[McIDAS #GMM-549214]: Displaying NIMAGE data in IDV/McIDAS

Hi Kevin,

re:
> A very basic (I hope) question from a very green IDV & McIDAS user:
> 
> How can I get incoming satellite data (GOES imagery, POES, sounder)
> files from the IDD NIMAGE feed to display with the above two
> visualiztion programs?  I.e. how to I convert them from what I belive is
> zlib-compressed GINI to McIDAS AREA files?  Or is there something else I
> need to do?

There is more than one way to accomplish what you want, but I suggest that
the most robust way is to:

- build and install Unidata McIDAS on your workstation

- run the 'mcxconfig' script provided with Unidata McIDAs v2007 and answer
  questions about what you intend to ingest and process with the LDM

- use the pattern-action files created by 'mcxconfig', pqact.conf_mcidas[AB]
  in your LDM setup

- use the crontab entries created by 'mcxconfig', crontab.ldm_mcidas to
  scour the data processed in the pqact.conf_mcidas[AB] pattern-action
  files.  The scouring will be run by 'ldm'

- use the McIDAS ADDE server mapping table definitions created by 'mcxconfig',
  ~mcidas/data/LSSERVE.BAT, to define ADDE datasets.  This is done as 'mcidas':

  <as 'mcidas'>
  -- after running 'mcxconfig' and possibly modifying LSSERVE.BAT to match
     how you have setup the LDM
  cd $MCDATA
  batch.k LSSERVE.BAT        <- this might have already been done for you by 
'mcxconfig'
                                if you so indicated that you wanted it to be 
done
                                when running 'mcxconfig'

- have 'root' create a user named 'mcadde' that:

  - has the same HOME directory as 'mcidas'
  - is in the same group as 'mcidas' (and 'ldm')
  - is NOT a login account

- make sure that ~mcidas/.mcenv and ~mcidas/workdata, ~mcidas/data, and
  ~mcidas/help are readable/writable by user+group (so that 'mcadde' can
  read the files it needs and create output if/when necessary

- setup the remote ADDE interface to McIDAS:

  <as 'root'>
  cd ~mcidas
  sh ./mcinet2007.sh install mcadde

- make sure that port 112 is open through the firewall on your machine
  so other machines in your lab can access the ADDE remote server

That is basically the procedure.  You may run into some snags if file/directory
permissions are incorrect (i.e., do not allow user+group read/write), but
these can be taken care of when found.

The rationale for setting up the ADDE remote server is that it makes the data
processed by McIDAS-X/-XCD and LDM actions available to all users allowed
access to the remote server.

Please let me know if/when you have questions.  Also, please be aware that I
am more than happy to look over/tweak your McIDAS installation.  To do that
I would need login information for your 'mcidas' and 'ldm' users; the
fully qualified name of the machine on which you are installing McIDAS; SSH
access through your firewall, etc.  If you decide that you would like me to
take a look, please include the fully qualified name of your machine in a
reply to this email.  And, send the passwords for the 'mcidas' and 'ldm'
accounts WITHOUT reference to the machine that they are valid for to my
personal email address, address@hidden.

> Thanks. . .

No worries.  The process for setting up McIDAS and the ADDE remote server
are straightforward and easy _if_ you follow the installation instructions
listed in the Unidata McIDAS-X Users Guide on our website:

http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/mcidas

Deviations from the instructions are possible if you understand how McIDAS 
works.
My recommendation is, however, to follow our cookbook as this will make
use-of and upgrades-to the package much simplier in the future.

Cheers,

Tom
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Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: GMM-549214
Department: Support McIDAS
Priority: Normal
Status: Closed