Downsizer
The Downsizer is a Graphical User Interface-based application for browsing, acquiring, and formatting time-series data for hydrologic modeling.
Climate data is from the NWS COOP network and the NRCS SNOTEL network. Streamflow data is from the USGS NWIS network.
Starting with version 3 (release date 1/7/2013) the Downsizer connects directly to the web services of the agencies providing the data. This is a significant change to how the Downsizer works and there are several implications:
- The Downsizer can run on computers outside of the USGS intranet.
- Data is much more up to date.
- Data pulls may be siginificantly slower.
- Any data pulled with the Downsizer will be subject to the originating source agency's data distribution policy (including updates, corrections, quality control, "real time" availability). This means that users should be pariticularly aware that these data sets can and will evolve over time and often contain different values each time they are pulled.
- The MoWS project has no control over the availability of any particular web service that is used by the Downsizer. This means that we cannot restart any of these serices if they are down.
Version 3 of the Downsizer was built and tested with a 64-bit version of Java 1.7. If you're experiencing problems, we recommend that you verify your version of Java and upgrade, if necessary, to the latest release.
Documentation
Downsizer is documented in USGS Open-File Report 2009-1166.
Current Release: Downsizer Client v3.2.4
Released 2013/02/05
Installation and Run: Download "downsizer-client-64bit-3.2.4.jar" from the "64-bit" link below. This is an executable jar file which will run by double clicking on it or typing it's name on the command line. Sometimes you may have to type "java -jar downsizer-client-64bit-3.2.4.jar" on the command line. If this does not work, check your Java installation.
Description: This version connects directly to the web services of the agencies providing the data. The map resolution problem when zooming into the globe has been fixed. Also, there were certain NWIS stream gages in previous versions which could not be loaded. This has been fixed too.
64-bit
Previous Releases
Downsizer Client v3.2.2
Released 2013/01/07
Description: This version connects directly to the web services of the agencies providing the data.
64-bit
Note: Starting with version 2.3.2, Downsizer supports 64-bit versions of the Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems, in addition to their 32-bit counterparts.
Click either the "32-bit" or "64-bit" link to download the correct distribution for your operating system.
Downsizer Client v2.4.0
Released 2009/10/19
32-bit 64-bit
In Units Frame, added the ability to specify the unit of elevation that will be used in output files.
Redesigned the Units Frame GUI to accommodate the new functionality.
Fixed a bug that was sometimes causing Downsizer to output stations in a different order than they were added in Station Addition Frame.
Downsizer Client v2.3.2
Released 2009/07/23
32-bit 64-bit
Added a 64-bit release of Downsizer. So now, both 32- and 64-bit versions of the Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems are supported.
Added labels to Station Review frame that track the number of stations that have been added.
Stopped tracking build numbers for Downsizer releases.
Downsizer Client v2.3.1.974
Released 2009/06/18
32-bit 64-bit
Fixed a bug that prevented Downsizer from running on Linux.
Downsizer Client v2.3.0.973
Released 2009/05/18
32-bit 64-bit
The Lauren's Format output file type has been replaced by XYZ Format. XYZ is very similar to Lauren's, but includes critical station metadata that Lauren's does not. The XYZ files that Downsizer generates can be used as input to SHODAN.
Downsizer Client v2.2.2.966
Released 2009/04/09
32-bit 64-bit
Fixed a bug that was causing Downsizer to fail when a climate station was selected that had data for 1 variable (usually precip), but not all 3.
Fixed a bug that caused "Add stations by location" to fail when there were stations within the rectangle that had previously been added and selected.
Downsizer Client v2.2.1.945
Released 2009/04/07
32-bit 64-bit
The SNOTEL database is once again available. It contains all historical data for water years 2007 and earlier (2008 for some stations). Recent data for water years 2008 and 2009 will be added "soon".
Also, the functions of the check boxes in Quality Control Frame are described a bit better.
Downsizer Client v2.2.0.941
Released 2009/03/31
32-bit 64-bit
The COOP climate database that the Downsizer relies upon has been greatly expanded. It now covers virtually every station that NOAA tracks (including those outside the US) for their entire periods of record (instead of just January 1948 onward). SNOTEL data are not currently available but will be restored soon.
The client has also been tweaked a bit to improve usability, in preparation for the forthcoming user's manual. There are no new major features.
Downsizer Client v2.1.0.745
Released 2008/04/21
32-bit 64-bit
This release adds World Wind to Downsizer. Visualizing station locations and retrieving data for specific geographical regions can now be done with just a few mouse gestures. Click the "Controls..." menu item in the World Wind frame for an overview of how to navigate the globe.
Downsizer Client v2.0.1.361
Released 2008/03/20
32-bit 64-bit
Fixed the broken "Add..." buttons in the Fine Station Select sub-window.
Downsizer Client v2.0.0.357
Released 2008/03/18
32-bit 64-bit
The Downsizer GUI has been completely redesigned for this release. Logically-related operations are now organized into sub-windows within the Downsizer desktop, and these windows are accessible via the toolbar at the right. By in large, the sub-windows correspond to the titled panels that made up the old monolithic GUI. So, the functionality of Downsizer is nearly the same after the facelift.
However, there were some new features added:
- Station metadata is now displayed in tables instead of lists (see the Fine ID Select window).
- The new tables allow more station metadata than just ID and name to be available: latitude, longitude, and (for climate staitons) elevation are now displayed as well. Period of record may be added in the future.
- The new tables can be sorted on any metadata type in either ascending or descending order by clicking on a column's name. By default, they are sorted on ID in ascending order.
- A progress dialog now pops up any time you perform an operation that retrieves station metadata from the server. It shows the status of the operation and allows you to cancel it if you wish.
Downsizer Client v1.0.1.11
Released 2008/02/07
32-bit 64-bit
Fixed a bug that was causing not all of the necessary .class files to be included in the Client release.
Downsizer Client v1.0.0.1
Released 2008/02/04
32-bit 64-bit
The summary file has been expanded to include the name, latitude, longitude, and elevation of every station it summarizes. The overall format is also more clean and consistent. Period of record may be added in the future.
The versioning policy was changed. Previous versions were numbered according to the date that they were built, e.g. v2008.01.22. Future versions will be numbered according to a more traditional format: major.minor.bug.build
- The major version number is incremented when a major feature is added that significantly changes or enchances the functionality. These are likely to be large-scale re-writes of the code base.
- The minor version number is incremented when a lesser feature is added.
- The bug version number is incremented when a bug fix is made, but no new features are added.
- The build version number is incremented automatically every time that Downsizer is compiled. Unlike the other version numbers, it is not reset to 0 when a more significant version number is incremented.
Downsizer is always stable: there is no public development branch, and each new version supersedes all earlier versions. Versioning began being tracked in this manner on 2008/02/04 (the release date of 1.0.0.1).
