Unidata supplies a Tcl/Tk GUI to provide an easy-to-use, point-and-click interface for McIDAS-X. We chose to use Tcl/Tk to develop an interface to McIDAS since it allows one to quickly create custom graphical applications without the need to delve in arcane subjects like object linking and embedding, and Motif and X toolkit intrinsics. In addition, the package is freely available from the Tcl Developer Xchange, and there are numerous, inexpensive reference books available at non-technical bookstores.

The Tcl/Tk GUI provided by Unidata is designed to be an evolving entity. Currently, it primarily uses non-ADDE McIDAS routines to produce output. As the MCGUI evolves, the use of non-ADDE routines will be replaced by their ADDE counterparts. Unidata wishes to encourage sites to extend the GUI where needed and contribute their efforts back to the community at-large.

Using the Unidata MCGUI, one can:

• Display realtime satellite and conventional data
• Overlay conventional data plots and contours on satellite imagery
• Plot fronts and weather warning boxes on data plots or satellite imagery
• List textual weather bulletins
• List decoded and raw surface and upper air observations
• Create cross sectional analyses from upper air or gridded data
• Erase graphics and images in a frame or restore default graphic tables and image enhancements

Table of Contents

• MCGUI Basics
  • Unidata MCGUI Widgets
  • Unidata MCGUI Concepts
  • Starting and Exiting the MCGUI
• MCGUI Exercises