McIDAS-X User's Guide
Version 2023.1

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Appendix F

System Files

Listed below in alphabetical order are some of the McIDAS-X system files. Some are required to run McIDAS while most are used by McIDAS commands (e.g., OUTLUSAM is used by command MAP). You can manually change only those files below with the statement "can be modified with a text editor" in their function description.

The system files are located in the ~mcidas/data, $HOME/mcidas/data, $HOME/.mctmp and other MCPATH and REDIRECT directories. File names ending with .CORE (e.g., MAP.CORE and UACROSS.CORE) are supplied with McIDAS and should not be modified. Site and user versions of these files (if they exist) end with .SITE and .USER, respectively.

File name Function
ADDERROR.DOC list of ADDE error messages and the routines that produce them
AIRSBAND.DOC text file containing information about each of the 2378 bands in AIRS data
AIRSBANDINFO binary file created from AIRSBAND.DOC that the AIRS server uses to map wavelength and wave number to band number
ALLOC.WWW allocation of frame sizes
AREAnnnn area files, where nnnn is the area number
BASICVV1 LW file used by the RUN command to store variables
*.bdf bitmap distribution files that define fonts you can use
BREF.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD Base Reflectivity products
bufrVersion*.txt text files used by the -X BUFR server and -XCD BUFR filer to label BUFR files in a consistent manner using category/subcategory
CNTYOUTL.DAT county outline basemap for the WWDISP command
CONTEXT.DAT configuration settings for the McIDAS-X GUI
CONTOUR.DEF default contour intervals for the GRDDISP and PTCON commands; can be modified with a text editor
CORE.SAT satellite names and information used by the ADDE navigation commands
COUNTRY.TXT list of countries and their two-letter codes used by the CCODE command
COUNTRY.TXT.OLD list of countries and their two-letter codes used in McIDAS-X versions before 2002; this file is for reference purposes only so users who access MD files created with a version earlier than 2002 can find out which country codes are used in those files
CREF.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD Composite Reflectivity products
DCGFSMOS text file used by the SCHE command to register the GFS MOS MD file schema
DCGRET LW file used by the SCHE command to register the GRET MD file schema
DCIHGT LW file used by the SCHE command to register the IHGT MD file schema
DCIRAB LW file used by the SCHE command to register the IRAB and IRSG MD file schemas
DCISEN LW file used by the SCHE command to register the ISEN MD file schema
DCISFC LW file used by the SCHE command to register the ISFC MD file schema
DCISHP LW file used by the SCHE command to register the ISHP MD file schema
DCNAMMOS text file used by the SCHE command to register the NAM MOS MD file schema
DCNGMMOS text file used by the SCHE command to register the NGM MOS MD file schema
DCPIRP LW file used by the SCHE command to register the PIRP MD file schema
DCRAOB LW file used by the SCHE command to register the RAOB and RSIG MD file schemas
DCRAWI LW file used by the SCHE command to register the RAWI MD file schema
DCSVCA LW file used by the SCHE command to register the SVCA MD file schema
DCSYN LW file used by the SCHE command to register the SYN MD file schema
DCUPPR text file used by the SCHE command to register the UPPR MD file schema
DEFAULT.GRX default graphics palette for the GU command
DNKEYS list of MD file keys, field widths and units used by the system commands (ASCII format); LW file FLDWDTH is generated from this list
*.ET image enhancement files created with the EU command
*.FFD font types used by the FONT command and global keyword
FLDWDTH LW file list of MD file keys and field widths for the MDL command
FRAMED frame panel information
FRAMENH.001 frame enhancement
Framen.p frame directory where n is the frame number and p is the panel number; examples are 1.1, 3.2, 2.4, 10.2
gbtbpds001.* text files used to translate GRIB file information to McIDAS grid header data; file gbtbpds001.0v1 contains originating center information; files gbtbpds001.2v* contain parameter names and units; file gbtbpds001.4v1 contains time definitions; files gbtbpds001.a* contain model information; files gbtbpds001.b* contain map/domain information
GEO.CORE parameter and keyword settings for the GEO command
GEODATA.CORE satellite dataset, channel, resolution and coverage settings for the GEO command
*.GIF GIF-format files created by the FRMSAVE command
GLM.CORE default parameter and keyword settings for the GLMDISP and GLMLIST commands
GLM_*.CFG configuration files used to map McIDAS parameter names to the actual parameter names in GOES-R Series Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) netCDF point files; see the "GOES-R Series netCDF Dataset Remarks" section in the DSSERVE command documentation for how to create an ADDE dataset if you have GLM netCDF point files
GMSCAL GMS calibration file
GRaannnn grid files where aa is either part of the grid file number or the letters ID; nnnn is the grid file number
GRAPHIC.GRX default graphics palette for the GU command
*.GRX graphics palette files created by the GU command
GRAPHICS.KEY shared memory Block Key for graphics
grib2*.txt text files used by the -X GRIB server and the -XCD GRIB filer to translate GRIB2 file information to McIDAS grid header data; file grib2NCEPModels.txt contains model information; file grib2NavLookup.txt contains navigation information; file grib2Parameters.txt contains parameter information
HIRSCRPF HIRS calibration reference parameters for computing HIRS brightness temperatures
HIRSTAUL HIRS transmittance coefficients
IDSVCA surface station identifiers (binary format)
IMAGE.ET default image enhancement for the EU command
IMGDISP.CORE predefined products for the IMGDISP command
LEO.CORE parameter and keyword settings for the LEO command
LEODATA.CORE navigation dataset, satellite dataset, channel and resolution settings for the LEO command
license.txt McIDAS software acquisition and distribution policies
LREF.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD Layer Reflectivity products
