20001221: McIDAS setup at UNCA (cont.)

>From: Leigh Orf <address@hidden>
>Organization: UNCA
>Keywords: 200012121654.eBCGsDo24855 McIDAS-X install

Leigh,

>I figured out that SYSKEY.TAB has to have 664 permissions... they were
>644 which was giving ldm write permission errors.

Right, this is explained in the online ldm-mcidas documentation:

LDM-McIDAS
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/mcidd/ldm-mcidas_info.html
  Using the LDM-McIDAS software 
  http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/mcidd/ldm-mcidas-use.html

>Things are mostly working right. I have a couple more questions.
>
>Firstly, take a look at the attached screen dump. Is there something I
>have to do to get satellite images to fill in the screen better?

The load defaults in IMAGE.DAT were setup for 480x640 screens.  When
one changes his/her default screen size, s/eh has two options:

o make a copy of ~mcidas/data/IMAGE.DAT and put it in his/her McIDAS
  working directory (~user/mcidas/data); edit the copy and change the
  load center to match the chosen screen size

o display images using custom loads

>The
>image is what you get using the MCGUI satellite menu option. The map
>overlays fill the screen but not the satellite imagery. However, if
>I just do a "DF 200 1" the image does fill the screen, but with a
>different navigation. Interesting.

In McIDAS, you can load an image in a variety of ways.  The default
load you see when using the 'DF 100 1' invocation puts the upper left
hand corner of the image in the upper left hand corner of the display
frame.  You can vary your load commands (you should start using IMGDISP
as DF will go away in the next release) and get the exact display you
want.  The Fkey menu has been mostly ADDEized, so it runs IMGDISP
instead of DF/ALOOP.  To get used to the ADDE way of doing things,
I recommend playing with the Fkey menu (which can be run from the MCGUI)
some.

>Secondly, I'm not currently getting any of the cool-looking TOPO
>composite satellite imagery. I note that the mcdemo site has recent
>images. The AREA files are not on my machine. Are they processed
>special?

The composited images must get created on your own machine.  They are
not part of any broadcast.

>I didn't see any error messages in the logs. I'm including my
>redirect and route listings again.  I'm also not currently getting the
>GOES E/W composite satellite images.

The procedure for setting up the creation of the imagery is described in
the ldm-mcidas online documentation:

Using the LDM-McIDAS software 
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/mcidd/ldm-mcidas-use.html
  README.PP            <- a link to a document that describes setting up
                          ROUTE PostProcess BATCH files

>Also, is there something I have to do to get NCEP and FOUS14 model data?
>I'm not as concerned about these but it would be nice to see.

The setup for decoding data using XCD has the GRID decoding turned off
initially.  I did this so that new sites have a chance to get their
feet wet running XCD on the non-model data first.  After this is running,
they can turn on GRID decoding:

Building, Installing, and Configuring McIDAS-XCD
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/770/mcx/mcidas-xcd.html
  Decoding GRIB Messages 
  http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/770/mcx/xcd_decgrib.html

In practice, if one follows the recommended defaults for XCD installation
and configuration, the process is as simple as:

1) making the copy of ~mcidas/data/EXAMPLE.NAM into ~mcidas/data/LOCAL.NAM
   and editing the copy to set directory locations that match your system

   Then make those REDIRECTions active in the 'mcidas' account:

   cd ~mcidas/workdata
   redirect.k REST LOCAL.NAM

2) as 'ldm' add the xcd_run entries in ~ldm/etc/ldmd.conf and
   ~ldm/etc/pqact.conf

   After making the changes, the LDM must be stopped and restarted if
   the change was needed to ldmd.conf, or a HUP signal must be sent to
   pqact if the change was only to pqact.conf

3) as 'mcidas', turn on GRID decoding:

   cd ~mcidas/workdata
   decinfo.k SET DMGRID ACTIVE

>I changed the ldm scour routine to *NOT* delete files from
>/data/mcidas/data. It had been removing all files that were over day
>old.

Excellent.

>I looked at the mcscour shell script (which had been running daily)
>and don't see anything in there that removes the big .XCD files. Can
>that be easily incorporated in there?

It is in there.  The line:

delwxt.k 1 10

takes care of scouring the *.IDX and *.XCD files.  The command invocation
as shown above says to DELete WeatherText files leaving one day's worth
on disk while searching for files that are as old as 10 days.

>Thanks again for all your help. I won't be bugging you for a few days.
>Have a great holiday.

I got your earlier message regarding logging onto your system.  I am
prepared to go in today and review your installation and, if needed,
change things.  I am assuming that I have carte blanch, but I want a
definite yes or now about this before I start.

Tom