Package SHEF Parser

A python based package to parse SHEF files and optionally load them into various data stores. It also provides functionality for generating SHEF text from various data stores.

Parsing and loading can be performed by using module in python or through command line. Generating SHEF text from a data store is currenly limited to using the module in python.

See User Guide at https://shef-processing.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

See API Documentation at https://hydrologicengineeringcenter.github.io/shef-parser/index.html

Install

pip install shef-parser

Loading via command line

#CWMS CDA loader
shefParser -i input_filename --loader cda[$API_ROOT][$API_KEY]

#HEC-DSS loader
shefParser -i input_filename --loader dss[<dss_file>][<sensors_file>][<parameters_file>]

Loading via module

#CWMS CDA loader
import os
from shef import shef_parser

cda_url: str = os.getenv("CDA_API_ROOT")
cda_api_key: str = os.getenv("CDA_API_KEY")

shef_parser.parse(
    input_name=input_filename,
    loader_spec=f"cda[{cda_url}][{cda_api_key}]",
)

#HEC-DSS loader
from shef import shef_parser

dss_filename: str = "/path/to/dss_file"
sensors_filename: str = "/path/to/sensors_file"
parameters_filename: str = "/path/to/parameters_file"

shef_parser.parse(
    input_name=input_filename,
    loader_spec=f"dss[{dss_filename}][{sensors_filename}][{parameters_filename}]",
)

Generating SHEF Text

Exporting via command line

#CWMS CDA loader
#et and st can be either ISO date formate 2026-02-01T11:00:00 or use HEC time T, T-1D, T-5Hr, 02Feb2026, ect...)
#either timeseries group ID can be used or the -tsids parameter with a list of timeseries ids ("tsid1,tsid2,...")
shefParser export -a api_root -o office -f filename.shef -st start_time -et end_time -tsg <Timesereis Group ID> 

shefParser export -a api_root -o MVP -f filename.shef -st T-2D -et T -tsg KEYS

#CWMS CDA loader
import os
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from shef import shef_parser

cda_url: str = os.getenv("CDA_API_ROOT")
office_id: str = os.getenv("CDA_OFFICE_ID")
tsids: list[str] = [
    ...
]

export_file="/path/to/output_file"
shef_parser.export(
            api_root=cda_url,
            office=office_id,
            export_file=export_file,
            timeseries_ids=tsids,
            start_time=datetime.now(),
            end_time=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=1),
        )

#HEC-DSS loader
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from shef.exporters import DssExporter

dss_filename: str = "/path_to_dss_file"
sensors_filename: str = "/path/to/sensors_file"
parameters_filename: str = "/path/to/parameters_file"
pathnames: list[str] = [
    ...
]

exporter = DssExporter(
    dss_filename,
    sensors_filename,
    parameters_filename
)
exporter.start_time = datetime.now() - timedelta(days=1)
exporter.end_time = datetime.now()
with open("/path/to/output_file", "w") as f:
    exporter.set_output(f)
    for (pathname in pathnames):
        exporter.export(pathname)