19990906: defining RTIMAGES dataset in McIDAS-X 7.60

>From: Jim Heimbach <address@hidden>
>Organization: UNCA
>Keywords: 199909061544.JAA22745 McIDAS-X 7.60 Fkey

Jim,

>     I have McIDASX 7.6 pretty much installed on vortex and I can get it
>running manually from the command bar.  When I use the menu I get,
>
>IMGDISP: Image data server unable to resolve this dataset: RTIMAGES/GE>
>
>Upon checking out UNIDATA.MNU, it appears that it is set up to apply 
>ADDE data sets instead of what I am ingesting from the IDD.

ADDE datasets are simply collections of data files of one or more types
that can be accessed without the end user having to know about things
like AREA file numbers, etc.  The files are not different from what
you are getting from the IDD with the exception that the textual
surface, upper air, etc. and model output data have to be turned into
McIDAS compatible files by XCD decoders.  After the data has been
decoded into the familiar MDXX, GRID, etc. files, you can access
it using ADDE commands after you setup your datasets.  See below.

>I am still
>somewhat clueless about ADDE, but what I see so far is that it is
>pretty slick.  But for now, I just want to get things up on the 
>remainder of my workstations so the students can play.  

Depending on how you want to make the datasets available, you may only
be lacking one setup step.

As the user 'mcidas', do the following:

o logon
o start a McIDAS command line session (the normal session, that is)
o make sure that the McIDAS string XCDDATA is defined as the directory
  in which XCD decoders create their output MDXX, GRID, and TEXT and
  ldm-mcidas decoders create AREA files.  From previous emails with you
  I believe that this directory is /data/mcidas/data on your system.
  If you changed things around, it may now be different.
o make sure that you have REDIRECTions for the various data files
  in your 'mcidas' account.  I think that you have done this already,
  but testing wouldn't hurt:

  o try

    DMAP AREA

    and see if you get a listing of the location of the various image
    files being produced on your system

  o try

    DMAP MDXX

    for the same reason as DMAP AREA

  o ditto for DMAP GRID

  If you have REDIRECTions setup, then you are ready to define ADDE
  datasets
o define the datasets:

  BATCH LSSERVE.BAT

  LSSERVE.BAT would be the copy of DSSERVE.BAT that you would have
  created during the configuration phase for McIDAS-X if you followed
  my online instructions.  If you did not create LSSERVE.BAT, then
  try using the defaults set in DSSERVE.BAT:

  BATCH DSSERVE.BAT

The DSSERVE commands in LSSERVE.BAT (and DSSERVE.BAT) define ADDE
datasets.  They do this by identifying groups of files that compose
each dataset.  For instance, the RTIMAGES/GE-VIS dataset is composed
of AREA files for GOES-East imagery.  The DSSERVE command in LSSERVE.BAT/
DSSERVE.BAT looks like:

DSSERVE ADD RTIMAGES/GE-VIS       AREA  140  149 "GOES-East North America VIS

This says that AREA files 140-149 inclusive compose this data set.

After setting up the dataset, you can use the ADDE command IMGLIST to
look at the data.  For instance:

IMGLIST RTIMAGES/GE-VIS LATLON=32 82 MAG=-2 EU=IMAGE SF=YES REFRESH='EG;MAP H'

>     Is there is quick UNIDATA.MNU template which can be applied until
>I figure ADDE out?

As soon as you define the datasets, the menu will start working fine.

The next step, however, is how you are going to make the data files
available to student accounts (actually any user other than 'mcidas').
If you setup the ADDE remote server (presented in explicit detail
in the online instructions), then the student accounts will NOT
have to setup file REDIRECTions to access data files.  All that their
accounts have to do is point at the remote server.

There is an ADDE dataset location BATCH file that makes setting up
the "pointing" very easy.  This file, DATALOC.BAT, is designed to:

o be copied to LOCDATA.BAT
o LOCDATA.BAT must be edited and the string:

  fully_qualified_host_identifier

  must be replaced with the fully qualified host name or IP number of
  your ADDE remote server machine.  Again, from previous emails
  I believe that this machine is vortex.atms.unca.edu.  Your entries in
  LOCDATA.BAT would then look like:

  DATALOC ADD RTGRIDS   vortex.atms.unca.edu
  DATALOC ADD RTIMAGES  vortex.atms.unca.edu
  ...

o you make the ADDE dataset location information active for each user
  account by having each user run:

  BATCH LOCDATA.BAT

At this point, each user's Fkey menu will work for the ADDE datasets.
Again, this assumes that you have setup the ADDE remote server.  This
must be done by 'root', so you would remember doing it if you did.

>Would the one I have for McIDASX 7.5 installations 
>on my LINUX boxes work with some tweaking?

Perhaps, but I think that taking the 10 to 15 minutes to setup the
ADDE datasets would make a lot more sense.

Please let me know if you run into any snags.

Tom