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 Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated.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.
Hi Mark, I have been looking at the GRID decoding on FreeBSD 4.10, and think that the problem we are both seeing is being caused by the CWDI grid that is being decoded into the RTGRIDS/MISC dataset. The CWDI (Convective weather detection index) grid is very large: GRDLIST RTGRIDS/MISC.4 PAR=CWDI FORM=ALL Dataset position 4 Directory Title= Misc. Grids for 21 OCT 2006 PAR LEVEL DAY TIME SRC FHR FDAY FTIME GRID PRO ---- ---------- ------------ -------- ---- ---- ------------ -------- ----- ---- CWDI SFC 21 OCT 06294 20:55:00 AWC 0 21 OCT 06294 20:55:00 1 MERC Total pts=1679940 Num rows= 918 Num columns=1830 received: 2006294 205953Z Convective weather detection index, Level average with 0 GRIB ID numbers: Geographic = 255; PAR =202; Model ID =190; Level type =200 Units of gridded variable are x Scale of variable is: 2 Mercator Projection Min Lat= 20.02 Max Lat= 53.00 Min Lon= 60.00 Max Lon= 129.98 Latitude Increment= 0.0359 Longitude Increment= 0.0382 Number of grids listed = 1 GRDLIST - done Given the size (918x1830; 1679940 points; 6719760 bytes) and the broadcast frequency (every 5 minutes!), the output data file rapidly reaches a maximum size of 2 GB: DMAP GRID5004 PERM SIZE LAST CHANGED FILENAME DIRECTORY ---- --------- ------------ -------- --------- -rw- 2151490512 Oct 21 15:16 GRID5004 /export/data/ldm/mcidas 2151490512 bytes in 1 files At or slightly before this point, the pointer needed to locate the grid in the GRID file exceeds the maximum size allowed. I am currently testing a modification to NOGRIB.CFG (which is found in ~mcidas/workdata) to turn off decoding of this grid. Here is the NOGRIB.CFG addition that I am testing: # The line below prevents all grids with generating process ID=190 # and geographic ID=255 and parameter 202 (CWDI grid) from being decoded 190 |-1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | 255 | 255 | -1 | -1 | 202 | 202 After making the addition to the end of ~mcidas/workdata/NOGRIB.CFG, I stopped and restarted the grib data monitor (DMGRID) as follows: <as 'mcidas'> cd ~mcidas/workdata -- add three lines above to the end of NOGRIB.CFG on the system running XCD decinfo.k SET DMGRID INACTIVE -- run 'ps -aux | grep DM' until you see DMGRID disappear from the listing !!!!! decinfo.k SET DMGRID ACTIVE I will know if the the problem we are both seeing on FreeBSD 4.10 goes away with this modification. Before you make the change above, can you check the size of the GRID files being created on your system using: <still as 'mcidas'> cd ~mcidas/workdata dmap.k GRID I will report back by Monday with my results... Cheers, Tom **************************************************************************** Unidata User Support UCAR Unidata Program (303) 497-8642 P.O. Box 3000 address@hidden Boulder, CO 80307 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unidata HomePage http://www.unidata.ucar.edu **************************************************************************** Ticket Details =================== Ticket ID: EIJ-330346 Department: Support McIDAS Priority: Normal Status: Closed