NEW PATCH AVAILABLE - V1.0k

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Tim Vasquez
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NEW PATCH AVAILABLE - V1.0k

Post by Tim Vasquez »

Digital Atmosphere Workstation Patch V1.0k is now available at:
http://www.weathergraphics.com/download.htm

NOTE - IF YOU ARE PRESERVING ANALYSIS SCRIPTS please see important information below.

Changes from V1.0j to V1.0k (6/25/04)

* Deleted numerous items in File > Preferences > General and Analysis that are no longer used or are overriden by analysis scripting capability.
* Digital Atmosphere now supports tighter time resolutions on surface data. The Control Panel > Time selections have been vastly retooled. Products will now plot a time range rather than a specific time so that it is obvious which observations have been used.
* Restored isentropic analysis.
* Changed typeface in PDF user manual from Garamond to Gill Sans to provide better on-screen legibility.
* Problems in scheduler are fixed.
* Some RAOB sites (such as Sydney Australia) report only wind data. This caused a crash in the Sounding plots as stability algorithms encountered range check errors. Digital Atmosphere is now corrected to not perform stability calculations if temperature data is missing.
* Fixed problem with product titles not being cleared whenever a new map was loaded.
* RADAR and RADARPLOT scripting commands added (see documentation).
* VERY IMPORTANT: Use of commas in analysis scripts has been discontinued as this will cause problems in scheduler scripting. Commas have been replaced with colons, e.g. COLOR=255:255:128.
* Added speed buttons for the most basic analysis types on the speed toolbar.
* Added Wind Chill (deg C) to the default menu.
* Substantial updating of documentation.

I did have to pull this version offline briefly between 0600-0630Z tonight as I discovered the sounding module wasn't working... the repaired version is online now.
Roy Leep
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Location: Tampa, Florida
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Using K update

Post by Roy Leep »

Tim:

Having been a long time user of DA and only now looking at DAWS I would like to call to you attention the following when working with surface data. I am using a P3 W98 256 Ram.

Comments thru the k patch:

1. When generating an Orthgraphic map size over 750x550 the program frequently crashes with "illegal operation".
2. I get a DA range check error window when plotting fronts although the fronts appear to plot normally. However, Hs & Ls are plotting even though I have this checked suppressed in Preferences.
3. I must be missing something, the scheduler is not working so there are no auto updates. I MISS THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK!
4. Allow preset toolbox values to remain the same at startup.
5. I MISS REMOVE LAST PRODUCT
6. Not being a script writer I miss control of the color and density of contours in Preferences.
I have enjoyed the new radar plots and see the new bells and whistles you have added in a number of areas, which I have long awaited but not yet used.
Thanks for the hard work.
Roy
Wally Mayo
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Post by Wally Mayo »

Tim,

Time frame/resolution on plotting (1 hr./30 min./20min./Manual) is nice except that obs are often taken (and time stamped in a metar) during the 5 to 10 minutes just before the hour like 53 after, i.e.
KEVW 251053Z AUTO 11004KT 10SM CLR 09/07 A3031 RMK AO2 SLP176
T00890067= is the 1100Z obs technically
So if you're going to put in handy time frames like 1 hr/30/20 min, you might need to either: have it normally (defaulted) to begin at :50 of previous hour going for 1 hr. etc, more consistent with NOAA guidelines (actually I think the NOAA handbook says all obs from :40 on are assigned to the next hour), or have a place where the user sets that (or another start time only) in a way that is retained (no pop up necessary). Otherwise, I notice that half of the plots don't plot.
Yes, I know there is the manual choice, but with that being a popup operation, I wonder if auto scripting/scheduling will allow for that step to work smoothly (for those who want all the plots).
Tim Vasquez
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Post by Tim Vasquez »

Wally Mayo wrote:obs are often taken (and time stamped in a metar) during the 5 to 10 minutes just before the hour
I have introduced a 10-minute offset for gating the obs times, which will allow the Canadian obs to plot with U.S. obs. The gates now look like this:
20 min interval: 0050-0109Z, 0110-0129Z, 0130-149Z, etc.
30 min interval: 0050-0119Z, 0120-0149Z, etc.
60 min interval: 0050-0149Z, 0150-0249Z, etc.
Though the NOAA handbook may have a H+:40 rounding (I thought it was :45) the vast majority of ASOS sites are now taking obs every 20 minutes, so this rounding system would not be practical.
1. When generating an Orthgraphic map size over 750x550 the program frequently crashes with "illegal operation".
More information needed on exact settings so I can reproduce this error.
2. I get a DA range check error window when plotting fronts although the fronts appear to plot normally. However, Hs & Ls are plotting even though I have this checked suppressed in Preferences.
I checked and didn't see a problem. I need more information on which front file was imported (preferably a copy of the info in your Status Window so I can see the URL).
3. I must be missing something, the scheduler is not working so there are no auto updates. I MISS THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK!
The scheduler is in your Control Panel on the back tab. You have to set it up. More information is needed on exact settings and a copy of your scheduler script. I tested it and it works fine, getting the data and plotting on schedule.
4. Allow preset toolbox values to remain the same at startup.
5. I MISS REMOVE LAST PRODUCT
Haven't gotten to these yet.
6. Not being a script writer I miss control of the color and density of contours in Preferences.
I'll see about adding some defaults in to the Styles that can take effect if a style is not specified in the scripts.

Tim
Wally Mayo
Senior Member
Posts: 251
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 11:36 pm
Location: Roanoke, VA
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Post by Wally Mayo »

Though the NOAA handbook may have a H+:40 rounding (I thought it was :45) the vast majority of ASOS sites are now taking obs every 20 minutes, so this rounding system would not be practical.
Gosh, I think you probably right - :45 past is probably the criterion. (It's been too long since I took the augmentation test at the NWS (back when they were doing them), and that question wasn't on my test - :) )

Your solution sounds just fine.

Thanks!
Roy Leep
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Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2003 8:28 am
Location: Tampa, Florida
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Scheduler settings for a non-scripter

Post by Roy Leep »

Tim:

Some example scripts would be necessary for me to start the scheduler. I just assumed that the scheduler would have an option to work like the DA does.

If I wanted the scheduler to activate my retrieval choices every thirty minutes and erase and plot around the clock, what would I enter?

Wouldn't a countdown clock still be useful to a user?

Thanks;

Roy
Roy Leep
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Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2003 8:28 am
Location: Tampa, Florida
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Generated map crashes and frontal bulletin errors

Post by Roy Leep »

Under Map configuration>Quick Pick>By Location preset>United States>Zoom level>Synoptic>Map size> 974x518 = The map begins to draw but crashs the program before finishing. This occurrs on any size above 750X550. The result is "an illeagel operation" and shuts down. I have run into the same with using the latitude and longitude generation with larger sizes. I have not been able to produce any map larger than the 750 size.

After ingesting the frontal bulletin from Albany or NCEP and then plotting it under "DATA" it gives a "range check error" but it does plot the fronts. Also in this regard I have checked in Preferences to omit the Highs and Lows but they plot anyway which means that if I do a pressure contour I get two sets of Highs and Lows.

Thanks;

Roy
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