The Block Attribute Table


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In the Key Concepts we described blocks, dynamic attributes, and how these were joined together in the Block Attribute table. An important point is tha attributes describe ffeatures (inventory conditions) and products (outcomes of management treatments) on individual blocks. Accounts are the tools that sum up inventory condition and management outcomes over groups of blocks (most often the entire forest).

Blocks, attributes and attribute tables are defined in the section called “Blocks”, the section called “Dynamic Stand Attributes” and the section called “The Block Attribute Table”. In the following section we will define the most important and commonly used data table: the block attribute table. If you would first like to explore this table, go to the section called “Exploring stand attributes in the Table Viewer” and the section called “Table Viewer”.

In the block attribute table, several categories of attributes and accounts are tabled for each block. Figure 34, “Categories of Attributes and Accounts in the Block Attribute Table” illustrates their layout within the block attribute table.

Figure 34. Categories of Attributes and Accounts in the Block Attribute Table

When Patchworks is started, the blocks GIS file is loaded, and the block table is created by joining the GIS attributes to the dynamic attributes and accounts that are generated by Patchworks.

Shapefile Attributes: The first set of attributes are those contained in the block GIS file. All these attributes are capitalized. These must include the unique polygon (block) id number, and may include other attributes of interest such as preset operability restrictions, initial management schedules, or any classification used for reports or timing constraints.
Static Patchworks Attributes: The next set of attributes are those that are added by Patchworks that will not change after the model is loaded. These are also capitalized. Information about periods, area, age, strata, track, and treatments are always present.
Dynamic Patchworks Attributes: These attributes are set by the user in the forest model. Any attributes that you can place a target on such as area of forest units, volumes, costs, seral stages, and patches are listed alphabetically here. In the sample dataset, all these attributes either start with feature.* or product.*.
Summary Accounts: Accounts that you have created in the accounts.csv file are listed next. In the sample dataset, they include the visual quality accounts and patch accounts for disturbance patches and harvest patches.
Patch Attributes: The id number and size of the patch which each block belongs to is listed here for any patches you have defined. Two types of patches are defined in the sample dataset - disturbance patches and harvest patches.
Route Accounts: Route accounts that compute the length of road and cost to haul from each block to each mill destination are tabled here.
Exclusive Accounts: These accounts will notify which destination the products of a particular block will be directed to.
Timing Constraint Attributes:The last three attributes in the block attribute table relate to the timing constraint table and refer to whether or not stands are available for harvest (see the section called “Adjusting Block Eligibility using the Timing Constraint Editor”). If no timing constraint table is loaded, the attributes are still present, and all blocks will be identified as AVAILABLE.

	Tip
	Be careful not to use shapefile attribute names that conflict with the names used by Patchworks, i.e. the dynamic Patchworks attributes and the timing constraint attributes. For a complete list of Patchworks attribute names see the section called “The Block Attribute Table”.