How to set up controls
In Qatium, you can set up controls for your network elements—such as pipes, valves, and pumps—. These controls can help you automate operations like opening or closing a valve at a specific time or adjusting a pump’s settings.
Types of controls
Qatium supports simple controls as defined in EPANET:
Simple controls
Simple controls are straightforward commands, like "Open this valve at 3:00 PM" or "Close this pipe when the tank is full."
Rule-based controls
Rule-based controls let you create a set of conditions—like "If the pressure drops below a certain level, turn on the pump." These are helpful for automating complex scenarios and responding to real-time changes in the network.
How to set up controls in Qatium
- From a .inp file or a text file (.txt)
You can import EPANET controls — both simple and rule-based — directly by adding them to your .inp file or uploading a text file (.txt) to your network in Qatium.
⚠️ Important: Qatium can detect Simple Controls and Rule Based Controls even if you don’t specify the [CONTROLS] and [RULES] headers in the .txt file format.
- From GIS files
You can set controls in your GIS files by adding a field labeled Control or Controls.
You can use a simplified format to define controls. Just specify the element type, its ID, and its settings. For example: Pump 1: OPEN AT TIME 3
This means Pump 1 will be open at 3.
If you apply controls to multiple elements within one asset, those controls will affect all of them. For example, if you set the following within the Pump 1 properties: Pump 1 OPEN AT TIME 3, Valve 2 CLOSED AT TIME 2, Valve 2 OPEN AT TIME 3; the instructions for Valve 2 will still apply even though they’re listed under Pump 1 properties.
You can separate control instructions using tabs, commas, semicolons, or line breaks — whatever works best for your data organization.
How Qatium processes your data
When combining controls from different sources, Qatium applies them in this order:
- Controls from the .inp file
- Controls from the .txt file
- Controls defined in asset properties (GIS)
If any control isn’t valid, it won’t break your model. Instead, Qatium will skip it and include it as a comment in the output file.
⚠️ Important: Qatium performs basic checks (like syntax and valid IDs) but doesn’t flag duplicate or conflicting controls. If controls overlap, the last one listed will take effect in the simulation.