In this edition of AWIPS Tips, we are answering questions about CAVE’s local cache called caveData. It is helpful for both users and administrators of AWIPS to be familiar with caveData for troubleshooting and maintenance. Let's start by first addressing what caveData is.
"What is caveData and how does it work with CAVE?"
caveData is a local directory on your computer’s file system that gets created when CAVE initially starts. It contains files synced from an EDEX server as well as a client-side cache for data and map resources. As you continue to use features in CAVE, more information gets added to caveData. These configurations are stored locally to speed up the startup time for CAVE.
AWIPS and caveData can sometimes get out of sync. In those cases, caveData needs to be recreated.
"When should I recreate caveData?"
Similar to clearing the cache in your web browser, recreating caveData can also help resolve unexpected behavior. We often recommend it as a first troubleshooting step.
In addition to troubleshooting, starting with the 18.2.1 Unidata AWIPS release, the Satellite, Models, and MRMS menus will be hosted on EDEX (instead of within CAVE). This means the associated files will be synced to caveData. Once you install version 18.2.1, you'll be able to see future updates to these menus by recreating caveData rather than installing a new version of CAVE.
It’s also good practice to recreate caveData when installing a new version of CAVE or when you switch between multiple EDEX servers. This ensures that caveData is in sync with all AWIPS components.
“Where is caveData?”
The location of caveData depends on your operating system.
Linux: /home/<user>/caveData/
macOS: /Users/<user>/Library/caveData/
Windows: C:\Users\<user>\caveData\
"How do I recreate caveData?"
First, close CAVE, then simply remove the caveData folder from your file system. Next time you start up CAVE, caveData will regenerate. The Unidata AWIPS documentation includes detailed instructions for recreating caveData.
The next time you launch CAVE, caveData will automatically be recreated. Note that recreating caveData takes some time, and you may notice that CAVE may take additional time to load completely.
“How else can I get technical support for CAVE?”
To receive support for CAVE and all other components of AWIPS, send an email to support-awips@unidata.ucar.edu.
That's all for this week's post! Check back in two weeks for the next blog post where we will show how to plot new geocolor GOES imagery from Unidata's public EDEX.
To view archived blogs, visit the AWIPS Tips blog tag, and get notified of the latest updates from the AWIPS team by signing up for the AWIPS mailing list. Questions or suggestions for the team on future topics? Let us know at support-awips@unidata.ucar.edu
