McIDAS Learning Guide
Version 2015

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MD Files - Listing MD File Directories and Data Records

In this exercise, you will list an MD file directory and information about its schema, and examine individual records in the MD file.
  1. Start a McIDAS session.
    At the Unix prompt:
    Type:  mcidas
    Your session should still be set for six frames from the last time you changed the Configuration GUI. If not, set it for six frames, as described in Getting Started.
  2. Log on and initialize the workstation. (If you don't have your own initials and project number, use DEMO for initials and 1234 for project.)
    Type:  LOGON initials project I
  3. List the point datasets available in the BLIZZARD dataset.
    Type:  DSINFO POINT BLIZZARD
     DSINFO POINT BLIZZARD
             Dataset Names of Type: POINT in Group: BLIZZARD
     Name         NumPos   Content
     ------------ ------   --------------------------------------
     OBS              5    STORM OF THE CENTURY OBSERVATIONAL DATA 
     PTSRCS           5    STORM OF THE CENTURY POINT SOURCE OBS  
     SFCHOURLY        1    STORM OF THE CENTURY SFC OBS
     SHIPBUOY         1    STORM OF THE CENTURY SHIP/BUOY OBS
     SYNOPTIC         1    STORM OF THE CENTURY SYNOPTIC OBS
     UPPERMAND        1    STORM OF THE CENTURY UPPER MAND
     UPPERSIG         1    STORM OF THE CENTURY UPPER SIGS
     DSINFO -- done
    
  4. List the file directories for the BLIZZARD/PTSRCS dataset.
    Type:  PTLIST BLIZZARD/PTSRCS FORM=FILE ALL
    The dataset position number, schema type, number of rows and columns, and description for each MD file are listed.
     PTLIST BLIZZARD/PTSRCS FORM=FILE ALL
     Pos      Description                        Schema  NRows NCols 
     ------   --------------------------------   ------  ----- -----
          1   SURFACE HOURLY OBSERVATIONS        ISFC       72  3500  
          2   INTL. RADIOSONDE OBS (UPPER AIR    IRAB        8  1500 
          3   INTL. RADIOSONDE OBS--SIG LEVELS   IRSG       16  8000
          4   SHIP/BUOY OBSERVATIONS             ISHP       24  3000      
          5   SURFACE SYNOPTICS                  SYN         8  6000     
     PTLIST: Done     
    
  5. List all the MD files stored on your workstation.
    Type:  DMAP MDXX
  6. List the structure and keys in the ISFC schema.
    Type:  LSCHE ISFC
    The keys, units, and scale factors for the ISFC schema are displayed as shown below. If the schema type does not exist, register the schema with the SCHE DCISFC command, and then try the LSCHE command again. See the introduction in the McIDAS User's Guide for more information.
     LSCHE ISFC                                                                  
     NAME: ISFC  VERSION:  7  DATE: 1999085  TEXTID: "SURFACE HOURLY OBSERVATIONS
     ----        -------                                                        
        DEFAULT NUMBER OF ROWS:   72                        INTEGER ID: 0      
                          COLS: 3500                   MISSING DATA VALUE:  -2139062144 
        REPEAT GROUP:  NUMBER OF REPETITIONS:   1 
                           STARTING POSITION:  11
                                        SIZE:  25       
        NUMBER OF KEYS IN ROW HEADER:     4            
                          COL HEADER:     6   STARTING AT POSITION   5        
                         DATA RECORD:    25   STARTING AT POSITION  11       
                                       ----                                 
                                         35 TOTAL                          
                                                                          
             KEY  SCALE UNIT     KEY  SCALE UNIT     KEY  SCALE UNIT     
             ---- ----- ----     ---- ----- ----     ---- ----- ----    
             TYPE   0            DAY    0   CYD      TIME   0   HMS    
             NREC   0            ID     0   CHAR     LAT    4   DEG   
             LON    4   DEG      ZS     0   M        ST     0   CHAR 
             CO     0   CHAR     MOD    0            HMS    0   HMS 
             CIGC   0            CC1    0            CC2    0      
             CIGH  -2   FT       ZCL1  -2   FT       ZCL2  -2   FT
             VIS    1   MI       WX1    0   CHAR     WX2    0   CHAR             
             T      2   K        TD     2   K        DIR    0   DEG             
             SPD    1   MPS      GUS    1   MPS      PSL    2   MB             
             PCP    2   IN       SNO    0   IN       PRE    2   MB            
             P24    2   IN       WXC1   0   CODE     WXC2   0   CODE         
             WXC3   0   CODE     WXC4   0   CODE                    
     LSCHE: DONE                                                                 
    
  7. List the parameters in the first file of the BLIZZARD/SFCHOURLY dataset.
    Type:  PTLIST BLIZZARD/SFCHOURLY.1 FORM=PARAM
    Also listed are the units, storage type and format for each parameter.
     PTLIST BLIZZARD/SFCHOURLY.1 FORM=PARAM                    
        PARAMETER UNIT        STORAGE TYPE     DEFAULT FORMAT 
        --------- ----        ------------     --------------
        TYPE                  integer          I9           
        DAY       SYD         integer          I9           
        TIME      HMS         integer          I9           
        NREC                  integer          I9           
        ID                    character        A4           
        LAT       DEG         real             F9.4         
        LON       DEG         real             F9.4         
        ZS        M           integer          I9           
        ST                    character        A4           
        CO                    character        A4           
        MOD                   integer          I9           
        HMS       HMS         integer          I9           
        CIGC                  integer          I9           
        CC1                   integer          I9           
        CC2                   integer          I9           
        CIGH      FT          real             F9           
        ZCL1      FT          real             F9          
        ZCL2      FT          real             F9           
        VIS       MI          real             F9.1         
        WX1                   character        A4           
        WX2                   character        A4           
        T         K           real             F9.2         
        TD        K           real             F9.2         
        DIR       DEG         integer          I9           
        SPD       MPS         real             F9.1         
        GUS       MPS         real             F9.1         
        PSL       MB          real             F9.2         
        PCP       IN          real             F9.2         
        SNO       IN          integer          I9           
        PRE       MB          real             F9.2         
     PTLIST: Done        
    
  8. List the first record in the first file of the dataset.
    Type:  PTLIST BLIZZARD/SFCHOURLY.1
     PTLIST BLIZZARD/SFCHOURLY.1                            
     Row :      1  Col :      2                             
     TYPE        =         0             | DAY         =     93072 SYD         |    
     TIME        =         0 HMS         | NREC        =      1924             |   
     ID          =       OAR             | LAT         =   36.6833 DEG         |  
     LON         =  121.7666 DEG         | ZS          =        41 M           | 
     ST          =        CA             | CO          =        US             |
     MOD         =         0             | HMS         =    235500 HMS         |    
     CIGC        =         2             | CC1         =         2             |   
     CC2         = _missing_             | CIGH        =    15000. FT          |  
     ZCL1        =    20000. FT          | ZCL2        = _missing_             | 
     VIS         =      25.0 MI          | WX1         = _missing_             |    
     WX2         = _missing_             | T           =    289.27 K           |   
     TD          =    284.83 K           | DIR         =       270 DEG         |  
     SPD         =       6.2 MPS         | GUS         = _missing_             | 
     PSL         =   1019.31 MB          | PCP         = _missing_             |
     SNO         = _missing_             | PRE         = _missing_             |    
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------   
     Number of matches found = 1                                                  
     PTLIST: Done 
    

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