This archive contains answers to questions sent to Unidata support through mid-2025. Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated. For the most up-to-date information on the use of NSF Unidata software and data services, please consult the Software Documentation first.
>From: Unidata Support <address@hidden> >>Organization: Unidata User Support <address@hidden> >>Keywords: 200305201647.h4KGlULd000828 McIDAS-X MCGUI Hi Jennie, I now understand the problem you are seeing in the 'mcidas' account on windfall. The set of files that you McIDAS session is currently setup to read is: MCTABLE_READ=/home/mcidas/uvaworkdata/MCTABLE.TXT;/home/mcidas/data/ADDESITE.TXT The file that is defined to be written by DATALOC command invocations is: MCTABLE_WRITE=/home/mcidas/data/ADDESITE.TXT When McIDAS goes to look for datasets as 'mcidas' on windfall, it will first look for an entry in /home/mcidas/uvaworkdata/MCTABLE.TXT to see if the dataset is listed there. If it does not find the entry in MCTABLE.TXT, it will look in ADDESITE.TXT. The problem with this setup is that any entry in MCTABLE.TXT for any of the datasets listed in the MCGUI ADDE Client Config GUI will never get changed by any DATALOC command. This may seem like a really bad thing, but the way that sites with students use McIDAS is for the user 'mcidas' to do configuration things like DATALOCs that the students then use through their MCTABLE_READ settings. The difference is that the non-mcidas user will have her MCTABLE_WRITE set to the first file in their MCTABLE_READ, not the second like 'mcidas' does. The solution to this dilemma in your case is to define MCTABLE_WRITE to be /home/mcidas/uvaworkdata/MCTABLE.TXT: MCTABLE_WRITE=/home/mcidas/uvaworkdata/MCTABLE.TXT This will have to be done before you start your McIDAS session. For your conveninece, I made the change in the .variables.ksh for you. Now (after making the change active with '. .variables.ksh') you can start up the MCGUI in a McIDAS session and use the ADDE Client Config GUI to change the DATALOCs being used. I took the liberty of logging on as you and see a similar, but not entirely exactly the same situation. Your MCTABLE_* environment variables are defined as: MCTABLE_READ=/home/mcidas/uvaworkdata/MCTABLE.TXT;/home/mcidas/data/ADDESITE.TXTMCTABLE_WRITE=/home/mcidas/data/ADDESITE.TXT The problem with this setup is that you do not have write access to the file listed in your MCTABLE_WRITE. Your setup would be better to be: MCTABLE_READ=/home/jlm8h/mcidas/data/MCTABLE.TXT;/home/mcidas/uvaworkdata/MCTABLE.TXT;/home/mcidas/data/ADDESITE.TXT MCTABLE_WRITE=/home/jlm8h/mcidas/data/MCTABLE.TXT Again, these changes will have to be made active before you start your McIDAS session. After making the change, you should be able to set the locations of the datasets listed in the MCGUI ADDE Client Config GUI. Please let me know if anything above is not clear, or if you continue to have problems. Tom