Prequel

This article is a stub.

A Prequel is an Grid Overlay which serves as input for another (geographical) calculation model, in place of Keyed Attribute values.

In most cases, a Grid Overlay calculation will reference the presence of Attribute values which are related to vector data, such as Constructions or Areas. This is then rasterized to provide input for the calculation model. For a number of calculation models, it is possible to configure a Prequel instead. This is a Grid Overlay, the output of which serves as that same kind of input.

Uses

Prequels can be used for a number of use-cases. Some common examples include:

• Increasing the detail of input data by providing it as a nearly-analog grid rather than a discrete set of values through polygonal features.
• Feeding the output of a previous calculation (from an earlier run, or running in parallel) into a following calculation.
• Including the effects of a geographical Action via a Combo Overlay in a controlled way in the input for a following calculation.

Prequel calculations

Any kind of Grid Overlay can serve as a Prequel. This allows for great flexibility, but also means case must be taken to select a prequel which has the correct type of data. For example, using a Combo Overlay to precompute water levels for a Water Overlay makes perfect sense. However, incorrectly precomputing the water depth rather than the water level will cause significantly different water initialization.