9/21/2001
1. Dataset Inventory Catalogs
The Dataset Inventory Catalog XML format is now at version 0.4. This is the main public interface to THREDDS data servers, which specifies what datasets are available, and how to access them.
An experimental web page has been built where a URL of a Dataset Inventory Catalog can be submitted. It is checked if correctly formed and validated against the DTD. Optionally it can be transformed to HTML using a standard XSLT file, or the user can specify an XSLT file to use.
A Java GUI "Remote Dataset Chooser" Component is available (beta). This presents to the user a standard interface to select a dataset from an Inventory Catalog. All the details of network connections and XML parsing are handled for the application.
2. Experimental THREDDS server on motherlode
The motherlode.ucar.edu server is an experimental THREDDS server jointly run by Unidata and NCAR/SCD. This server receives real-time data from the LDM and makes it available via ftp, DODS and other forms. A Dataset Inventory Catalog is automatically updated each hour. Currently this catalogs NCEP model output available through the motherlode DODS server.
3. DODS Aggregation Server
We are developing an extension to the DODS Server, called the DODS Aggregation/Catalog Server. This allows physical files to be aggregated into logical views through a DODS server. The server can present all available datasets in a Dataset Inventory Catalog. This is now in beta, with testing being done at CDC and other THREDDS sites.
The Aggregation Server Configuration XML format has been developed for configuing the DODS Aggregation/Catalog Server. This builds on the Dataset Inventory Catalog XML format.
4. THREDDS display clients
Unidata's MetApps are visualization applications that are clients for THREDDS data. We are using these to prototype and test our designs. One of the meteorology MetApps applications is the Gridded Data Viewer (GDV) that displays gridded data, e.g. numerical model output. GDV is successfully working with several prototype THREDDS servers. Other MetApps, such as a Radar Viewer and an Image (e.g. Satellite data) Viewer are currently under development and will also be THREDDS-enabled.
TO DO
* Ensure that the Dataset Inventory Catalog will work with ADDE servers. Embed into MetApps.
* Investigate how to tie in to Dan Holloway's work with DODS and GCMD (machine-readable inventory).
* Investigate how to tie in to DODS thrid-party metadata efforts.
* Investigate how to tie in to LAS/Ferret.
* Investigate how to tie in to OpenGIS Catalogs (Ted Haberman's question).
* Investigate how to tie in to DIMES, particularly their proposal to provide search capabilities to GRADS/DODS.
* Investigate how to tie in to ESML.