20001219: GEMPAK 5.6.A available

GEMPAK users,

I have posted GEMPAK 5.6.A for download in the GEMPAK ftp
distribution area. This release incorporates additional development
as well as bug fixes since the release of GEMPAK 5.6. A complete
distruibution tarfile can be downloaded from the ~gbuddy/nawips-5.6
directory as gempak_upc5.6.a.tar.gz. I have also updated the binary
distributions for Linux, Solaris X86 and Solaris Sparc.

New features of GEMPAK 5.6.A include:

    o ZLIB compressed (NOAAPORT Broadcast) format NIDS products can be
      displayed. NIDS products which will be available on the IDD NEXRAD 
      feed using ZLIB compression, as well as those available on the
      NWS ftp server in uncompressed format with WMO headers are now
      handled.

    o New dcmosa and dcmosm decoders for new format AVN and MRF
      MOS bulletins. See decoder examples at:
      http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/gempak/tutorial/pqact/decoders.tbl

    o New mapfile hicnus.nws replaces hicnus.gsf. Update your scripts!

    o GIF2 driver renamed to GIF

    o The ability to output satellite images was added to the TIFF
      device driver. The output uses 16 grey shades for images.
      To write an image to a TIFF file, specify the parameter DEVICE to:
      tiff|prod_name||g, where g flag sets the device to use the grey
      shades. See the on-line help on DEVICE for additional details.

    o NWX tables and pattern/actions have been updated. See nwx entries at:
      http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/gempak/tutorial/pqact/nwx.tbl

    o GEMPAK can now display AWIPS NetCDF format satellite images.  


Notice: If you are still using GDPLOT in scripts, you will want to begin
        transitioning to GDPLOT2 which encompasses all the features of 
        GDPLOT. GDPLOT2 supports all of the functionality of GDPLOT and can
        therefore be substituted. The difference between GDPLOT2 and GDPLOT is
        the addition of two new variables to GDPLOT2 that combine scalar and
        vector operations to make GDPLOT2 much more robust than GDPLOT. First,
        GDPLOT2 replaces the GFUNC and GVECT variables with GDPFUN to specify
        scalar and vector grid functions. Second, GDPLOT2 uses the variable
        TYPE instead of CTYPE to specify the desired contour and vector
        type. GDPLOT2 also has several capabilities that are not included in
        GDPLOT. These include the ability to plot streamlines, plot the grid
        value at the grid point, and plot scalars as directional arrows. See
        the GEMPAK help on these programs and variables for additional
        information and examples. In future releases, GDPLOT will become
        obsolete.

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General bug fixes/changes since GEMPAK 5.6:

     o  Fixed "other" file read permissions on files.

     o  Fixed H/L plotting in GPFRONT.

     o  Updated programs_gf and programs_nc makefile targets for building
        NC and GF linked programs.

     o  SFCHCK updated to handle surface files with 72 (20 minute) METAR obs.

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Installation notes:

GEMPAK 5.6.A requires a complete rebuild of all current GEMPAK libraries
in order to incorporate ZLIB compressed NIDS product display into all
programs.

Download and unpack the GEMPAK 5.6.A tarfile into the top level NAWIPS
directory. If you unpack into an existing GEMPAK 5.6 directory, you
** MUST ** run "make distclean" to completely remove all files in $GEMLIB
before building. If you download into a clean directory, you can skip this step.

Follow the Installation instructions as provided at:
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/gempak/GEMPAK5.6/Install_GEMPAK5.6.html



As always, please refer any questions to the address@hidden.
The online searchable archive of GEMPAK support answers is also available.


Steve Chiswell
Unidata User Support