20011017: McIDAS install at UCSD/Scripps

>From: Larry Riddle <address@hidden>
>Organization: UCSD/Scripps
>Keywords: 200110172205.f9HM5N103452 McIDAS-X download and install

Larry,

Sorry I couldn't get to this before now, but I was on travel all of last
week.

>I want to install a single user (non-root access) version of McIDAS on my 
>DEC Alpha.  The "uname -a" report output is "OSF1 climate.ucsd.edu V5.0 
>1094 Alpha".  Which source code and scripts should I use?

If you are registered as a Unidata user, you can get to the McIDAS
distribution through the Unidata McIDAS-X HomePage:

http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/780

Click on the 'Download Software' link and login using the registration
user name/password that you already setup.  You will eventually get to
a depiction of the FTP directory structure for McIDAS.  You should go
to the unix/780 directory and download the following files to the
HOME directory of your McIDAS user 'mcidas':

mcinstall
mcidasx780.tar.Z

After the transfer, you will have to make mcinsatll executable:

chmod +x mcinstall

and also define some environment variables needed for the McIDAS build.
Please refer to the installation information for McIDAS for details:

Unidata McIDAS-X 7.80 HomePage
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/780/index.html
  Installation and Configuration
  http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/mcidas/780/mcx/mcidas-x.html

The quick and dirty check list is:

o define needed environment variables in your shell specific configuration
  file (.cshrc for C shell users; .profile for Bourne shell users; .kshrc
  for Korn shell users; etc.)

o make those changes active in your session (e.g., source .cshr; . .profile;
  etc. or simply logoff and then log back on)

o unpack the McIDAS distribution:

  ./mcinstall

o build the McIDAS-X portion of the distribution:

  cd mcidas7.8/src
  make mcx

o if the build proceeds to completion with no errors, install McIDAS:

  make install.mcx

At this point, McIDAS will be installed.  You should then be able
to startup a McIDAS MCGUI session; configure some servers to go to for
various kinds of data; and then start diplaying "stuff":

<set DISPLAY to your machine and then start McIDAS up>

cd workdata
mcidas config

I recommend chaning the default image size from 480x640 to 600x800 if
you are running your X display in a resolution greater than 600x800.
Also, you will need to click on the radiobutton that will cause MCGUI
to run AND make sure that the settings you are making are saved (a
radiobutton near the bottom of the McIDAS GUI startup widget that you
will be interacting with).

Once McIDAS is up and running the MCGUI, you will need to configure it
to point at existing ADDE servers before you can start displaying
data.  The widget for doing this, the Client Routing Table
Configuration widget, is accessed either through the funky dual PC
button on the MCGUI (just to the right of the red Z button), or through
the Configure dropdown menu at the top of the MCGUI.

I recommend you first setup your session to access the following
servers:

Dataset Group     Recommended 1st Time Server
-----------------+---------------------------
   GRID Tab
RTGRIDS           PAPAGAYO.UNL.EDU
   IMAGE Tab
CIMSS             PAPAGAYO.UNL.EDU
AMRC              UWAMRC.SSEC.WISC.EDU
GINICOMP          SNOW.PLYMOUTH.EDU
GINIEAST          CACIMBO.GGY.UGA.EDU
GINIWEST          PAPAGAYO.UNL.EDU
ME7               IO.SCA.UQAM.EDU
RTIMAGES          PAPAGAYO.UNL.EDU
RTNEXRAD          ADDE.UCAR.EDU
RTNOWRAD          LOCAL-DATA
TOPO              LOCAL-DATA
   POINT Tab
RTPTSRC           PAPAGAYO.UNL.EDU
   TEXT Tab
RTWXTEXT          PAPAGAYO.UNL.EDU

The various servers are accessible through the drop down menus from the
Client Routing Table Configuration GUI referred to above.

Please let me know if you run into any snags, or if I can help get
you going.

Tom