>From: Unidata User Support <support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Organization: Unidata Program Center/UCAR
>Keywords: Unidata-Wisconsin FNEXRAD NIMAGE
Unidata-Wisconsin, FNEXRAD, and NIMAGE Imagery Users:
ldm-mcidas Version 2003 is now available for download.
What is ldm-mcidas:
ldm-mcidas is a package of LDM compatible decoders for imagery
products from the IDD MCIDAS/UNIWISC (Unidata-Wisconsin
datastream), FNEXRAD (composite NEXRAD Level III products created
by the UPC), and NIMAGE (NOAAPORT GOES-East/West imagery in GINI
format) datastreams. It also contains McIDAS-specific LDM decoders
for NLDN lightning and FSL wind profiler data.
Who uses ldm-mcidas:
If you ingest Unidata-Wisconsin, FNEXRAD, or NIMAGE imagery through
the IDD for use in any UPC-supported application (e.g., GEMPAK, IDV,
or McIDAS), you most likely use ldm-mcidas decoders.
The last ldm-mcidas version I was aware of was v2002b. Did I miss an upgrade:
The previous release of ldm-mcidas was numbered 2002b. The version
numbering of the ldm-mcidas packages matches the Unidata McIDAS-X
release against which it gets linked. Unidata McIDAS-X Version
2003 is also available for download.
When should I upgrade to ldm-mcidas v2003:
You should upgrade to v2003 before (and if) proposed Unidata-Wisconsin
datastream changes are made (mid September).
What problems were fixed in ldm-mcidas v2003:
1) the McIDAS routing table, ROUTE.SYS, was not getting updated
fully for image, profiler, or NLDN lightning products.
3) the satellite definition files, SATANNOT and SATBAND, used by
the PNG-compressed AREA decoder, pnga2area, have been updated
to match the latest versions contained in Unidata McIDAS-X.
The schema registry file, SCHEMA, used by the NLDN and FSL
wind profiler decoders has also been updated to match the
latest version contained in Unidata McIDAS-X.
What operating systems is ldm-mcidas v2003 available for:
Source distribution:
--------------------
A source distribution of v2003 is available in the pub/ldm-mcidas
directory of anonymous FTP on ftp.unidata.ucar.edu in the file
ldm-mcidas-2003.tar.Z. Virtually all sites should, however, be
able to use one of the binary distributions we make available. If
for some reason you can not use a binary release, we are available
to help you build the decoders from source. Be aware that you must
be licensed for and have installed Unidata McIDAS in order to build
ldm-mcidas from source.
Binary distributions:
---------------------
Binary distributions are available from operating system-specific
directories of anonymous FTP on ftp.unidata.ucar.edu:
Directory Operating system
-----------------------------+----------------------------
pub/binary/osf1_5.1-alpha Compaq OSF/1 5.1
pub/binary/hpux_11.00-hp9000 HP HP-UX 11.0
pub/binary/freebsd_4.7-i386 FreeBSD 4.7
pub/binary/irix_6.5-mips SGI Irix 6.5
pub/binary/sunos_5.8-i86pc Sun Solaris i86pc Version 8
pub/binary/sunos_5.6-sparc Sun Solaris SPARC Version 2.6
pub/binary/sunos_5.8-sparc Sun Solaris SPARC Version 8
pub/binary/sunos_5.9-sparc Sun Solaris SPARC Version 9
pub/binary/linux_2.4-i686 RedHat 7.x Linux
pub/binary/linux8_2.4-i686 RedHat 8.0/9.0 Linux
If your operating system is not included in the above list, you
should still be able to use a binary built for a previous release
of the OS you are using.
NOTE: In all cases (source and binary), the distribution compressed
tar file should be FTPed in binary mode!
How do I upgrade the ldm-mcidas decoders I am currently using:
The web pages for the ldm-mcidas package available from:
http://my.unidata.ucar.edu/content/software/mcidas/mcidd/index.html
contain instructions for obtaining, building (if necessary), installing,
and using the ldm-mcidas decoders with the Unidata LDM.
Sites currently using ldm-mcidas should be able to upgrade with a
minimum of effort:
1) FTP the new ldm-mcidas release to the HOME directory of the 'ldm'
account (~ldm) in binary mode and unpack the new distribution.
2) CD to the ~ldm/ldm-mcidas-2003/bin directory and copy the decoders
you will be using to the directory you will run them from. This
is typically the ~ldm/decoders or ~ldm/util directory.
3) cd to the ~ldm/ldm-mcidas-2003/etc directory and copy the files
SATANNOT and SATBAND to the ~ldm/etc directory.
4) The next step depends on how you currently have ldm-mcidas decoders
configured on your system:
McIDAS users, or users that have pqact.conf entries that specify
use of the McIDAS routing table (as indicated by the '-r \1,\2'
flag specifed in a pnga2area action):
If you have McIDAS installed:
-----------------------------
o FTP the upgrade BATCH file WF_RTE.BAT from the
pub/mcidas/data directory of anonymous FTP on our
FTP server, ftp.unidata.ucar.edu, to the ~mcidas/workdata
directory.
o verify that your McIDAS installation is setup to point
at the copy of ROUTE.SYS that is being updated by your
ldm-mcidas decoders:
dmap.k ROUTE.SYS
If you are not pointing at the copy of ROUTE.SYS that is
being updated by your ldm-mcidas decoders, setup a file
REDIRECTion to point at it:
redirect.k ADD ROUTE.SYS \"directory_being_updated_by_ldm-mcidas
o update the copy of ROUTE.SYS that is being updated by your
ldm-mcidas decoders:
batch.k WF_RTE.BAT
If you do NOT have McIDAS installed:
------------------------------------
o update the copy of ROUTE.SYS that is being updated by your
ldm-mcidas decoders by copying
~ldm/ldm-mcidas-2003/etc/ROUTE.SYS to the directory in
which you are decoding the Unidata-Wisconsin imagery
(the '-d' flag specified in your pqact.conf pnga2area
action specifies the location of this directory).
GEMPAK users and users that are not using the McIDAS routing table:
o extract the actions from the example pqact.conf file,
~ldm/ldm-mcidas-2003/etc/ldm-mcidas-pqact.conf, for
the Northern and Southern Hemisphere Wildfire ABBA products;
modify them as needed; and add them to your
~ldm/etc/pqact.conf file.
5) after making any change to the LDM pqact.conf file (~ldm/etc/pqact.conf)
verify that there are no typos using 'ldmadmin pqactcheck'.
After correcting any typos, send a HUP signal to pqact telling
it to reread the pqact.conf file: 'ldmadmin pqactHUP'.
How do get help upgrading to ldm-mcidas v2003:
If you need assistance with the upgrade of your ldm-mcidas decoders,
please do not hesitate to ask. Send all concerns/questions/comments to
Unidata User Support at the email address listed below.
Tom Yoksas
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