LWPATH.NAM current file redirection listing
MAP.CORE coverages and projections of predefined maps used by MAP, WWDISP and all other commands that allow specification of predefined maps
*.MCB McBASI program text files; can be modified with a text editor
MCCMDHIST.TXT list of commands entered through the command line or run through the GUI; each new McIDAS session is indicated with the line Starting a new McIDAS session on <date and time>; the number of commands stored in the file is equal to the value set in the -ih flag in the .mcidasrc file; MCCMDHIST.TXT is accessed through the Command History GUI under the main GUI window's List menu or through the SEE command or a text editor for cutting and pasting
MCRGB.TXT list of predefined colors and RGB values for the EU and GU commands (ASCII format); can be modified with a text editor
MCSTRETCH.TXT information about the expanded stretch option, and satellite and band combinations that can use it
MCTABLE.TXT ADDE client routing table; created and modified by the DATALOC and AKA commands
MDaannnn MD files where aa is either part of the MD file number or the letters XX; nnnn is the MD file number
*.MNU F Key Menu text files; can be modified with a text editor
MOD06.cfg sample configuration file used to map McIDAS parameter names to the actual parameter names in a MODIS MOD06 HDF point file
MOD07.cfg sample configuration file used to map McIDAS parameter names to the actual parameter names in a MODIS MOD07 HDF point file
MODIS.CORE MODIS Level 2 product server (MODX) display variables
MSUSCRPF MSU calibration reference parameters
*.NAM file redirection listings for the REDIRECT command
netcdfbuoy.nc sample netCDF point file containing buoy data; netcdfpoint.cfg is a sample configuration file for this type of data
netcdfgrid.cfg sample configuration file used to map McIDAS parameter names to the actual parameter names in a netCDF grid file
netcdfpoint.cfg sample configuration file used to map McIDAS parameter names to the actual parameter names in a netCDF point file
OUTLANT Antarctica basemap (high resolution)
OUTLARST Argentinian states basemap (high resolution)
OUTLAUSS Australia states basemap (high resolution)
OUTLAUST Australian region basemap (high resolution)
OUTLAUSW Australia's Lake Eyre basemap (high resolution)
OUTLEURO European region basemap (high resolution)
OUTLHPOL world political boundaries basemap (medium resolution)
OUTLHRES world coastal boundaries basemap (high resolution)
OUTLSUPU USA basemap with states and major waterways (very high resolution)
OUTLSUPW world coastal boundaries basemap (medium resolution)
OUTLUSAL North American basemap for text (nongraphical) maps (very low resolution)
OUTLUSAM North American basemap with states and provinces (high resolution)
OUTLWRLD world basemap for text (nongraphical) maps (very low resolution)
*.PIX virtual frame files saved with the SVF command
*.PRD predefined text products for WXTLIST command
PRE1.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD 1-Hour Precipitation products
PRE3.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD 3-Hour Precipitation products
PRET.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD Storm-Total Precipitation products
RADAR.ET radar enhancement for the EU command
RAOBCON.CORE default parameter and keyword settings for the RAOBCON command
RAOBPLOT.CORE default parameter and keyword settings for the RAOBPLOT command
RESOLV.SRV ADDE dataset names on the local server; created and modified by the DSSERVE command
RVEL.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD Radial Velocity products
SATANNOT satellite annotation line information
SATBAND image band information used by the IMGLIST command
SAVESTR string table save file
SCHEMA blueprints of all registered schemas
SERVERTABLE.TDAT list of datasets available to the McIDAS-X GUI; the list is automatically generated by the GUI by running DSINFO commands for each group in the client routing table, MCTABLE.TXT
SFCCON.CORE default parameter and keyword settings for the SFCCON command
SFCPLOT.CORE default parameter and keyword settings for the SFCPLOT command
SKEDFILE system scheduler commands file
*.ST stretch tables created with the SU command
STNDB.CORE station database
STRTABLE active string table files
SYSKEY.DOC system key table; ASCII representation for the SYSKEY.TAB file; can be modified with a text editor
SYSKEY.TAB system key table derived from SYSKEY.DOC (binary format)
TERMCHAR.001 McIDAS display characteristics file
TOPOHRES topography file used by the ADT command
TOPOLRES topography file used by the ADT command
TOPS.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD Echo Tops products
towns.nd1 geographic data used by the TOWNS and FIND commands
towns.nd2 geographic data used by the TOWNS and FIND commands
towns.txt geographic data used by the TOWNS and FIND commands
UACROSS.CORE default units and keyword values for the UACROSS command
UASAVE.fff sounding edit files created with UAPLOT command, where fff is the frame number that the diagram was displayed on
UC.DOC list of User Common words and their functions
UNIDATA.MNU sample F Key Menu template file (ASCII format)
USCOUNTY.MAP National Weather Service county basemap used by the MAP and WWDISP commands
USSTATE.MAP National Weather Service state basemap used by the MAP and WWDISP commands
USZONE.MAP National Weather Service zone basemap used by the MAP and WWDISP commands
VASTBLS calibration file used to display 2-byte mode AA VAS data transmitted by GOES satellites from 22 September 1980 to 18 November 1986
VERSION.TXT ASCII text for the current version of McIDAS-X
VIL.ET image enhancement for NEXRAD Vertically-Integrated Liquid products
VIRTnnnn virtual graphics files created with the VIRT global keyword, where nnnn is the virtual graphic number
WXUSER.PRD user's predefined text products used by the WXTLIST command; can be modified with a text editor; there may also be a WXSITE.PRD file created by the site administrator
XRD.TXT list of commands available in McIDAS-XRD optional sidecar package; the version number of the package is specified near the beginning of the file

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