8  The ERAHUMED DSS Graphical User Interface

The easiest way to run a simulation with ERAHUMED is through its Graphical User Interface (GUI), which we describe in this chapter. The GUI provides an intuitive way to configure all model inputs described in Chapter 3 and includes predefined visualizations for main model outputs. This makes it an efficient tool for exploring the ecosystem’s behavior and analyzing its sensitivity to different scenarios. Additionally, users can export output data for further analysis outside the Decision Support System (DSS).

The GUI is part of a broader software package—an R library—which we describe in detail in Chapter 9. If the interface described in this chapter differs from the one you see, please note that this manual refers to version 0.21.0 of the ERAHUMED software. You can check your version number in the top-left corner of the GUI to ensure you are working with the same release.

8.1 How to run the GUI

At the present moment, the GUI can only be run from R, through the package {erahumed}, which is publicly available on Github. Details on R and on the {erahumed} package are provided in Chapter 9 and references therein (see, in particular, Sections 9.1 and 9.2 for instructions on how to install R and the {erahumed} package). Once you have installed {erahumed}, you can access its GUI by running in R the following command:

erahumed::launch_dss()

8.2 Interface Overview and Basic Workflow

Once launched, the ERAHUMED Decision Support System (DSS) opens in your web browser. The interface is organized into multiple tabs that guide the user through the process of defining a simulation scenario, running the model, and exploring the results.

At its core, the GUI follows a simple two-phase workflow:

  1. Set up the scenario:
    Use the input tabs to configure landscape parameters, chemical definitions, rice field management systems (RFMS), spatial allocation, and simulation settings. Each section mirrors the corresponding input groups described in Chapter 3, and most input fields are accompanied by labels and tooltips that make them self-explanatory.

  2. Run the simulation:
    When you are satisfied with your configuration, press the “Run” button located in the top right. The model will process your scenario and display outputs as interactive plots and summary tables.

Simulation results can be exported in tabular format for post-processing or further analysis in R or other software environments, using the “Download results” button.

8.3 Getting Help

The ERAHUMED GUI is designed to be intuitive and self-explanatory, with tooltips and default values provided throughout to guide users through the simulation setup. However, if you encounter any difficulties or have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Support and troubleshooting resources are available in the help section, where you can also open an issue on GitHub. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact us directly via e-mail at the addresses provided in the Preface.