Just as a stream function gives both a qualitative and quantitative description of the flow, a 'string function' can be constructed to describe the propagation in a rotating fluid of large-scale energy anomalies such as eddies and Rossby waves. To simply introduce the string function in this paper, we consider only a homogenous 1-layer fluid. In this case, the string function is inversely proportional to large-scale potential vorticity and the contours of both are aligned. The string function contains more information, however, because the propagation speeds are described by the contour spacing. We introduce the string function and use it to derive and reinterpret governing equations for linear and nonlinear shallow-water dynamics. The string function allows for simple evolution equations incorporating both beta and topographic effects.