4. Why doesn't something work? 1. BehavePlus Status
1.1 What is the latest version of BehavePlus?
The Beta release of version 4.0 is now available. The most recent official version is BehavePlus Version 3.0.2, released on July 7, 2006. BehavePlus Version 3.0.1 was released in June, 2005; BehavePlus Version 2.0.2 was released in October 2003; Version 2.0.0 was released in July 2003; and Version 1.0.0 was released in January 2002. BehavePlus replaced the BEHAVE fire behavior prediction and fuel modeling system, which was first available for field use in 1984.
1.2 What are the BehavePlus system requirements?
- Windows ® 95, 98, Me, 2000, NT, XP, or Vista.
- Designed for 1024x768 monitors with 16-bit (64K) colors, but 800x600 with 8-bit (256) colors is adequate.
- 32 Mb memory (8 Mb of available memory).
- 50 Mb of hard drive storage.
- Adobe ® Acrobat Reader or other PDF file viewer for browsing help files.
- A postcard depicting your local area (to comply with the licensing agreement).
1.3 How do I make sure I have the most recent version of BehavePlus?
The easiest way to ensure you have the latest version of BehavePlus is to compare the build version of your installation with the build number on the Downloads page. The build number for BehavePlus is located in the program under Help -> Installation Info in Program Information. The build number for the program is part of the file name. For example, the installation file for BehavePlus version 3.0.2 is bp_265.exe, and the Build number is 265.
1.4 Who developed and maintains BehavePlus?
Pat Andrews, research scientist, US Forest Service, Fire Sciences Lab, Missoula, MT, manages the development of BehavePlus, designs and determines its feature set, performs some of the alpha testing, and assists with the help system and users manual.
Collin Bevins, research forester and president, System for Environmental Management, Missoula, MT, designs, develops, and tests all the BehavePlus computer code and helps determine its feature set and behavior.
Other people and organizations who have assisted in the funding and development of BehavePlus are listed on the Credits page.
1.5 Are there any supporting documents?
The BehavePlus User's Guide is part of the help system and is available in Adbobe Acrobat PDF ® format from the Downloads page.
To learn about fire behavior prediction, read:
- Rothermel, Richard C. 1983. How to predict the spread and intensity of forest and range fires. Gen Tech. Rep. INT-143. Ogden, UT: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 161p.
See the Publications page for additional documents.
1.6 Are there any training materials available?
See the Training page for lessons covering various aspects of BehavePlus.
1.7 What are the BehavePlus license requirements?
BehavePlus is freely available, without any warranty expressed or implied, to anyone who wants to use it. The License Agreement only requires that you send a postcard depicting your local area to:
| Systems for Environmental Management
P.O. Box 8868
Missoula, MT, USA 59807 |
1.8 How does BehavePlus differ from previous versions?
A comparison of the old BEHAVE program and BehavePlus Versions 1, 2, 3, and 4 is available for download as an Adobe PDF file.
2. Getting and Installing BehavePlus
2.1 Where can I get BehavePlus?
The BehavePlus program is available on the Downloads page.
2.2 How do I install BehavePlus for the first time?
The BehavePlus file you download is a self-installing executable for all Windows ® operating systems. It has a name like bp_265.exe. Simply execute this file to install or update BehavePlus.
The complete instructions for installing the most recent release of BehavePlus are detailed in the Release Notice installation instructions. These instructions may vary between releases, so it is important you follow the appropriate Release Notice.
2.3 How do I re-install or upgrade BehavePlus?
The complete instructions for upgrading or re-installing BehavePlus are detailed in the Release Notice upgrade instructions. These instructions may vary between releases, so it is important you follow the appropriate Release Notice.
Important Note: Do not remove or update BehavePlus using any method other than that described by the Release Notice (i.e., don't delete BehavePlus files or directories via Windows Explorer ® or via a command prompt). These methods do not remove the old BehavePlus Windows Registry ® entries, and can cause subsequent installation problems.
2.4 How do I use Runs, Worksheets, Fuel Models, Moisture Scenarios, and Units Sets developed in Version 3 with Version 4?
Version 3 data files, including Run, Worksheet, Fuel Model, Moisture Scenario, and Units Set files, can be read by Version 4. BehavePlus only looks in the directory in which it was installed (e.g., Version 4 will only look in the folders in the BehavePlus4 directory). To use previously developed worksheets, you need to copy the entire folder containing the relevant files from the Version 3 directory to the Version 4 directory using Windows Explorer ®. When you first open a Run or Worksheet from a previous version of BehavePlus, please follow the guidelines in the pop-up window to ensure the Run or Worksheet is fully compatible with the program.
2.5 How do I know when there is an update?
You can check the News page on the website (FireModels.org) or you can subscribe to receive News Items. When updates are available, we will send you an email with the information on the News page.
