and the data beginning with the column headers in row 3. Row 3 (number colored purple, right) is the "Historical Start Row” (boxed in purple, left), so the value 3 has been entered. Column numbers 4, 5, and 6 (numbers colored red, right) are the individual "Data Columns” (boxed in red, left), so those values have been entered.

Most tools output data to tab-delimited ASCII files, and users can specify a header to include in the output file, which will be followed by the output data organized by labeled columns. The output files can be imported into Excel or any graphical or statistical program that supports tab-delimited ASCII files for further analysis. HOB Tools uses the normal method built within Microsoft Windows to browse and locate files. Therefore, the location of the input files and the location to save output files can be in any directory or even on a network.

Tool Run
Press the "Run” or, in some cases, the "Plot" button once all of the requested information has been entered and the specific tool will be initiated. Most tools are run in the background, so the user can continue working with HOB Tools uninterrupted. Each tool will typically take only a few seconds to run, but this is dependent upon the size of the input and output files, the amount of work the tool does, and the speed of the computer. HOB Tools includes a status indicator at the bottom of most tools, which will keep the user informed on the overall progress.

Input information is checked for errors at various stages, and the user is notified if an error is found. Errors arising due to the user entering invalid characters or failing to enter required information typically take the form of a blinking exclamation point. Hovering the mouse pointer over the exclamation point will present the user with information that triggered the error message (e.g., "Numerical values are the only valid characters."). If an error occurs due to a problem reading a data file, then HOB Tools will return an error message box, which typically contains detailed information so that the problem can be located and fixed quickly (e.g., Fig. 3). Most message box errors are critical, so the specific tool will immediately stop running and need to be restarted from the beginning once the error is fixed.

Figure 3. Error message generated by the temperature analysis tool. Note the detailed date in the red box, which allows the user to quickly find the problem in a large dataset.

Graphs
Eight tools create graphs of data for visual inspection. All graphs in HOB Tools have nine features in common, which are summarized below:

Other tool-specific graph information is presented in their respective help topics.

Help
This help system can be accessed in three ways: selecting "User's Guide" from the HOB Tools shortcut folder in the Windows Start Menu, pressing F1 when running HOB Tools, or by selecting "Help” from the program's main menu and then selecting "User's Guide...”. This help system is not only searchable but also integrated within HOB Tools such that if F1 is pressed when a tool is open, the HOB Tools User's Guide will open directly to the help topic associated with that tool.

Updates
Selecting "Help" and then "Check for Updates..." will have HOB Tools check djburnette.com for a new version. The report will consist of the "Installed Version" currently running on the computer and the "Latest Version" that is available from HOB Tools' website. If a new version is available, then the user will be presented with links to read details about the new version and download the updated program.