20000815: using gempak in script file

>From: address@hidden
>Organization: UCAR/Unidata
>Keywords: 200008151922.e7FJM7N29260

>We have several dozen files with pilot reports.  Each file is filled to
>capacity and we cannot reduce the number of files.  We want to plot
>data from various times in these files all on the same frame.  We 
>could have a script files which goes through each of the files but
>what do we use for the DATTIM variable?  If DATTIM=all then GEMPAK
>will create a new frame for each time even with CLEAR=no.  It seems
>like the only way to get the data plotted all in the same frame is
>to call SFMAP with each date separately.  The files each contain several 
>dates and times of data and these times are not always consecutive.  We 
>can't simply loop through the possible times because there may be
>several of the same times in each file under different days.  Is there
>a way out of this problem without listing all the dates and times (would
>be cumbersome considering the large number of dates and times)?
>
>Donna Tucker                      http://chinook.phsx.ukans.edu/tucker.html
>address@hidden      Department of Physics and Astronomy  
>(785) 864-4738 (new area code!)    University of Kansas                 
>(785) 864-5262 (fax)               Lawrence, KS  66045-2151                   
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Donna,

One solution I have found is to use the PS driver which
does not create separate frames for DATTIM=all. Then, you
can view or print the result as a single frame.

I also provided a program in ~gbuddy/nawips-5.4/contrib/sfctime.tar.Z
which will output the times found within a surface file:

http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/glimpse/gempak/3733

I believe that this may be a solution where your script could
determine the times in a given file, and then for each one 
which matches your plotting criteria, plot with clear=no.
I know this will be slow to execute- but the script should be
fairly short in the loop and generally applicable.

Let me know if you don't think that this will work for you.


Steve Chiswell