20020228: Using UW Archive Data With McIDAS (cont.)

>From: "Patrick O'Reilly" <address@hidden>
>Organization: University of Northern Iowa
>Keywords: 200202272300.g1RN0Ux01190 Unidata-Wisconsin archive

Patrick,

>Did the rename thing, to MDXX 2* as you suggested, then put the files in
>$MCDATA.  When I issue the command
>
>DMAP MDXX2
>
>I see the files.

OK.

>But using the GUI, can't access the data.  I set POINT to
>LOCAL DATA, was this correct?

No, not unless you created an ADDE dataset whose group name is POINT.  
Typically, POINT is simply used to refer to the type of data: POINT, GRID,
IMAGE, TEXT.

If you havn't already done so, you need to create an ADDE dataset that
encompasses these data files.  You can then use the McIDAS commands to
analyze the data.

>Do I need to set up a ADDE dataset for them?

Yes.

>I tried issuing commands from the command line and all to no avail.  When I
>use the GUI, it seems to be looking for real-time data.  I am sure someday I
>will be able to use this data!

The MCGUI is, in this case unfortunately, setup for real time data
only.  The SSEC GUI interface can, however, access the historical
data.  Until I can get some time to work on the MCGUI (desperately
needed), you will have to run the various McIDAS commands "by hand".

Now, if your account is setup according to the guidelines for user
accounts in the Unidata McIDAS web pages, you will already have a
generic dataset called MYDATA that can access all POINT, GRID, and
IMAGE (in AREA files named with AREA file naming convention) data.
Assuming that you named your MDXX file MDXX2001, then you should be
able to do the following from the McIDAS command line:

PTLIST MYDATA/PTSRCS.2001 FORM=FILE

If this works, it means that you can then use the data files for
plotting, etc.   For instance, if the MDXX2001 data file is surface
data for 20011222 (I don't know the date of your data; this is for
illustration only), then you should be able to plot the 17 Z (for
instance) temperature field over the US as follows:

SFCPLOT T USA 17 2001/12/22 PRO=CONF DAT=MYDATA/PTSRCS.2001

The invocations for plotting things like soundings with UAPLOT, etc.
will be similar.  For more information on how to run the commands by
hand, check out the online help for routines you will probably want to
use:

HELP SFCPLOT
HELP SFCCON
HELP RAOBLOT
HELP RAOBCON
HELP UAPLOT
HELP UACROSS

Please let me know if I can help out.

Tom