McIDAS Learning Guide
Version 2015

[Search Manual] [Table of Contents] [Go to Previous] [Go to Next]

Real-time Data Access - Getting Started

The exercise below will take you through the steps necessary for setting up your client routing table to access real-time data. Once you have real-time groups included in the client routing table, ADDE commands can access data as soon it becomes available on the server machine.

Users who have LOGON credentials (initials and project number) that allow access to the SSEC real-time servers should follow the instructions exactly as written. Remember that once you have your client routing table set up to access real-time data from SSEC, any requests you make for real-time data will be charged to the project number you use when you log on.

Please note that the DEMO 1234 credentials used elsewhere in this manual (for use with the BLIZZARD datasets) are not sufficient for access to the SSEC real-time servers. Users who do not have access to the SSEC real-time servers should contact their Site Coordinator (System Administrator) for instructions on how to set up the client routing table. Once you have your table set up, you may start your McIDAS session and go to the next section. Remember, this chapter assumes that you are using the same dataset names as those used at SSEC. If your dataset names are different, you may have to change the dataset names in some of the commands.

  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 to the workstation.
    Type:  LOGON initials project# I
  3. Modify your client routing table so that commands requesting data from a dataset in the group INFO are routed to the SSEC remote server INFO.SSEC.WISC.EDU.
    Type:  DATALOC ADD INFO INFO.SSEC.WISC.EDU
    A listing similar to the following is displayed. The last line informs you that commands requesting data from a group with the Server IP Address <LOCAL-DATA> are routed to the local server. 
     Group Name                    Server IP Address
 --------------------         ----------------------------------------
 INFO                        INFO.SSEC.WISC.EDU      
 <LOCAL-DATA> indicates that data will be accessed from the local data directory.
  4. List all datasets of type TEXT in the group INFO.
    Type:  DSINFO TEXT INFO
    A listing of all of the descriptor names in the group INFO is displayed. The contents of any of these text datasets can be listed by using the READ command.

  5. List the contents of the ADDE text dataset INFO/RTSERVER.
    Type:  READ INFO/RTSERVER
    This text file (RTSERVER) lists general server information for each data source. It also contains the DATALOC commands necessary to update your client routing tables.

  6. Download the RTSERVER text file to your machine.
    Type:  READ INFO/RTSERVER DEV=T RTSERVER.BAT R
    The keyword DEV=T writes the standard text window output to the specified file, in this case RTSERVER.BAT. The R option replaces the existing file, if one does exist.

  7. Execute the text file as a batch job.
    Type:  BATCH RTSERVER.BAT
    This runs all of the DATALOC commands listed in the RTSERVER.BAT file that are not commented out with REM.

  8. List your client routing table's groups and associated server IP addresses.
    Type:  DATALOC
    All of the real-time servers should be displayed, in addition to any group names that were previously set up on your workstation.

  9. Run the DSINFO command to list the datasets available in the RTGRIDS group.
    Type:  DSINFO X RTGRIDS
    The X is a placeholder that will list all of the data types in RTGRIDS. The DSINFO command can be used with any of the groups listed in your client routing table.

[Search Manual] [Table of Contents] [Go to Previous] [Go to Next]