20010827: McIDAS 7.8 Upgrade

>From: "Patrick O'Reilly" <address@hidden>
>Organization: UNI
>Keywords: 200108271516.f7RFGA116922 McIDAS-X 7.8 upgrade

Patrick,

>I am gearing up for an upgrade to version 7.8 and was looking for
>specific instructions for a simple upgrade.  It isn't necessary to go
>through the whole install process if version 7.7 is running on the
>machine, is it?

It depends on if you are running McIDAS-X alone or if you are running
both McIDAS-X and McIDAS-XCD (the decoder component of the distribution).

>Doesn't seem likely.  Does version 7.7 need to be
>uninstalled or will the new version overwrite?

The new executables will overwrite the old during the install phase.

>If you could point me to
>specific upgrade installation instructions, that would be quite helpful!

I'll give you the 10 step instructions right here.  I have been meaning
to create simplified install and update instructions for the McIDAS web
pages, but I havn't quite gotten there yet.

>If I simply follow the online build and install instructions again,
>please let me know that as well.

That would work as well.

Here are the simple upgrade instructions:

1)  login as 'mcidas'

2)  verify that you have the McINST_ROOT environment variable set to
    the top level directory under which you want to install McIDAS

3)  FTP the essential distribution files IN BINARY MODE:

    machine: ftp.unidata.ucar.edu
    user: umcidas
    pass: XXXXXX
    directory: unix/780
    files: mcinstall, mcinet7.8.sh mcidasx780.tar.Z

4)  make mcinstall executable:

    chmod +x mcinstall

5)  unpack the distribution:

    ./mcinstall

    NOTE that this will fail if McINST_ROOT is not defined

6)  build the 7.8 executables:

    cd mcidas7.8/src
    make mcx               <- if you are building McIDAS-X only
    - or -
    make all               <- if you are building McIDAS-X and McIDAS-XCD

7)  assuming there are not errors, uninstall the previous version of McIDAS:

    cd ~mcidas/mcidas7.7/src
    make uninstall.all

8)  install the 7.8 distribution:

    cd ~mcidas/mcidas7.8/src
    make install.mcx       <- if you built McIDAS-X only
    - or -
    make install.all       <- if you built McIDAS-X and McIDAS-XCD

9)  verify that each user's account has the appropriate McIDAS environment
    variables defined for it.  This should be done if you are upgrading,
    but it never hurts to check

10) learn how to start McIDAS-X 7.8 with the GUI startup:

    mcidas config

    Select that you want MCGUI to start automatically (radiobutton near the
    bottom of the GUI startup window).

    Select that you want to save changes (radiobutton near the bottom of the
    GUI startup window).

Now, if you are also running McIDAS-XCD, you should do the following:

1)  stop the LDM            <- done as the user 'ldm' with 'ldmadmin stop'

2)  copy the 7.8 SCHEMA file to the directory being used for ldm-mcidas
    and XCD decoder output (this is done as the user 'mcidas'):

    cd ~mcidas/data
    cp SCHEMA directory_where_decoders_create_output

    make sure that the copy of SCHEMA is readable and writable by both
    'mcidas' and 'ldm' (they should be in the same group):

    chmod 664 directory_where_decoders_create_output/SCHEMA

3)  since the rapid access system has been changed to allow for more METAR
    and synoptic stations, rebuild the rapid access databases.  First,
    make sure that the McIDAS string XCDDATA is defined to point to the
    directory containing the XCD decoded stuff:

    cd ~mcidas/workdata
    te.k XCDDATA \"directory_where_decoders_create_output

    Now rebuild the rapid access files:

    batch.k XCDDEC.BAT

4)  restart the LDM         <- done as the user 'ldm' with 'ldmadmin start'

Next, each McIDAS user will need to run the ADDE server GUI selector
widget from MCGUI before s/he can start looking at data.  If 'mcidas'
does this first, then all other users should be able to use its
settings to get going ('mcidas' can set systemwide settings that can
make all other users' lives easier).  If your 7.7 installation has
already selected servers for the primary ADDE datasets supported by the
MCGUI, you should come up running.  If you try to load some images or
plot data, etc., and it doesn't work, you should open up the ADDE
server selection widget.  This is done by clicking the left mouse
button over the icon just to the right of the big red Z.  Work your way
through the four dataset types GRID, IMAGE, POINT, TEXT setting server
sites by either typing in the name of an ADDE server that you know will
give you access to the dataset in question, or select one of the
cooperating servers from the dropdown list that will appear when you
click the left mouse button over the down arrow located to the right of
the ADDE server name entry.

Next, give me any feedback you can on the new MCGUI and the streamlined
upgrade instructions above.

>Thanks for the help!

You're welcome.

Tom Yoksas