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An Introduction to MOVES:

Output Processing

FHWA Resource Center

EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality

EPA-420-B-09-024
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Output Presentation Outline

z An exploration of output results.

z Post-Processing Menu

– Summary Report.

– MySQL Scripts.

– State/County Map.

z Feel free to ask questions!
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MOVES Output

z All of the results of a MOVES run are stored in 

MySQL database tables.

z These results can be accessed by:

– Using MOVES post-processing tools.

– Using MySQL query commands.

– Using the MySQL Query Browser software.

– Using Microsoft Access with a MySQL ODBC.

z Any table may be exported to other applications 

(i.e., MS Excel) for further processing.
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Output Tables

z MOVESOutput – Contains the emission results. 

z MOVESActivityoutput – Contains the distance.

z MOVESRun - Information about the run.

z Emission Rate Output:

– MOVESLookupOutput

– MOVESLookupActivityOutputTemp

z Diagnostic Tables:

– ActivityType, MOVESError, MOVESTablesUsed, 

MOVESWorkersUsed and MOVESEventLog tables are used 

for run diagnostics.
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Output Tables
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MOVESOutput

Table

• MOVESRunID

• iterationID

• yearID

• monthID

• dayID

• hourID

• stateID

• countyID

• zoneID

• linkID

• pollutantID

• processID

• sourceTypeID

• fuelTypeID

• modelYearID

• roadTypeID

• SCC

• emissionQuant

• emissionQuantMean

• emissionQuantSigma
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MOVESActivityOutput

Table

• MOVESRunID

• iterationID

• yearID

• monthID

• dayID

• hourID

• stateID

• countyID

• zoneID

• linkID

• sourceTypeID

• fuelTypeID

• modelYearID

• roadTypeID

• SCC

• activityTypeID

• activity

• activityMean

• activitySigma
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MOVESRun

Table

• MOVESRunID

• outputTimePeriod

• timeUnits

• distanceUnits

• massUnits

• energyUnits

• runSpecFileName

• runSpecDescription

• runSpecFileDateTime

• runDateTime

• Scale

• minutesDuration

• defaultDatabaseUsed

• masterVersionDate

• masterComputerID

• domain

• domainCountyID

• domainCountyName

• domainDatabaseServer

• domainDatabaseName
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Post-Processing Menu
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Post-Processing Menu

z Use this menu once you have results.

z You select an existing output database using the 

runspec used to generate the results.

z Options for processing output include:

– Execute existing MySQL scripts.

– Summarize results into text files.

– Graphically represent results in a county map.
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Post-Processing Scripts
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Post-Processing Scripts
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Post-Processing Scripts

z The scripts are applied to the latest RunID in the 

current output database selected by the runspec.

z You can select previous runs from the database 

using the MOVES Run Error Log window from the 

pull down Action menu.

z These are simply MySQL command scripts stored 

in the /database/OutputProcessingScripts folder of 

the MOVES application installation.

z Users may write their own scripts and add them to 

the folder or add scripts obtained from other users.
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Decode MOVES Output Script
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Post-Processing Scripts- Warning!

z Read the script documentation!

– Scripts may require that you run MOVES is a particular way.

– Scripts may require specific units.

z As we get more experience with using MOVES, new 

scripts will likely be written.

z Do you have ideas for useful scripts? Send them 

to mobile@epa.gov.
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Produce Summary Report
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Summary Report

z You select the database you wish to summarize 

using the runspec.

z Select which process you wish to summarize.
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Summary Report
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Summary Report

z Name Summary Report Table and File

z Choose the Run from the list available in the 

database.

z Choose the categories of the summary and their 

order.

z Choose the pollutants included in the summary.

z Display on screen and/or text file output.

z Estimate column width for text file.

z Results will also be stored in a MySQL table in the 

output database for the runspec.
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Summary Report: Body
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Summary Report Body

z Sums the pollutants you selected into the 

categories you specified.

z Note that the road type categories are indicated by 

their numeric codes.
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Summary Report: Header
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Summary Report: Header

z The header information shows you information 

about the summary results including:

– The units of the values.

– The run ID and database from which the data was taken.

– The description of the run you put in the runspec. 

– The date and time the report was generated.
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Summary Report: Decode
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Summary Report: Decode

z The decode tab will show descriptive text for most 

of the numeric codes used in the body of the 

report.
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Summary Report: Save
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Summary Report: Save

z If you chose to save tabbed output, you will be 

prompted for a location to place the files generated 

by the Summary Report.

z Three files will be written:

– SummaryReportBody.tab

– SummaryReportHeader.tab

– SummaryReportDecode.tab

z These text files can be opened by any word 

processor or spreadsheet application.
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Summary Report Features

z You can produce multiple summary reports from 

the same database by using different names.

z The Summary Report can be used to aggregate the 

more detailed results.

z Allows the user to specify a more detailed output in 

the Output Emissions Detail and produce multiple 

reports with varying level of detail from the same 

run.
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Generate State/County Map

z Used to create a graphical representation of the 

data.

z The result table selected:

– Must contain results by county (include county ID values).

– Must contain only one row for each county.

z Result tables can be created using the Summary 

Report.

z The database containing the table is selected using 

the run specification.

We are not demonstrating this feature.
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MOVES Map Example - Delaware
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Other Post-Processing

z Export the data using the MySQL script.

z Export the data using the MySQL Browser.

– CSV

– MS Excel

– PLIST

z Use the data from MS Access using the ODBC.
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MySQL Query Browser
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MySQL Query Browser

z Provided with the MOVES model

z Windows tool for viewing databases, executing 

queries, and editing tables

z Resultsets can be exported as csv or Excel files

z Built-in Help files

z Records query history, so you can repeat queries 

without retyping them

z Tables can be edited directly, rather than using 

MySQL commands

– Table must have a key to be edited directly
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Exploring MOVES Databases with 

Query Browser

z We’ll demonstrate some simple MySQL commands 

in Query Browser

– Commands are shown in the slide headings and screenshots

– Note that some screenshots show older versions of MOVES 

and/or output databases you won’t have on your computer

z To Open Query Browser (don’t need to do this now):

– Start/Programs/MySQL/MySQL Query Browser

– Make sure “localhost” is specified (might not be after initial 

installation) and click OK

z Click “ignore” on warning message about schema

z You can suppress this message for future use
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MySQL Query Browser opening view 

with available databases (example)
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Double-clicking on the MOVES 

default database opens up tables