2.6 How do I subscribe to the News?
On the left-hand menu of FireModels.org, there is a menu item entitled "Subscribe/Unsubscribe to FireModels.org News Items". When you click on it, it will take you to the Subscription page. When you log in, you can see to which News you are currently subscribed. If you do not yet have an account, click on the Register button.
2.7 Why did the install program fail/stop/hang before it finished?
On the occasions this has been reported, it has been due to an incomplete or corrupted installation program (bp_265.exe). Since this is a fairly large file, it can sometimes get corrupted during the download process. Check the downloaded file size against that published in the table on the Downloads page.
2.8 Why doesn't BehavePlus run? I have Windows XP.
It seems that BehavePlus Version 3.0.2 is not compatible with Windows XP. You will need to change the program compatibility to an earlier version of Windows:
- Find the BehavePlus icon on your computer desktop.
- Right click on the icon, and choose "Properties".
- The screen will have a Compatibility tab.
- Select the option so that the program always opens as compatible with Windows 95.
BehavePlus should now run correctly. If you have additional problems, please contact the Help Desk as listed on the Contact Us page.
2.9 Why does BehavePlus run very slowly or not at all?
The problem with Version 3.0.2 has hopefully been fixed in version 4.0.
When Version 3 is installed in "C:/Program Files/sem", it may run very slowly or not at all. To fix this problem:
- Uninstall the program.
- Install the program again, changing the installation directory.
- If you are on a US Forest Service computer, install the program in the directory "C:/fsapps/fsprod/fam/behave".
- If not, install the program to "C:/behave" or any directory except for one in "C:/Program Files".
If you have additional problems, please contact the Help Desk as listed on the Contact Us page.
3. How do I ... ?
3.1 How do I print the contents of a help browser pane?
Right click inside the pane to pop up a print menu.
3.2 How do I print the content of any dialog box.
Right click just inside the outer border of the dialog box to pop up a print menu.
3.3 How do I print the contents of a Guide Dialog table or other scrollable list view?
Right click inside the table to pop up a print menu.
3.4 How do I add a geographic place name for use in the Calendar Tool?
This requires some hands-on editing. First locate and read INSTALLDIR BehavePlusDocFolderGeoFolderGeoPlaceNames.FAQ, where INSTALLDIR is the BehavePlus installation directory. This file tells you how to add a new place name.
I recommend you create a copy of the Special.geo file and name it something like MyPlaces.geo. It must have a .geo extension. Then edit MyPlaces.geo and add your new locations. Since MyPlaces.geo is not part of the BehavePlus installation, it will not be removed or overwritten by new installations, so any new place names you add will not go away with new BehavePlus updates.
3.5 How do I trim a page that was captured and inserted into a Microsoft Word ® (doc) document?
A page can be captured from BehavePlus (using File -> Save as an image) and inserted into a Word ® document using its Insert->Picture->From File menus. Excess blank space is trimmed by clicking on the image and using Crop from the Picture Tool Bar.
An alternative to using the BehavePlus capture feature eliminates the step of saving an image in a file. Use Alt-Print Screen to capture the BehavePlus window. It can be directly inserted into a Word document using Paste or Ctrl-v. The Crop feature available on the Picture Tool bar can then be used to trim excess space.
4. Why doesn't something work?
4.1 Why can I enter values into the shaded (gray or blue) input fields?
The shading on input fields is merely a visual advisory that the field is not currently required given the other input values. While fuel modeling, for example, it is not necessary to enter live fuel heat content if there is no live fuel load. But the moment you enter a non-zero live fuel load, live heat content is required and its shading is removed.
You may enter values into input fields while they are shaded. If you do, it is tested just like any other input field.
4.2 Why can't I print or save the outputs of the Units Converter tool?
The hidden trick here is to right-click just inside the outer border of the dialog box; this pops up a print menu (see also FAQ 3.2 ).
4.3 I created and saved a custom fuel model (or moisture scenario set) and use it in a run that I also saved. But when I re-open the run file to use it, I get an Invalid Input error message saying the custom fuel model is an unknown choice.
Custom fuel models and moisture scenarios must be attached to the BehavePlus session before they can be used in calculations. That is, you must tell BehavePlus where to find it since (1) you could have saved it any of the fuel model subdirectories and (2) there could be several custom fuel models with the same name stored in different directories (e.g., there are probably hundreds of versions of fuel model 14 floating around out there). BehavePlus has no way of knowing which one to use until you attach it.
To attach the fuel model (or moisture scenario), select Configure -> Fuel model set selection (or Configure -> Moisture scenario set selection) from the main menu. Highlight the FOLDER in which the custom models reside and press Ok. This attaches all the custom models in that folder to the BehavePlus run.
NOTE: Any folders that are not highlighted will not have their fuel models attached!
4.4 Why do the results of my run disappear after I save it and then later open it?
BehavePlus does not save run results, just the run inputs and configuration (module selection, input options, output variables, units of measure, etc). Saving results would significantly increase the size and complexity of saved run files. Results are always easily regenerated by pressing the Calculate button after reloading the run.
BehavePlus 
