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Layout Model Editor

The Layout Model Editor composes the model and style used to plot data on a map from observations at discrete points (e.g., weather observations). This tool is used to edit existing models or to create new models. The Layout Model Editor is opened with the Tools->Layout Model Template menu item in the Main Display window.

Image 1: Layout Model Editor
Image 1: Layout Model Editor
Creating a Layout Model

Layout models can be created from scratch by utilizing the File->New menu option, or an existing layout model can be edited from the Layout Models menu. The display includes a horizontal and vertical line, which acts as a reference point for the location of the layout model with respect to the physical location of the observation (at the origin). The different shapes and features that can be added to the layout model are in the left panel. The shapes and features can be added to the layout model by left-clicking the item and then left-clicking at the desired location in the panel. Once in the Layout Model, individual components can be moved by left-clicking and dragging them. When an item is placed into the layout model, the Properties dialog for the component will open. This Properties dialog can also be invoked by double-clicking on a shape.

Each component of the layout model can be resized by dragging the black squares along the outside of the item. Multiple items can be aligned at once by holding down Shift and left-clicking on the items to move. Clicking on an item makes it active, and active items have black squares around them. Each item in the layout model also includes a red "Alignment Point', which acts to locate the individual components of the model with respect to the center point of the observation. The location of the Alignment Point to the item can be changed via the Alignment Point option in the menu when an item is right-clicked on.

When the mouse is held over a component of the layout model, the name of the item will be listed in the bottom bar of the Layout Model Editor. This can be useful if multiple Value fields are included in the layout model (temperature, dew point, etc.).

To save a layout model, use the File->Save or File->Save As... menu items. When the layout model is saved, any point data displays or gridded value plot displays that are using it will be updated. To remove a model, use the File->Remove menu item. Layout models supplied with McIDAS-V cannot be removed, but user-created local models can be removed.

Editing a Layout Model

There are many options that can be controlled for each individual component of the layout model. This menu is seen by right-clicking on an item.

Image 2: Editing a Layout Model Menu
Image 2: Editing a Layout Model Menu

The Properties window consists of four tabs: Display, Color By, Scale Size, and Rotate.

Properties Dialog - Display Tab

The Display tab allows for assigning which observation variable is associated with that item. Numerical values should appear in a "Value" item, text in a "Text" item, etc. Note that the items in this tab may differ depending on the item.

Image 3: Display Tab of the Properties Dialog
Image 3: Display Tab of the Properties Dialog
Properties
Properties Dialog - Color By Tab

The Color By tab consists of two tabs within itself: Map Value Into Color Table, and Color From Parameter. This tab allows for specifying how to color the item in the layout model.

The Map Value Into Color Table tab allows for coloring the parameter based off of its numerical value in relation to the set data range and color table for the parameter.

Image 4: Map Value Into Color Table Tab of the Color By Tab
Image 4: Map Value Into Color Table Tab of the Color By Tab
Properties

For example, in the above image the Temperature parameter has been specified with data range -90 to 45 Celsius. For each display, McIDAS-V will find the Temperature value (e.g., 15 Celsius), convert it to the specified unit (if necessary), find where it lays within the range, and use the corresponding color from the color table to display the data in the Main Display window.

The Color From Parameter tab allows for specifying a parameter, a set of (regular expression) patterns, and a corresponding color. If the text value of the parameter matches one of the patterns then the given color is used to color the shape.

Image 5: Color From Parameter Tab of the Color By Tab
Image 5: Color From Parameter Tab of the Color By Tab
Properties
Properties Dialog - Scale Size Tab

The Scale Size tab allows for specifying a parameter to scale the shape by. For each point display, McIDAS-V will find the value of the parameter, determine where that value lies within the data range, and find the corresponding scaling from the scale factor range.

Image 6: Scale Size Tab of the Properties Dialog
Image 6: Scale Size Tab of the Properties Dialog
Properties
Properties Dialog - Rotate Tab

The Rotate About Axis tab works like the scale and color by facilities. Note that the rotation is about the Z axis in X/Y/Z space. It is not a rotation in Lat/Lon space. All three tabs in the Rotate tab have the same fields.

Image 7: Rotate About Tabs of the Rotate Tab
Image 7: Rotate About Tabs of the Rotate Tab
Properties
Alignment Toolbar

At the top of the Layout Model Editor window, there is an alignment toolbar that allows for specifying the location of one item in a layout model model with respect to another. To align one item with respect to another, both items must be selected in the Layout Model Editor must be active. To activate multiple items, use Shift+left click on each item.

Alignment toolbar
Image 8: Alignment Toolbar
Properties Dialog - Shapes

Two items that can be added to the layout model whose Properties windows are significantly different than described above are Shape and Mapped Shape. These allow for defining numerical values of a parameter as a variety of different shapes.

The Properties window of the Mapped Shape Symbol is shown below. The only tab that differs between the Properties of Mapped Shape Symbol, and Shape, and the Properties above is the Display tab. The Shape item does not include the Shape Mappings panel in the window below, so using Shape, all numerical values will be plotted with the same shape regardless of their value.

Image 9: Mapped Shape Properties
Image 9: Mapped Shape Properties
Properties

For example, in the above image the Value parameter has been specified. From the Shape Mappings panel, values of 1-5 will display as a Minus, 6 will display as a Pin, 8 will display as a Filled Star, and 10 will display as a Square. All other values will display as a Filled Diamond, as set in the Shape field.

Menus

Many of the menu items seen utilizing this display are standard options that can be found in the Menus section of the Layer Controls page. However, there are several options unique to this display.

The File menu has these unique options:

The Edit menu has these unique options:

The View menu has these unique options:

The Layout Models menu has these unique options:


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