20000713: ldm-micdas PNG converter

>From: address@hidden
>Organization: Oregon State University
>Keywords: 200007131800.e6DI0rT09575 WXP McIDAS AREA

Wayne,

>Will the AREA files that pnga2area create still be readable by the commmand
>xsat from WXP?

They should be, but I won't guarantee it since I have no control over
the WXP code that reads AREA files.

>I haven't seen anything in the documentation to indicate otherwise, but would 
>like to be sure.

Since the output of a png2area invocation is a standard McIDAS AREA
file, any application that correctly deals with AREA files should be
able to read.  The question, of course, is whether or not WXP was
written to fully support the McIDAS AREA file format.  I have found
over the years that folks that have written their own code to do things
with AREA files somehow seem to only implement part of the work needed
to correctly support AREAs.  The good news is that the AREA file format
is well and completely documented.  A good online reference is the
McIDAS Application Programmer's Manual:

McIDAS Programmer's Manual
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/mug/prog_man/prog_man.html

Chapter 7 - Format of the Data Files
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/mug/prog_man/Current/progman-116.HTML#11044

If you are not yet getting and decoding the CIMSS images, I can provide
one or more to you so you can see if your current WXP code can display
it/them.

>Thanks,

You are welcome.

>Wayne Gibson
>Oregon State University

Tom Yoksas