RtoTIME

RtoTIME is an R package to access environmental modelling components in TIME. TIME (The Invisible Modelling Environment) is a modelling framework running on Microsoft .NET and Mono.

TIME is currently hosted on a private repository on Bitbucket. Contact eWater if you wish to request access to the source code; however this is not compulsory to use this package and TIME binaries can be directly used instead.

CSIRO employee only: specific information should be available here

Prerequisites and package dependencies

The RtoTIME package uses the .NET framework SDK to build some C# code. Typically if you have on your machine the file "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\MSBuild.exe", you can skip this paragraph. Otherwise you need to install the Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4. An overview of list of Microsoft SDKs is available here

The interoperability of R and .NET code relies on the rClr R package. As of 2013-08-19 you can download an installable R package for windows (zip file). Make sure to at least skim through the installation instructions.

Another package dependency is the well-known zoo package

install.packages("zoo") # you don't need to run this command if you already have the zoo package installed.

Install

Install from precompiled RtoTIME

Compile and install from source

Check out the RtoTIME package from its github repository to a folder of your choice. Note that, if you already use the devtools package, using the install_github function to install RtoTIME is is not yet possible; you need a customisation step as follows.

You need to specify the location of your TIME binaries. In the file "RtoTIME\src\CSIRO.TIME2R\time2r.props", replace "F:\WRAA\bin" with a path where the assembly TIME.Tools.dll and its dependencies are present.

  <PropertyGroup Label="UserMacros">
    <TIMEBinariesPath>F:\WRAA\bin</TIMEBinariesPath>
  </PropertyGroup>

Building from the Windows CMD prompt:

F:
cd F:\path\to\the\package
REM R.exe for either architecture is fine.
set R="c:\Program Files\R\R-3.0.0\bin\x64\R.exe"
REM optionally, but preferably, check the package
%R% CMD check RtoTIME
%R% CMD INSTALL RtoTIME

Or, if you use devtools:

library(devtools)
mhdir <- 'F:/path/to/the/package' # i.e. F:/path/to/the/package contains the package folder RtoTIME
install(file.path(mhdir, 'RtoTIME'))

Examples

require(RtoTIME)

# load an assembly with rainfall runoff models
libs <- system.file('libs', package='RtoTIME')
dllName <- file.path(libs, "TIME.Models.RainfallRunoff.dll")
stopifnot(file.exists(dllName))
clrLoadAssembly(dllName)

# create a model simulation
# Note to self: needs more convenience methods in the API
mtype <- clrGetType("TIME.Models.RainfallRunoff.AWBM.AWBM")
if (is.null(mtype)) {stop('Failed to find the model Type')}
mr <- createModelRunner(mtype)

# Set time series inputs
data('catchment-data')
plot(catData)
startDate <- as.Date('1993-01-01')
endDate <- as.Date('1999-01-01')
d <- window(catData, start=startDate, end=endDate)

playTimeSeries(mr, 'rainfall', zooToDailyTts(d[,'Rain']))
playTimeSeries(mr, 'evapotranspiration', zooToDailyTts(d[,'Pet'])) # not right, but for demo only
recordTimeSeries(mr, 'runoff')
# note to self TODO: playTimeSeries(mr, 'rainfall', zooToDailyTts(d['Rain']))  needs check. Note the missing comma in d['Rain'] instead of  d[,'Rain']

# Run it
executeSimulation(simul=mr)

# Plot runoff data
runoff <- getRecordedTimeSeries(mr, 'runoff')
# a workaround to overcome varying date representations...
index(d) <- index(runoff)
z <- merge(runoff, d[,'QObs'])
plot(z, plot.type='single', col=c('red','blue'))

Resources

Acknowledgements