20010523: Installing McidasX

>From: <address@hidden>
>Organization: University of Hawaii
>Keywords: 200105240307.f4O376p25502 McIDAS-X 7.7x install

Arnold,

>Prof Dave Chen of our department requires the McIDAS software to analyze
>1km GOES-10 VIS images that he obtained from the local NWS office.  So I
>wish to install McIDAS just for his use with that data set; which he will
>put into a diskfile when the software is ready.  The data has filenames in
>the GARP format, e.g., VIS_010524_0130, VIS_010524_0145,
>VIS_010524_0200,,.

OK.  The build of McIDAS-X should be simple if the installation directions
detailed in:

http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/770/mcx/mcidas-x.html 

are followed.

>Would you please help me install mcidasx 7.7 into a Sun Ultra5/Solaris 8
>system for this limited purpose?

Sure, no problem.

>I have not used McIDAS and the
>department no longer has anybody with experience installing or using
>McIDAS.  

OK.

>I have attempted an install and got the programs compiled and through the
>testing/install phases,

So, you are almost done.

>but am very confused by:
>
>1) configuring mcadde--do I require it for just looking at his dataset?

If you/your user wants to be able to use the machine to serve McIDAS
data through the remote ADDE server, you need to setup the 'mcadde'
user account.  If the user simply wants to use McIDAS for his own
purposes, you do not have to do this setup.

>2) configuring the mcidas account--to find his dataset with the Garp type
>names

The first time one does this things might seem difficult, but from then no
it is very easy.

Here goes.  Presumably, you will put all of the image files into a
common directory or in a directory hierarchy (i.e., they won't be
scattered all over your disk(s).  Since you only mention VIS images,
let's work through setting up a dataset for them alone.  If you find
out later that there are more types of images, you can expand on the
example to add support for them.

1) let's assume for the sake of argument that you have put all of your
   VIS image files in a single directory, and that directory is named
   /data/images/GOES-10/VIS.  (Note that there is nothing special about
   the name of this directory; it could be anything).

2) further assume that the files in /data/images/GOES-10/VIS are all
   readable and writable by the user 'mcidas'

3) lastly, assume that all of the VIS image files are named like the
   ones you listed above:

   VIS_010524_0130, VIS_010524_0145, VIS_010524_0200,,.

Have the user do the following:

1) login as 'mcidas'
2) verify that the 'mcidas' account has environment variables setup as
   described in:

   Preparing the mcidas and mcadde Accounts
   http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/770/mcx/mcxacct.html

3) start a McIDAS-X session:

   mcidas

4) define an ADDE dataset that will give the user access to the VIS
   images:

   DSSERVE ADD GOES10/VIS AREA TYPE=IMAGE DIRFILE=/data/images/GOES10/VIS/VIS* 
"1 km Visible images from GOES-10

   (NOTE: this is one long line, not two)

5) Verify that the user can now list and display the images from the newly
   created ADDE dataset:

   DSINFO I GOES10
   IMGLIST GOES10/VIS.ALL
   IMGLIST GOES10/VIS FORM=EXP
   IMGDISP GOES10/VIS 1 MAG=-4 EU=IMAGE REFRESH='EG;MAP H'

If any of the above did not work, let me know and we can work through the
particulars.

>Presently, I am trying to install the software under a NIS system; and am
>wondering if it would be preferably to make the mcidas/mcadde user just
>local to the target workstation?  

This doesn't matter.  It is your choice.

>Here is where I am at:
>
>3) had the school sys admin generate a NIS login for mcidas and
>mcadde with the same home directory at /home/iho/mcidas.  

OK, good.

>4) built the mcidasx7.7 software using the mcinstall script and following
>the unidata/mcidasx web instructions; including the Testing-McIDAS-X and
>Installing McIDAS-X tasks.

Excellent.

>5) skipped the Installing the McIDAS-X ADDE Remote Server as the script
>file did not seem to apply since it went into the local /etc/passwd file
>to look for the mcidas/mcadde accounts; where were in the NIS database.  

OK.  This is correct.  The mcinet7.7.sh script assumes that one is not
using NIS.

>6) started the Configuring Unidata McIDAS-X Accounts but got stuck in the
>configuring the mcidas account tasks.  
>
>       I did generate local LOCAL.NAM, LSSERV.BAT and LOCDATA.BAT files
>       which are attached

OK.

>       then started a mcidas session and entered:
>               REDIRECT REST LOCAL.NAM
>               REDIRECT MAKE
>       and
>               DMAP AREA
>               LA 9000 9019
>               DF 9011 1 AU 0 0 -3 EU=TOPO SF=YES
>       and had a topo map of North America displayed

Sounds good.

>       then
>               TE XCDDATA "/data/xcd 
>               BATCH "LSSERVE.BAT
>       said-->BATCH Error reading file /home/iho/mcidas/workdata/LSSERVE.BAT
>            -->BATCH done /home/iho/mcidas/workdata/LSSERVE.BAT

This sounds as though you included a REDIRECTion for LSSERVE.BAT in
your LOCAL.NAM file, OR you have not setup the MCPATH for the user
'mcidas' correctly.  I am ruling out a REDIRECTion mistake in LOCAL.NAM
since I don't see an entry for LSSERVE.BAT in the copy you sent me.

MCPATH needs to be defined in the user's shell configuration file
(e.g., .cshrc for C shell users; .profile for Bourne shell users;
etc.).  The file entries need to be made active before proceeding.

From the information above, your MCDATA should look like:

MCDATA=/home/iho/mcidas/workdata

MCPATH should look like:

MCPATH=/home/iho/mcidas/workdata:/home/iho/mcidas/data:/home/iho/mcidas/help

(The MCDATA directory should always be the first directory in a user's
MCPATH).

>       and
>               DSINFO IMAGE TOPO
>       said-->No Datasets found of Type: IMAGE in Group: TOPO

This fails because the 'BATCH "LSSERVE.BAT' step failed.  After we find out
why this failed, you will be able to run this DSINFO invocation.

After verifying/fixing your MCPATH, use the McIDAS DMAP command from the
McIDAS-X session to verify that you can see the file:

DMAP LSSERVE.BAT

You should see that this file is found in the /home/iho/mcidas/data
directory.

>And so this is where I sit.  
>
>Is this build fixable or should I start over using a local, rather than
>NIS mcidas/mcadde user?  

There is likely nothing wrong with your build.  I am betting on an
improperly defined MCPATH.

>If you could leave me a phone number in a reply email, I will call you
>when I get in and give you password information to get into our
>system.  You will need a ssh (version 1) as our school blocks telnet and
>rlogin requests.  

My phone number is 303.497.8642.  I am working from home today, but can
pick up the login information from voicemail.

As to use of ssh: we only allow ssh access here at Unidata also.  I
will have to verify that we have a machine that still supports ssh
Version 1.

Tom Yoksas

>From address@hidden Tue May 29 14:49:57 2001

Thanks; I've been able to get the mcidas system and mcidas users
configured so that they can see their research data as well as the
real-time data we save with the Garp filenames.  

The MCPATH variable was correctly set; but my error was with the
LSSERV.BAT file.  The copy I sent you was not the one which got used when
I ran the "BATCH LSSERV.BAT" command.  After reviewing your message and
more carefully checking the LSSERV.BAT, I corrected the error and was able
to go on with the installation steps.

Thanks again
Arnold Hori /U.Hawaii Meteorology